Transcript Science and communication: Why to pay special attention to it?

Science and communication:
Why to pay special attention to it?
From “Science and Society”
to “Science in Society” EU initiatives
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EU Research policies: FPs and ERA
 FP4 – 4th RTD Framework Programme, 1994-1998
 FP5 – 5th Framework Programme, 1998-2002
 FP6 – 6th Framework Programme, 2002-2006
 FP7 – 7th Framework Programme, 2007-2013
 In March 2000 the Lisbon European Council
adopted the European Research Area (ERA), in
order to structure and promote the concept of
European research and cooperation between all
actors in the field of science and technology within
the EU.
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There is an explicit science and
technology policy…
 …at the same time, science and technology
are increasingly influencing the way society
operates.
 Every day, scientific and technological progress
contributes new innovations essential to our quality
of life.
 New discoveries in sciences, information technology as
well as the physical world are strongly influencing the
social, economic, political and ethical
structures we are accustomed to.
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Science, technology
and Europeans
Special Eurobarometers and opinion polls
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What do Europeans think of science and technology?
 Opinion polls (1977, 1990) and special Eurobarometers on
Europeans, Science and Technology (1992, 2001 and 2005),
 1977: Science and European public opinion,
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_9_en.pdf
 1990: Europeans, science and technology,
 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_43_fr.pdf
 1992: Europeans, science and technology,
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_076_en.pdf
 2001: Europeans, science and technology,
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_154_en.pdf
 2005: Europeans, science and technology,
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_224_report_e
n.pdf
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Special Eurobarometer 154 in 2001
“Europeans, Science & Technology”
 It was concluded in the results of the October 2001
Eurobarometer survey European citizens do not
feel in line with the goals set up by the European
Union for science and technology.
 There is a need to step up scientific information
in order to motivate European citizens to become more
involved in science.
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Science and Society in 2001
 In order to tackle these problems, an action plan called
“Science and society” was adopted in December 2001
within the ERA.
 Some of the main objectives of this action plan:
 Promoting the scientific education and culture of European
citizens
 Bringing scientific policy closer to citizens and
strengthening citizen participation in the debates raised
by the scientific advances
 Involving more women, who are not sufficiently represented in
scientific development
 Strengthening the ethical basis of scientific and technological
activities and detecting risks inherent in progress in order to put
responsible science at the heart of policy making
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Special Eurobarometer 224 in 2005
“Europeans, Science & Technology”
 Main objective of the survey was to assess Europeans’
general attitudes towards science and technology.
 Points analysed in the report:
 European citizens’ interest and level of information
 Image and knowledge of science and technology
 Attitudes towards science and technology
 Responsibilities of scientists and policy-makers
 The public’s perception of European scientific research
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Special 2005 Eurobarometer findings
 Europeans are most interested in news themes on
environmental pollution
 Main reasons for disinterest in science and technology are lack of
understanding and lack of concern
 Developments in medicine attract most interest, medicine and
physics are perceived as most scientific
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Special 2005 Eurobarometer findings
 Level of information is considerably lower than level of
interest
 Little active involvement in science and technology issues
among European citizens
 Scientific and technological developments are presented too
negatively in the media
 Quiz test:There is a good level of scientific knowledge among
Europeans
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Perception of Science in 2005
 Science makes our ways of life change too fast
 Not important to know about science in the daily life
 33 % in 1992 and 37 % in 2005 (+4)
 Application of advanced technologies increases competitiveness of the
economy
 67 % in 1992 and 64 % in 2005 (-3)
 Computers and factory automation will create more jobs than they will
eliminate
 65 % in 1992 and 55 % in 2005 (-10)
 But also: Scientific research which adds to knowledge should be supported
by government
 73 % in 1992 and 76 % in 2005 (+3)
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Informing and involving citizens in 2005
 Scientists put too little effort into informing the public about their work
(59 %)
 Politicians should rely more on the advice of expert scientists (73 %)
 Europeans are divided on whether they consider it important for them to be
personally involved in decisions about science and technology.
 39% do not believe such an involvement on their behalf is important, 41% disagree and
believe such an involvement is actually important.
 58% of citizens in the European Union think that the public is not
sufficiently involved in decisions about science and technology.
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Science in everyday life of Europeans
 It has been noted in the past years that there is a consistent
problem of transparency between scientific and
technological issues and the information and
perception European citizens have on these.
 It seems that there is an existing gap between science
and society: Europeans feel badly informed and little
involved in science and technology, which has led to
concerns and scepticism on specific issues.
