Café Scientifique

Interesting article in The Times on something called a Café Scientifique:

DENVER, Feb. 20 — A scientist walks into a bar. More than 100 people are there, eager to hear all that she has to say and ask a lot of questions. No joke.

That's what happens at the Wynkoop Brewing Company here every month when Café Scientifique is held.

Science is not cold and remote in this setting. It's live, interactive, free and informal, with a drink or two. And other Café Scientifique meetings are popping up throughout the country and around the globe on campuses, in coffee shops, bars and even a church. The purpose is to make science accessible and even fun to anyone with the time to stop by.

"A lot of people come to see real live scientists — some of whom are extremely famous and prominent — and see how their brains work," said Dr. John Cohen, a professor of immunology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the founder of the Denver Café Scientifique. "People don't often get a chance to do that. Some come to ask questions, others are content to listen."

I recently had this exact idea, that someone should open a coffee shop, where every night debates and lectures our held among academics of all stripes.  Apparently, people are already doing it.  Not only do I think that people would be interested (and from this article it seems that they are), but it would be good for academics to have to step out of the university, for a moment, and explain their work to the lay-folk.

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１０日が初出席となる大阪府の松井一郎知事は、安全確認を前提としながらも「被災地は大変な状況。日本中で支えなければいけない」と受け入れに前向きな発言をしている。

　ティンバーランド一方、９月の台風１２号による紀伊半島豪雨で発生した大量のがれき処理が問題となり、他府県の応援を受けている和歌山県は、東日本大震災の被災地を支援する余裕はなく、担当者は「受け入れ可能な状況にはない」。