Chemophobia versus the identity of chemists: heroes of chemistry as an effective communication strategy

Abstract

Decades of chemophobia are taking a high toll on chemistry. As current surveys suggest, people are displaying an irrational desire to live in a world without chemistry, but at the same time are unable to answer trivial chemistry questions. Constant questioning of the importance of chemistry induced by chemophobia leads to a weakening of the identity of chemists and can have negative consequences on the reproduction of chemistry. The need for the support of a positive perception of the chemical profession and an offer of positive examples for self-identification is the result. Everyday communication thus becomes the background on which the determination of the identity of the chemist takes place. The new communication strategy, which we call "heroes of chemistry", aims not only to add a much-needed human touch to chemistry communications, but also to create the conditions for strengthening the identity of the chemist.

Chemophobia and passion: why chemists should desire Marcel Proust

“…Therefore, we need to “explain facts and debunk myths” [ 16 ] to unweave the web of chemophobia and help those who suffer from it. We define chemophobia as a long-lasting and persistent irrational fear of chemistry and chemical substances and a strenuous effort to avoid them, which causes people to become hypersensitive or even intolerant in this respect [ 11 , 12 , 17 – 19 ]. Over time, we have witnessed many of the troubling effects of chemophobia on the lives of chemistry-fearing or chemistry-ignoring and, therefore, vulnerable people.…”

Chemophobia cured by chemists: chemists as children of the Sun

“…The decisions we make in our laboratories—in this realm, where our “intuition and tacit knowledge is sovereign” [ 21 ]—have weight and the actions we perform have consequences. We clothe, house, feed, and cure humankind and as a consequence make the world a better place to live [ 16 ]. And it is the promise of chemistry to solve the problems of humanity and namely its ability to deliver that legitimises its existence.…”

“…Chemists thus have a number of interesting and in a way exciting tasks ahead of them (e.g., related to the threats of new diseases and pandemics, but also to environmental damage, aging and increasing populations, and urbanization [ 33 ]), but they face a lack of new talents. This is the consequence of chemophobia which we [ 14 – 16 , 34 ] define as a long-lasting and persistent irrational fear of chemistry and chemical substances and a strenuous effort to avoid them, causing people to become hypersensitive or even intolerant in this respect.…”

“…In our previous communications [14][15][16], we have addressed the most sensitive or up-to-date needs of chemistry communication. Today, with the expected postpandemic negative impact of COVID-19 on research and chemistry education, persisting public chemophobia, and the experience of vaccine communication, it is clear that there is much more to be done.…”

Chemistry in Our Community: Strategies and Logistics Implemented to Provide Hands-On Activities to K–12 Students, Teachers, and Families

“…Many children, teachers, and parents are still afraid of Chemistry and consider it a very difficult subject 36. It is our goal to continue a tradition of service-learning activities in Chemistry to reduce that perception and to encourage more young children in our region to continue studies in the STEM field.…”