Intro discussion: Why is it important for scientists to share their research with the public:

  • Pros = Improvement, prevent abuse of knowledge (public accountability), ethical/government regulation, broader progress - build on others’ research, expose other POVs, generational/basic knowledge, transparency + accountability (Harvard and Stanford scandals)
  • Cons = Scientific jargon - communication, classism, used as a political tool, easy misinformation = must be handled carefully, misinformation = crypto,

MOST

  • Understanding other stars ultimately allows us to gain a better understanding of our home planet and home star.
  • Fundraising is rocket science
  • Legacy of research propagates as the metaphorical children in derivative research efforts

Claims = A statement that asserts something that may be true or false, and so must be supported

  • Significant = challenges the status quo
  • Specific
  • Clear, concise
  • Focus, on one central idea
  • Debatable, and worth debating Reason: A statement that supports the claim E.g. an interpretation of evidence, or inferences from observations