Introducing Science Through Images: Cases of Visual Popularization
Department
English
Document Type
Book
Files
Description
As funding for basic scientific research becomes increasingly difficult to secure, public support becomes essential. Because of its promise for captivating nonexpert publics, the practice of merging art and imagery with science has been gaining traction in the scientific community. While images have been used with greater frequency in recent years, their value is often viewed as largely superficial. To the contrary, Maria E. Gigante posits in Introducing Science through Images, the value of imagery goes far beyond mere aesthetics--visual elements are powerful communication vehicles. The images examined in this volume, drawn from a wide range of historical periods, serve an introductory function--that is, they appear in a position of primacy relative to text and, like the introduction to a speech, have the potential to make audiences attentive and receptive to the forthcoming content. Gigante calls them "portal" images and explicates their utility in science communication, both to popularize and mystify science in the public eye. Gigante analyzes how science has been represented by various types of portal images: frontispieces, portraits of scientists, popular science magazine covers, and award-winning scientific images from Internet visualization competitions. Using theories of rhetoric and visual communication, she addresses the weak connection between scientific communities and the public and explores how visual elements can best be employed to garner public support for research.
Call number in WMU's library
N72.S3 G54 2018 (WMU Authors Collection, First Floor)
ISBN
9781611178746
Publication Date
2018
Disciplines
Communication
Citation for published book
Gigante, Maria E. Introducing Science through Images: Cases of Visual Popularization. Columbia, South Carolina: The University of South Carolina Press. 2018.
Recommended Citation
Gigante, Maria, "Introducing Science Through Images: Cases of Visual Popularization" (2018). All Books and Monographs by WMU Authors. 743.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/books/743