The Launch ofIJSE(B): Science communication and public engagement

In this paper, we focus on different roles in citizen science projects, and their respective relationships. We propose a tripartite model that recognises not only citizens and scientists, but also an important third role, which we call the ‘enabler’. In doing so, we acknowledge that additional expertise and skillsets are often present in citizen science projects, but are frequently overlooked in associated literature. We interrogate this model by applying it to three case studies and explore how the success and sustainability of a citizen science project requires all roles to be acknowledged and interacting appropriately. In this era of ‘wicked problems’, the nature of science and science communication has become more complex. In order to address critical emerging issues, a greater number of stakeholders are engaging in multi-party partnerships and research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. Within this context, explicitly acknowledging the role and motivations of everyone involved can provide a framework for enhanced project transparency, delivery, evaluation and impact. By adapting our understanding of citizen science to better recognise the complexity of the organisational systems within which they operate, we propose an opportunity to strengthen the collaborative delivery of both valuable scientific research and public engagement.

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The 2016 Amatrice seismic sequence in the Media

Annals of Geophysics ◽

10.4401/ag-7263 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 59 ◽

Author(s):

Gemma Musacchio ◽

Giovanna Piangiamaore

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Main Shock ◽

Active Part ◽

Seismic Sequence ◽

News Stories ◽

Media Agenda ◽

First Results ◽

The Media

Media's power in setting the public’s agenda for discussion can affect perception and debate upon disasters. In the frame of a dialogical approach to science communication, we challenge here the paradigm for which issues that experts considered valuable are not in the Media's agenda. We studied the way Media addressed the Amatrice 2016 sequence and discuss story-telling. Specific indicators were analyzed to assess to what extent the scientific coverage, risk reduction and damage issues are covered. First results show that Media do think valuable to provide public with an in-depth scientific coverage and refers to authoritative sources. As time goes by and aftershocks Magnitude decreases a more reflexive thinking is triggered; news stories include more risk reduction indicators than damage. Although memory of past earthquakes is always part of the story one month after the main shock risk reduction disappear from the media agenda. We also explored the level of public engagement in risk reduction and found out that Media still seem not believe that citizens should be active part of the debate upon their own safety.

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Towards sustainable public engagement (outreach)

New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences ◽

10.29311/ndtps.v0i6.381 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 41-46

Author(s):

Timothy G Harrison ◽

Dudley E Shallcross

Keyword(s):

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Senior Management ◽

Small Scale ◽

First Year ◽

Financial Cost ◽

The Public ◽

Full Support ◽

Public Engagement In Science ◽

Science Departments

There are myriad benefits to science departments that have a public engagement in science portfolio in addition to any recruitment of new undergraduates. These benefits are discussed in this paper and include: improving congruence between A level and first year undergraduate courses, training in science communication and the breaking down of barriers between the public and universities. All activity requires investment of personnel and incurs a financial cost. Small scale activities may be able to absorb this cost, but ultimately as the portfolio grows this will become an increasing drain on resources. Bristol ChemLabS Outreach has, from the very start, set out to be fully sustainable financially and in terms of personnel. A very important component is the full support of the senior management team. In this paper we discuss how we have achieved this.

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On the roles of scientists, press officers and journalists

Journal of Science Communication ◽

10.22323/2.13030501 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (03) ◽

pp. E ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Emma Weitkamp

Keyword(s):

Public Relations ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Scientific Research ◽

Research Institutions ◽

News Production ◽

The Public

This issue of the Journal of Science Communication raises a number of questions about the ways that new scientific research emerges from research institutions and in particular the role played by scientists, press officers and journalists in this process. This is not to suggest that the public don't play an equally important role, and several articles in this issue raise questions about public engagement, but to explore the dynamics at play in one specific arena: that of news production. In this editorial I explore the increasing reliance of science journalists on public relations sources and consider what questions this raises for science communication.

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Promoting Public Engagement of Natural History Collections through Science Communication

Biodiversity Information Science and Standards ◽

10.3897/biss.2.28479 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. e28479

Author(s):

Bryan Lessard

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Natural History ◽

Public Relations ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Public Speaking ◽

Wide Audience ◽

The Public ◽

Natural History Collections ◽

New Students

Natural history collections are essential for understanding the world’s biodiversity and drive research in taxonomy, systematics, ecology and biosecurity. One of the biggest challenges faced is the decline of new taxonomists and public interest in collections-based research, which is alarming considering that an estimated 70% of the world’s species are yet to be formally described. Science communication combines public relations with the dissemination of scientific knowledge and offers many benefits to promoting natural history collections to a wide audience. For example, social media has revolutionised the way collections and their staff communicate with the public in real time, and can attract more visitors to collection exhibits and new students interested in natural history. Although not everyone is born a natural science communicator, institutions can encourage and provide training for their staff to become engaging spokespeople skilled in social media and public speaking, including television, radio and/or print media. By embracing science communication, natural history collections can influence their target audiences in a positive and meaningful way, raise the profile of their institution, encourage respect for biodiversity, promote their events and research outputs, seek philanthropic donations, connect with other researchers or industry leaders, and most importantly, inspire the next generation of natural historians.

