Monster fossils, helicopters and Science in Action: YuYen Pan reflects on nine years of public engagement

PhD student and Excellence in Science Public Engagement, Communication and Outreach Award recipient YuYen Pan didn’t initially choose Earth Sciences but she soon found that geology was a way of exploring her interest in the natural world. “It’s actually really fun,” she says. “You have to spend a lot of time outdoors.”

While studying in Taiwan Pan noticed a lack of accessible geological information available to the general public. The country has frequent earthquakes and she was frustrated by the amount of misinformation that circulates about them.

In her second year, she and some friends created a YouTube channel called PlaYinStone Studio with geoscience educational videos for kids. They were able to access an active learner grant through her university which helped pay for equipment and training.

“I discovered that I really enjoyed doing science communication,” she says. “To get better at it I needed to know more about scientific research and communication so I continued with my masters degree and did a summer internship at Discovery Asia-Pacific to learn from professionals.”

Her master's research focused on a peculiar giant trace fossil found in Yehliu Geopark, which was later believed to be left by an ancient giant Bobbit worm. After she completed her master's degree, the research team curated a 7-month exhibition for the Yehliu Geopark Information Centre, showcasing this mysterious monster trace fossil to tourists.

Her interest in science communication led her to pursue a PhD at SFU, working with Earth Sciences professors Glyn Williams-Jones and Eileen van der Flier-Keller.

Field work in Canada was very different from what she was used to. “Taiwan is very densely populated,” she says. “Everywhere you go you can find hotels nearby. You go and do your field work, then you go to the night market and eat and shower at your hotel. In my first field work [in Canada] I had to take a helicopter up to Mt. Currie and stay in a tent for two weeks,” a trip she’s immortalized in a video.

Part of her research has involved talking to people in communities along the Sea to Sky corridor about their understanding of natural hazard risks, a task she initially found challenging due to cultural and language barriers. “It’s so different from [Vancouver],” she says. “In some small communities you can’t just google to find out who is the right person to talk to.”

“I’m not a native speaker. I was actually really terrified at the beginning but I found that when I really talked to people they are very friendly. I would go into communities and talk to random strangers in the streets to find out who has the community network.”

Still, much of Pan’s coursework has been very theory-heavy, which often feels disconnected from the people. After a break from science outreach, she decided to resume some science communication work, but this time she didn't go back to video making, as videos take a lot of effort to produce and don't always achieve the reach she was hoping for.

She credits Faculty of Science’s Science in Action program for helping rekindle her love of science communication. “I felt all the fire again, all the sparks. I really enjoy talking to kids.”

She was impressed by the level of support Faculty of Science puts into running the program, through dedicated science outreach facilities and offering pay for workshop instructors. “It’s nice to be recognized for your effort in science communication. I feel like Canada puts lots of effort into supporting science communication and it can encourage more people to get involved.”

“I think my horizons have definitely broadened a lot since I’ve come here,” Pan says. “One thing I’ve learned in Canada is that science communication has so any aspects – it’s just such a huge field. There are so many different roles and right now I’m still exploring.”