Fiction Writing As a Device to Introduce Horticulture Concepts in Extension

Numerous examples of fictional scientific characters have existed in film, on television, and in books. These characters are often portrayed stereotypically as socially awkward (e.g. The Big Bang Theory), adventurous and heroic (e.g. Indiana Jones, Alan Grant), or as an evil genius (e.g. Dr. Frankenstein, Dr. Evil, Dr. Strangelove). The purpose of Extension is to make research available and understandable to the broadest audience possible. Scientific concepts are sometimes difficult to grasp for a layperson, but by employing devices that are familiar and accessible those barriers can be overcome. To address this gap, an Extension “hero” was created to take readers through the process of identifying problems, understanding options, and implementing solutions through scientifically sound processes. Dr. Cary Illinois was created to engage readers by solving mysteries, a popular literary convention. He is an Extension specialist who specializes in pecans, thus his name was borne from the binomial for pecan (Carya illinoinensis). The intended concept was to use common literary tropes (i.e. heroic main character, mystery genre) that readers can engage with and feel comfortable learning from, but put a different spin on them (i.e. “normal” person, no deaths) to relate them to horticulture science and Extension. In this way, the use of fiction dissolves the academic barrier between writer and reader and creates a more comfortable space for learning. To accomplish this, some rules were established, including: the mystery must not be complex and only address a single issue, eliminate confusion by limiting the number of characters involved, and avoid jargon that can obscure comprehension. To date, Dr. Illinois has appeared twice in Pecan South magazine with more columns forthcoming.