On making physics relevant to society in general and to scientists in particular: Closing the epistemic gap

TL;DR

This paper explores how to make physics more relevant and engaging to society and physicists by addressing communication, educational methods, and the epistemic gap between teaching and understanding.

Contribution

It proposes strategies to improve physics communication and education, aiming to close the epistemic gap and enhance societal appreciation of physics.

Findings

Physics is perceived as boring and irrelevant by the public.

Physicists may lack effective communication of their discipline.

Closing the epistemic gap can improve societal and scientific engagement.

Abstract

Physics has a bad press: it is seen by a majority of people as a boring discipline ever since their High School days. There is no glamour to it, just toil and pain, and for many who engaged in it, the end sight is often unemployment. Could it be that physicists don't know how to communicate what their discipline entails to? I will be tackling the problematic of making physics relevant to society and to the scientists in general. I will also be dealing with the methodological and educational aspects of teaching and practicing physics, and the need to close the epistemic gap between physics teaching and the physicist's understanding ... By the way, do physicists understand physics?