Science Cafés
As part of its commitment to expanding the understanding and application of Program Science, the HIV-HCV Knowledge 2 Action (K2A) Program supports community engagement activities, which we like to call Science Cafés.
Science Cafés are informal science education activities, with varying formats, that can take place both in-person and virtual. The typical cafe structure involves a brief talk by an expert speaker(s), followed by a question and answer or conversation period with the audience.
Science Cafés welcome people who may or may not typically get involved with scientific discussions. They are not exclusive club meetings for scientists and science majors, nor do they take place exclusively in lecture halls or science museums. Rather, Science Cafés happen in informal community gathering spaces such as restaurants, libraries, bars, etc. In all cases, no admission is charged.
Successful cafés foster an informal atmosphere where all participants feel encouraged to participate. These are no long lectures with passive audiences listening to an expert, rather they are dynamic, two-way interactions between scientists, those with lived-experience and the public. In this way, the public feels empowered to learn, and the speaker gains valuable perspective on his or her own work.
The K2A Program welcomes your ideas for future Science Cafés that work to advance the understanding and application of Program Science, community interventions, scale up of successful community-researcher partnerships, etc.
If you’re interested in partnering with us, please send us an email to info@cagh-acsm.org with the subject “K2A Science Café”.