Science Imagery on Instagram: Fostering Public Engagement in Science

• In Event: For (All) the Times of Your Life: Photo-Sharing Platforms

Abstract

This extended abstract presents an underway research project investigating how science museums are communicating science via Instagram. Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has acquired more than 500 million users, and the visually-oriented platform has become a popular venue for science communication. The data are currently being analyzed; 200 posts out of a sample of 1,080 Instagram posts have already been analyzed. For the purposes of this extended abstract, the study premise is articulated regarding theory and literature. In addition, initial findings are presented from the 200 analyzed posts. We also provide preliminary discussion and implications. Full data collection and analysis should be complete by early winter, and, if accepted, this research could be presented in full to the Visual Communication Studies Division at the May ICA conference.

Authors

• Paige Brown, Louisiana State U

• Nicole Smith Dahmen, U of Oregon

• Ember Jones, Louisiana State U