OpenCon 2018

How might we communicate the importance of open scholarship to a broader audience ?

Dance is a powerful tool to convey ideas and to reach people. Complex scientific ideas have been communicated to non-specialist audience using dance (e.g. Dance your PhD contest). Hence, communicating vocabulary and concept of open scholarly practice in the form of dance, can engage broader audience. This experimental session will focus on expressing ideas of open scholarly practices through dance, collaborative choreography and improvisation theatre. We will collaboratively choreograph few steps aimed at reducing the knowledge gap in open scholarship vocabulary through performing arts. This unconference session is aimed at brainstorming and hence is not limited to participants with interest in dance and other performing arts. Participants interested in conveying ideas to engage public audience but are shy with dancing or have interest working behind the scenes are strongly encouraged to join. This exercise will result in a do-a-thon to create outreach content aimed at communicating the importance of open scholarly practice for a wider audience.