New approaches to nuclear science communication and public engagement

Communicating the importance of science, and sharing exciting new results with the general public is now more important than ever. Because if we don’t, who will? It is critical that each of us, being experts in our fields, share our passion for physics in a language that non-experts can understand. And it is even more critical to explore new approaches to do so, because not everyone learns in the same way. Reaching a diverse audience requires a diverse set of tools and techniques. in this talk I will discuss some of the recent activities developed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) for communicating nuclear science with general audiences. Specifically, I will focus on efforts to collaborate with groups outside of nuclear physics, such as science museums, dance companies, art venues, public media, and more. In particular the connection with various forms of art allowed us to bring nuclear science to audiences that are not necessarily the traditional science enthusiasts, this way enhancing our reach and diversity. I will also discuss some more intense programs for targeted audiences that have served as strong recruiting tools for the next generation physics students.