Understanding Engagement with Science Festivals: Who Are the Engaged?

Abstract In 2015, the British Science Association (BSA) began developing a model to describe various publics based on how they engage with science. Currently, the model includes four groups along a continuum: Not interested, Inactive, Engaged, and Professionals. This article focuses on the Engaged, defined as those who are interested in science and who actively search for information about science and science-related activities and events. In 2018, a survey was administered to members of five science festival listservs in order to learn more about their interest in and engagement with science. Because listserv membership is voluntary, all nonprofessional respondents were considered members of the Engaged group. Through a series of cluster analyses, three distinct clusters were identified within this group. We describe the three clusters and how they are both different from and similar to one another. The clusters are then used to explore how Engaged publics participated in their local science festival. Findings are discussed in relation to our growing understanding of the BSA model, as well as practical applications for recruiting and programing for Engaged publics.