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Policy implementation
Scientific communication aspects in the framework programmes
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FP5
 New goals, aspects and criteria were introduced in FP5
to link science and policy
 FP5 among other
 was based on relevance to main EU policies
 placed more emphasis on using results
 Main objective:
 Putting Science and technology at the service of the
EU and its policies
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FP5, FP6
 New strategic approach in EU research policies
 Address key European problems
 Consult widely
To increase impact
 Stronger emphasis on dissemination
 From science AND society to science IN society: towards a
framework for ‘co-operative research
 A European Commission Workshop, Directorate-General Research, Governance
and Scientific Advice Unit, Brussels, 24–25 November 2005
 More info: http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-
society/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.topic&id=356&lang=1&CFID=9549768&CFTOKEN=b919d
2ce09b2d6b-3238FA2E-E010-64C6-4E0B0317DCB69F4F
 Report: http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/pdf/goverscience_final_report_en.pdf
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Communicating science in FP7
 Scientific research is directly linked to social welfare, the
economy and global sustainability. The impact of science
is such that communicating research activities and results
to the public must be helped and encouraged.
 Under the Seventh Framework Programme
(FP7), projects are contractually required to
include communication in their strategy.
 In this context, the European Commission provides
extensive support to research projects. This expertise is
freely and publicly accessible.
 General link: http://cordis.europa.eu/en/home.html
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Useful resources
European Commission and world
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The Comminssion means communication
seriously… Conference
 Communicating European Research 2005
 International Conference, Brussels, 14-15 November 2005
 Successful communications website,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/sciencecommunication/index_en.htm
 Guide to successful communications,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2004/cer2004/pdf/rtd_
2004_guide_success_communication.pdf
 Communicating Science - a scientist's survival kit,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/pdf/communicatingscience_en.pdf
 Communicating European Research 2005, International Conference,
Brussels, 14-15 November 2005
http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2005/cer2005/index_en
.html
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The Commission means
communication seriously… Websites
 CORDIS: Community Research & Development Information
Service, http://cordis.europa.eu/en/home.html
 Recent redesign of the CORDIS website
 Europa > CORDIS > FP7 > Capacities > Science in society
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The Comminssion means
communication seriously… Websites
 Redesign of the EC Research website
http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm
 Among other new „Who are you?“ navigation indicating main
target groups for European research:
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Researchers
Journalists
Students
Teachers
NGOs
Policy makers
Business
General public
European Commission resources
 Science and Society portal,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/sciencesociety/index.cfm
 Embedding science and society into EU Research,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/sciencesociety/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.topic&id=65
 Communicating research,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/sciencesociety/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.topic&id=35
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Others do it…
Examples of science communication funding in the world
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US Government grant scheme
 Communicating Research to Public Audiences grants (US
government) ,
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03509/nsf03509.html
 Communicating Research to Public Audiences grants are a special category of projects
supported under the Informal Science Education (ISE) program.
 The outcome of all ISE projects is an informed citizenry that has access to
ideas and tools of science and engineering to enhance their quality of life and the
health, prosperity, welfare, and security of the nation.
 The purpose of Communicating Research to Public Audiences grants is to promote the
discovery, integration, dissemination, and employment of new knowledge in
service to society and to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels.
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Australia: Communicating research
knowledge to the public
 The University of South Australia,Resources for Research Degree
Graduate Qualities
http://www.unisa.edu.au/resgrad/commres/public.asp
 Communicating research knowledge to the public is part of a healthy
environment for research and development and contributes to
society's understanding, builds links with other sectors and improves
credibility and acceptance for your discipline.
 The sixth generic quality involves communicating effectively as a
researcher in a discipline or professional area and as a leading member
of the community.
 Effective communication means that the higher degree by research
student should be able to disseminate research findings within the
broad research discipline, both orally and in writing as well as being
able to translate the substance of research findings to the public.
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Study it, go to a conference, get trained or
train it, get paid or pay for it…
 Journals: Science communication
 http://scx.sagepub.com/
 http://jcom.sissa.it/about-us/general/
 Learning resource: Science communication
 http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Topic:Science_Communication_in_the_UK
 Weblog center: Science communication
 http://www.sciencecommunication.org/
 Study programmes: Science communication
 M.Sc. in Science Communication,
http://www.dcu.ie/prospective/deginfo.php?classname=MSC&mode=full&originating_school=60
 MSc in Science Communication,
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/sciencecommunicationgroup/mscinsciencecommunication
/
 Science Communication Program, http://scicom.ucsc.edu/
 Trainings:
 University of West England, Science Communication Unit,
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/fas/graphicscience/projects/training/index.htm
 Network: ESConet – European Science Communication Network
 http://www.esconet.org/workshop/escw.html
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Other resources
 „Communicating Science to the Public:
A Handbook for Researchers“, Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC),
http://www.nserc.ca/seng/how1en.htm
 http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/nextpage/
 …just go to www.google.com and make a query for
„communicating research“ or „communicating science“ or „science
communication“ or similar topics…
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Remember…
„Change is hard, but stagnation is fatal.“
Peter C. Bishop
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Picture sources
Cartoon from Punch´s Almanack
for 1882:
http://www.tulane.edu/~darwin/EE
OB%20619/Darwin-Worm.jpg
Cartoon from 1871:
http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soubor:
Darwin_ape.jpg
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Thank you for your attention.
Marta Nachtmannová
CINEFOGO SoE Office at CESES FSV UK
Celetná 20, 116 36 Prague 1
Czechia
[email protected]
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