Scientific epistemology is a topic that has sparked centuries of philosophical discourse. In particular, understanding the role that scientists play in the creation and perpetuation of scientific knowledge is a subject that continues to be hotly debated. A relative new-comer to scientific epistemology is the field of virtue epistemology, which…

Learning scientists often use Donald Stokes's influential characterization of the relation between basic and applied research in his book "Pasteur's Quadrant" to suggest that most of the work in the learning sciences lies, or should lie, at the intersection of both types of research, that is, in the cell that is epitomized by Pasteur's…

In this study, carried out in different provinces of Spain, we assess the impact of a co-educational science program conducted with children aged 3-6, whose objective is to deconstruct gender stereotypes in science by studying the biographies of female scientists. The evaluative methodology we use is based on analysing the opinions the pupils…

This short article reflects on 'public switching' as a methodology for research on public perspectives on potential responses to the climate crisis. There have been recent calls for early public engagement with potentially controversial science and technology. Such 'upstream' engagement is often conducted by those close to the science, presenting…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research and physics education research, in particular, are currently struggling with a dearth of research into understanding the experiences and identity development of neurodivergent students. In addition, an even larger gap in research exists looking into nonacademic members who…

This study explores how caregiver-child scientific conversation during storybook reading focusing on the challenges or achievements of famous female scientists impacts preschoolers' mindset, beliefs about success, and persistence. Caregiver-child dyads (N = 202, 100 female, 35% non-White, aged 4-5, [function] = 0.15) were assigned to one of three…

With the rapidly increasing demand for STEM skills, many scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technology professionals encourage students to pursue STEM careers. However, communicating science to lay audiences is challenging due to complex scientific terminology. This qualitative research aimed to demonstrate how an exemplary scientist, Dr.…

This study investigates scientists' data needs to provide a basis for professionals in research data management (RDM) to tailor services to meet those needs. Eighty-one participants completed a survey after they had asked a question at a Data Help Desk staffed by data management professionals at one of two science conferences. The qualitative…

The past decade has seen multiple debates and discussions over the appropriate framing of Nature of Science (NOS) for science education. These debates have stemmed from a diversity of philosophical views on what science fundamentally is. In post-secondary STEM education, the goals of a science education rest in having students socialize into…

Three fundamental scientific works on the pedagogy of Comenius will be considered from new perspectives. These are the works of the East German comeniologist Franz Hofmann and the two West German comeniologists, Klaus Schaller and Andreas Lischewski. Germany has produced numerous scientific analyses of Comenius since 1945, but these three…

Despite decades of research into the gender disparity in physics education and physics practice, the underrepresentation of women in physics persists today. In physics education research, this gender disparity has been constructed as problematic, and numerous approaches from a variety of perspectives have been taken to both research and address…

By means of their pivotal role in the outbreak of a variety of diseases, such as, recently, COVID-19, the molecular aspects of cell membrane function have gained considerable attention from researchers in recent decades. The resulting information explosion and the growing interdisciplinary character of cell biology seems, however, to not be…

The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) is a world-class research center devoted to understanding fundamental questions about human health and disease. In addition to conducting multidisciplinary research of excellence, IRB Barcelona is committed to maintaining an open dialogue with the public about its work, fostering scientific…

This qualitative study aimed to explore what are pre-service elementary teachers' (N = 325) conceptualizations of scientific practices prior to their entry into the science teaching methods course through their drawn images and narratives of the scientists (male and female) and teacher as scientists. Data (drawings, narratives, and responses to…

Background: Previous research into children's perceptions of science shows that children like science but often hold stereotypical views of scientists and commonly do not see themselves with a career as a scientist. Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine if a carefully designed medium-term, teacher-led STEM intervention, 'Scientist of the…