Professor Ayelet Baram-Tsabari focuses her research on bridging science education and science communication scholarship, identifying people’s interests in science, and supporting scientists in becoming effective communicators. She is interested in ways that non-scientists use science in their everyday lives. As such, her work explores how science literacy, at the individual and societal level, shapes public engagement with science.
As a former television presenter, journalist, and columnist for publications including Israel’s economic newspaper Globes, she seeks to educate academics on how to communicate science simply and effectively. To that end, she co-developed the “De-Jargonizer” — a program that helps scientists identify jargon and replace it with reader-friendly vocabulary in their popular writing. She also does media training for scientists.
Recently, Prof. Baram-Tsabari launched a MOOC (massive open online course) called “Science Communication.” Open to students and faculty, the course helps researchers gain the attention of decision makers and improve communication with the media. It helps science teachers become better communicators, and science students learn how the public can participate in scientific research.
Prof. Baram-Tsabari received her bachelor’s degree at Tel Aviv University and her doctorate at the Feinberg Graduate School of the Weizmann Institute of Science in the Department of Science Teaching. She was also a Marie Curie Fellow in Cornell University’s Department of Communication.
Israel’s Council of Higher Education awarded Prof. Baram-Tsabari with the 2021 Higher Education Award for a Young Faculty Member for her exceptional contribution to society and the community in Israel. She has received many awards, including the 2018 Technion Award for Excellence in Teaching (top 4%), and is involved in many prestigious editorial boards and professional associations. Currently, she is a member of the Israeli Center of Research in meaningful learning on “Taking Citizen Science to School.” She has served as a member of the Advisory Board for the U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ LabX public engagement program, was elected a member of the Israel Young Academy (2016-2020), and served as chairwoman of its communication committee.
