Science cafés

Connecting with the science café community

You are not alone. As science cafés grow in popularity, so do the resources available for organizers.

NOVA scienceNOW outreach staff are in touch with café organizers around the country. We may be able to help connect you to partners in your area and to other café organizers. Contact us
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, encourages its local chapters to start science cafés. Sigma Xi members and officers have a variety of unique "one-stop shopping" resources, including cut and paste templates for letters, flyers, e-mails, posters, and more.
To ask a question of the international café community, sign up for café Scientifique's e-mail discussion group.

Funding your café

There may be money available for your café.

NOVA scienceNOW provides start-up grants for science cafés. To find out more about this funding opportunity, check out the grant guidelines.
The American Chemical Society encourages its local sections to organize a science café, and provides limited funding to help them get started. If you are interested in starting a science café with your section, clink on "science cafés" under "get programming ideas" on the local sections page of the ACS Web site.
Sponsorship of a successful café can keep your events free of charge. University departments, local chapters of professional societies, and even some corporations are potential sources of funding. For an example, check out the Houston Science café's web site.

Promoting your café

Maintaining a Web presence is now easy.

If your café has a Web page, sciencecafes.org can link to it from the café map. If you don't have a web presence, sciencecafes.org can provide you a free Web page to promote your upcoming events. Put your café on the map.
Looking for flyer ideas? Here is a PDF file of a sample flyer (PDF) that was made using Microsoft Word, and might help you think about your design.
If you plan on using NOVA scienceNOW video, contact your local PBS affiliate to see if they are interested in helping you get out the word about your science café.

Finding guest scientists

There are many resources beyond the local university for finding guest scientists to speak at your café.

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, has a membership of 60,000 researchers, from all science and engineering disciplines. The Society encourages members to participate in science cafés and will help you find a scientist to participate in your event. Find a Sigma Xi chapter near you < link to > or contact Sigma Xi staff: cafes at sigmaxi.org

You can also ask your local chapter of Sigma Xi to request a Distinguished Lecturer to participate in your science café.

If you know you want your science café to tackle a particular topic, try checking with other professional societies and associations to see if there are active members in your area.

Local science-related businesses such as those involved in research and development are also good sources for scientists. Check with your local chamber of commerce for a list of companies and contact information.

Scientists that have presented at previous cafés may help you find future speakers.

Directing scientists to the "For Presenters" section of this Web site may encourage them to participate in and prepare for your café.

Experimenting with your café

Here are a few tips for getting café audiences engaged and talking.

Mind the gap. Have you ever noticed that your café audience is the most animated during breaks? Tap into this energy by giving everyone a few minutes to socialize after a scientist has finished a presentation and before starting group discussion.
Go beyond Q & A. A group conversation that includes everyone in a room rarely happens naturally. It is up to a cafés moderator and guest scientist to find ways to get as many people involved as possible. Check out the "For Presenters" section for tips on how to take the café meeting beyond conventional question and answer.
Video. It is amazing how quickly a crowded room will become engaged when a video presentation comes on. A short clip from NOVA scienceNOW or other science program can get everyone on the same page with background information. Find out how you can use video in a science café.
Go on tour. Are people sticking around after your event is "over" to keep discussions going on their own? Bringing the scientist from table to table at this point can lead to the best conversations of the event.
Trivia. As people are arriving for a café, trivia questions can get them talking together and thinking about a topic. Use these samples for ideas.

Evaluating your café

Find out the results of national surveys, and consider how you can learn from your audience.

Many science cafés have participated in recent national surveys. Check out the findings of these studies.
Evaluate your own café by paying close attention to the audience:
- What aspects of the event seem to actively engage everyone?
- Are people relaxed and comfortable, squirming in their seats, or barely awake?
- Are there prolonged stretches with just one voice speaking?
- Is there a moment when everyone becomes very animated?
If you use a survey or questionnaire, keep in mind that written evaluations can shape people's perception of the event itself. For example, a survey that focuses only on what the audience learned could feel like a test, making the café seem like a formal education event.

Do you know of other resources available for science cafés? Suggest information for posting on this page by e-mailing us.