Scientific outreach with EPSAA

An unusual experiment

Nowadays, science popularization is expanding, and its use is not only limited to a general public, but is also extremely useful for researchers. Indeed, researchers have their own domain of expertise and do not necessarily have a clear idea of what their peers actually work on. It is particularly the case in a pluridisciplinary environment, as it is the case within PSL-Qlife.

In this line, Carsten Janke (group leader at the Institut Curie), initiated a collaboration with the school of graphic arts of Paris, EPSAA (Ecole professionnelle supérieure d’arts graphiques de la ville de Paris), for a science outreach project. Every year, first year students are immersed in the world of research and split into different research teams affiliated with PSL-Qlife. The students visit the lab a couple of times and exchange with scientists during a period of 4 months, generally from February to June. Two types of drawings are produced, one aiming at representing how they spent their time in the lab, and one representing in a simple way the work of the lab.

Through drawing, this project aims at developing a new way for scientists to communicate about science, but also about their work environment and their way to conduct experiments. It is also the occasion for the student to discover the world of research and apply their skills to a concrete project.

The drawings produced during the first edition were exposed during different events such as the annual science fair or their school's annual open house.

The second edition started last November.