Bringing Science to the Public Using Popular Culture

In our modern age when many of the key issues have an underlying science component, it is critical that the general public become more comfortable with science. This talk describes the use of popular culture as a way to bring scientific ideas to life. The examples that will be highlighted show how physics and other science fields can be embedded into discussions about American football. This talk will also showcase how science can be stealthily encased in a historical context in stories about inventions. Using a forthcoming book called The Alchemy of Us as a model, this talk will show how concepts of physics, materials science, and electrical engineering can be displayed in an engaging way for a general readership. Overall, this presentation makes a case for scientists to instill a new habit of sharing their knowledge with the public by connecting on a human level.