Breathing new life into science shops

The noise was intense, every time a train thundered past. There I was, together with fellow student Marijn and a very expensive decibel meter, standing in the living room of a nice lady. We were there to measure whether the trains on the railway bridge over the Maas were causing too much noise in the brand-new flats in Den Bosch. It felt like a very important assignment.

That spring day in 2001 made by far the biggest impression on me during my entire physics degree programme in Utrecht. As part of a practical lab, we had to take noise measurements and write a report about them. The flat residents could then use that report to demand better sound insulation from the contractor. 

The term Community Engaged Learning had not yet been invented – or at least I never came across it as a student. But what Marijn and I did there was, of course, Community Engaged Learning at its best. A practical assignment for and with the flat residents of Den Bosch as social partners. And we even got credits for it.

Those flat residents approached Utrecht University via the Physics Shop, one of seven science shops that existed in Utrecht at the time. Other faculties also had such knowledge hubs. They flourished during my student days. DUB published a wildly enthusiastic article about how Utrecht's approach to science shops would conquer Europe. That article, from October 2000, exudes the spirit of Open Science and Open Education and would fit right into the UU's current mission and vision. 

Unfortunately, the science shops did not survive. Around 2015, all science shops and other knowledge hubs were closed as part of budget cuts. In a few places, there are still programmes such as UniCity Honours and Clinical Legal Education that work in a similar way, but compared to twenty years ago, it is meagre. Science shops have also been cut back at almost all other Dutch universities; although in Groningen and Wageningen do they still exist. 

Yet they would fit so well into our current vision of education. Science shops as places where the university and society meet. As drivers of Community Engaged Learning. However, there is no mention of them in the Strategic Plan 2025-2030 or in the updated education model.

But it's still possible. We can revitalise the Utrecht science shops. If we start with some funding for a coordinator and some equipment (I remember that decibel meter being very expensive, but I see you can buy them for a few tens of euros), we could get started right away. Perhaps a nice USO project?

Every time I cross that bridge on the train to Den Bosch, I look at that flat. And every time, I'm glad that at least one part of my studies was not only for myself, but also for others. Thanks to the science shop!

Erik van Sebille is Professor of Oceanography and Public Engagement at the Institute for Marine & Atmospheric Research and the Freudenthal Institute. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of DUB.