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How Do Young Adults Engage With Science and Research on Social Media? Some Preliminary Findings and an Agenda for Future Research

Social Media + Society ◽

10.1177/2056305118797720 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 205630511879772 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Eszter Hargittai ◽

Tobias Füchslin ◽

Mike S. Schäfer

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Young Adults ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Material ◽

Considerable Research ◽

Public Engagement With Science ◽

Celebrity News ◽

Science And Research

While considerable research has looked at how people use the Internet for sharing and engaging with various types of content from celebrity news to politics, very little of this work has considered how non-specialists interact with science and research material on social media. This article reviews literature on public engagement with science to note that this area is ripe for research on social-media-based engagement in particular. Drawing on a survey of American young adults’ online experiences, we show that using social media for science and research is at least as likely if not more so as engagement with other topics from similarly serious to lighter domains. We also find that platform matters with young adults much more likely to engage with such content on Facebook rather than on Twitter. We end by proposing more focus on this domain in the area of science communication and work on social media.

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Science Communication with Dinosaurs

Handbook of Research on Computational Science and Engineering - Advances in Computer and Electrical Engineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-61350-116-0.ch024 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 587-611

Author(s):

Phillip L. Manning ◽

Peter L. Falkingham

Keyword(s):

High Performance Computing ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

High Performance ◽

Computational Science ◽

Data Sets ◽

Complex Data ◽

Multidisciplinary Research ◽

Complex Data Sets ◽

Performance Computing

Dinosaurs successfully conjure images of lost worlds and forgotten lives. Our understanding of these iconic, extinct animals now comes from many disciplines, not just the science of palaeontology. In recent years palaeontology has benefited from the application of new and existing techniques from physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, but especially computational science. The application of computers in palaeontology is highlighted in this chapter as a key area of development in studying fossils. The advances in high performance computing (HPC) have greatly aided and abetted multiple disciplines and technologies that are now feeding paleontological research, especially when dealing with large and complex data sets. We also give examples of how such multidisciplinary research can be used to communicate not only specific discoveries in palaeontology, but also the methods and ideas, from interrelated disciplines to wider audiences. Dinosaurs represent a useful vehicle that can help enable wider public engagement, communicating complex science in digestible chunks.

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Open Science and the Science-Society Relationship

Society ◽

10.1007/s12115-019-00361-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (3) ◽

pp. 246-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Martin Lakomý ◽

Renata Hlavová ◽

Hana Machackova

Keyword(s):

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Open Science ◽

Unintended Consequences ◽

Future Research ◽

The Public ◽

Science Society ◽

Scientific Institutions

Abstract Nowadays, the prevailing trend in the science-society relationship is to engage with the broader public, which is beneficial for the public, scientific institutes, scientific findings, and the legitimacy of science as a whole. This article provides a broad review of the rapidly growing research on Open Science and identifies the gaps in the current knowledge for future research. The review focuses on the science-society relationship, such that knowledge from this field is summarised and systematised. Insight into the most salient topics, including science communication, public engagement with science, public cognition of science, and challenges and potential unintended consequences connected to interactions with the public are examined. The first section of the paper focuses on science communication which involves efforts and approaches to inform the public about science by the most effective means. The section on public engagement reviews how scientists and scientific institutions are increasingly involved in direct interactions with the public and different groups of stakeholders to make science more open. The section focusing on public cognition of science provides information about public knowledge, perception, and trust regarding science, which both determines and is formed by public engagement. Last, risks, ethical issues, and data issues connected to the implementation of Open Science principles are reviewed, as there are many unintended consequences of Open Science which are examined by this current research. In conclusion, research covering the science-society relationship is rapidly growing. However, it brings multiple challenges as well as opportunities which are captured and discussed in a variety of existing studies. This article provides a coherent overview of this field in order to bring more comprehensible knowledge to scientists, scientific institutions, and outreach professionals.

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Bridging the gap between science communication practice and theory: Reflecting on a decade of practitioner experience using polar outreach case studies to develop a new framework for public engagement design

Polar Record ◽

10.1017/s0032247418000608 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (4) ◽

pp. 297-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rhian A. Salmon ◽

Heidi A. Roop

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Practical Training ◽

Power Structures ◽

International Polar Year ◽

Communication Practice ◽

Wide Range ◽

Training Resources ◽

New Framework

AbstractThe International Polar Year 2007–2008 stimulated a wide range of education, outreach and communication (EOC) related to polar research, and catalysed enthusiasm and networks that persist ten years on. Using a multi-method approach that incorporates case studies, auto-ethnographic interviews, and survey data, we interrogate the opportunities and limitations of polar EOC activities and propose a new framework for practical, reflexive, engagement design. Our research suggests that EOC activities are under-valued and often designed based on personal instinct rather than strategic planning, but that there is also a lack of accessible tools that support a more strategic design process. We propose three foci for increasing the professionalisation of practitioner approaches to EOC: (1) improved articulation of goals and objectives; (2) acknowledgement of different drivers, voices and power structures; and (3) increased practical training, resources and reporting structures. We respond to this by proposing a framework for planning and design of public engagement that provides an opportunity to become more transparent and explicit about the real goals of an activity and what “success” looks like. This is critical to effectively evaluate, learn from our experiences, share them with peers, and ultimately deliver more thoughtfully designed, effective engagement.

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Effects of gender harassment on science popularization behaviors

Public Understanding of Science ◽

10.1177/0963662520946667 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (7) ◽

pp. 718-728

Author(s):

Lisa McDonald ◽

Chantal Barriault ◽

Thomas Merritt

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Online Survey ◽

Gender Harassment ◽

The Public ◽

Science Popularization ◽

The Creation ◽

Clothing Choices

In this pilot study, we used a mixed methods online survey to ask science popularizers how gender harassment influences the way they communicate science to the public. Popularizers reported that gender harassment caused the science popularization field to increasingly strive for gender inclusivity in the creation of content. However, harassment made female popularizers feel they must emphasize their legitimacy, quite conscious of their clothing choices, and wary of engaging the public through mediums or topics that provoke more severe harassment. Implications for science communication and public engagement are discussed.

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