Don't Look Now But You're Doing Science: An Unlikely Avenue for Bringing Science Literacy to the Natural Stone Industry
Abstract
Science has broad appeal when it's used to resolve questions in people's everyday lives. And what could be more everyday than one's kitchen countertop? The natural stone industry enjoys a thriving culture of fabricators, designers, and customers who appreciate granite, marble, and quartzite every bit as much as geologists do. However, many stone dealers do not necessarily place an emphasis on the geologic properties of stones, and misinformation abounds. In particular, widespread mislabeling of marble and quartzite caused these two stones to be hopelessly mixed up in the trade, creating headaches for customers and stone dealers alike.
Fortunately, these problems are easy to overcome using basic geology. Simple tests for hardness and acid resistance can quickly differentiate marble and quartzite. A homeowner, armed with a slice of lemon and a pocketknife, can begin to unravel the mysteries of stone slabs and become an informed consumer. Science to the rescue. This presentation will describe an ongoing collaboration with the natural stone industry, and will share insights about why it works. Over a span of six years, I've shared geologic information via webinars, workshops, trade shows, articles, and regular participation in an online kitchen design forum. Encouragingly, this outreach is working. Customers are better informed. Dealers and fabricators are adopting basic geologic methods for identifying stone. Science-based techniques are visibly spreading through the industry, reaching a broad audience of homeowners, industry professionals, and people who simply like rocks. Best of all, people are gaining firsthand experience in using science to resolve a confusing situation. Embedded in this case study are larger lessons about bringing science literacy to new audiences. For example, I have adopted the language of their industry instead of asking them to speak like geologists. At every turn, I aim to make the information relatable, useful, and easy to learn. Geology is offered as a means to make people's lives easier, rather than to make them feel like they're doing it wrong. Lastly, I am a careful and conscientious representative of the geosciences, knowing full well that building trust in science is something that can extend far beyond the kitchen countertop.- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMPA21A..06K
- Keywords:
-
- 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATIONDE: 4334 Disaster risk communication;
- NATURAL HAZARDSDE: 6349 General or miscellaneous;
- POLICY SCIENCESDE: 6699 General or miscellaneous;
- PUBLIC ISSUES