Science Pub
Portland, OR
Organized by: Amanda Thomas, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
We started the Science Pub because our museum wanted to get more adults involved in science education. OMSI is often seen as a place primarily for families with children, however we have much to offer adult audiences as well. In looking for fun and compelling ways to reach out to that adult audience, we saw the Science Pub as a great opportunity to connect with those who might not otherwise visit the museum. There are several universities and research companies in the area and there is plenty of exciting science happening right here at home, so finding meaningful topics and interesting speakers has been fairly simple. The informal setting of the Science Pub is one of the most important parts of making people feel comfortable and able to enjoy learning, and since Portland is also known for its beer, taking science into a brewpub was a natural fit.
We hold the Science Pub every last Monday of the month at the Bridgeport Brewpub and Bakery in Northwest Portland. Not only do they brew their own beer, but they also have a beautiful newly renovated event space with an in-room bar and plenty of wait staff. We open up the room for seating about an hour before the Science Pub starts, and it's usually full to overflowing with people eating and drinking by the time we start with the introductions at 7 pm. Our first Science Pub started in August 2006 with about 60 people, and in just a few short months we have doubled our monthly attendance to about 120 people.
The Science Pub begins with a welcome and some short announcements of the next month's Pub talk, as well as info on the latest traveling exhibit at the museum or other interesting info. We then ask 10 serious and not-so-serious trivia questions that relate to the evening's topic, both to give the crowd some more background on the subject but also to get them engaged and having fun. It is then handed over to the guest speaker who talks for between 20-30 minutes, sometimes with slides, sometimes without. Occasionally we take a short break to allow people to get another drink, use the restroom, or talk amongst themselves, and then we start with Q&A. The questions can last as long as an hour or so, and once the questions taper off or it starts getting too late, we end the Science Pub and invite the people to come back the next month.