FAQs
Q: What is scientific literacy?
A: Scientific literacy is a mix of concepts, history, and philosophy that help us understand the scientific issues of our time. The scientifically literate citizen possesses facts and vocabulary necessary to understand the context of the daily news.
Scientific literacy is not the specialized jargon of the experts. Scientifically literate people can appreciate the importance of medical advances without knowing how to synthesize a new drug, and they don't need to be able to calculate the orbit of the space station to understand its role in space exploration.
Q: How do I know if I am scientifically literate?
A: If you can understand scientific issues in magazines and newspapers, if you can tackle articles about genetic engineering or the ozone hole with the same ease that you would sports, politics, or the arts, then you are scientifically literate.
To read more about scientific literacy, and why it is important, we recommend you read this article by R. M. Hazen.
Q: What is citizen science?
A: The UK Environmental Observation Framework defines citizen science as the involvement of trained volunteers to help collect biodiversity and environmental data. The collection of this information contributes to expanding our knowledge of the natural environment, including biological monitoring and the collection or interpretation of environmental observations.
At We Grok It!, we incorporate citizen science, but it would be more accurate to call what we do "community science," or perhaps "grassroots science." Our participants engage in every step of the scientific method, rather than just volunteering to collect data.
If you'd like to know more about citizen science, download this Guide to Citizen Science.
Q: What's the deal with your name?
A: Author Robert A. Heinlein first introduced the word "grok" in his 1961 book Stranger in a Strange Land. "Grok" literally means "to drink," but as Heinlein originally used it, grokking was the merging of intelligence that in turn affected both the observer and the observed. Over the years, grok has come to mean exhaustive or complete comprehension of any physical or conceptual entity. A "grokked" concept becomes part of the person who contributes to its evolution by refining the idea or proving the theory.
Our mission is to empower people as critical thinkers who ask questions and discover answers about where they live. Because we aim to create a culture of comprehensive scientific literacy, we needed a word that conveyed deep, thorough, and holistic understanding.
At We Grok It!, by helping citizen scientists craft impactful research projects that study their neighborhood ecology, we hope to increase citizens' grokking of the world in which they live; creating lifelong stewards of the environment and advocates for social justice.