San Diego, CA—Since its inception in 2014, Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® has become one of the Fleet’s most popular adult events. In early 2017, the program became a registered trademark for the Fleet Science Center. Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® is now run in multiple cities throughout the country, including Pittsburg, Albany and Washington, D.C., with future events scheduled in Saint Paul, Austin and Miami.  

The next Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® will be a coast-to-coast event! On Thursday, October 11, it will be held in San Diego County, hosted by the Fleet Science Center, and in Washington, D.C., it will be hosted by LabX, a program of the National Academy of Sciences.

By bringing this event to people across the nation, Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® is helping to “put a face” on science and breaking down barriers between the STEM community and the general public. There are no presentations, no slides and no microphone—just two scientists sitting in a bar, engaging the public in casual conversation and making connections in a non-threatening atmosphere.

What sounds like the beginning of a bad joke is actually a fun community program designed to connect the public with scientists. During Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar®, the Fleet Science Center sends pairs of scientists out to different bars and restaurants all over the county, and everyone is invited to ask them questions in an informal, relaxed setting. The scientists are easy to spot as they sit near a sign that reads, "We are scientists. Ask us anything!" The questions are as diverse as the scientists themselves and can range from string theory to meteorites. Participants might chat with a neuroscientist and a chemical biologist at Tiger! Tiger! in North Park, a molecular biologist and a muscular biologist at Iron Fist Brewing in Vista or an engineer and a data scientist at The Elwood in Chula Vista.

"We want to engage people with science where they live, work and play,” said Dr. Steve Snyder, CEO of the Fleet Science Center. “Events such as Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar are fun, and they give science centers an opportunity to interact with the community in a way people might not normally expect.”

Science is in our everyday life, so why not make it a part of our social lives? Because Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar® takes place at different bars simultaneously, participants get to quench their thirst for both knowledge and beer.

For more information on Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar®, please visit www.fleetscience.org/events/two-scientists-walk-bar.