scholarly journals To crowdfund research, scientists must build an audience for their work

Author(s):  
Jarrett E Byrnes ◽  
Jai Ranganathan ◽  
Barbara L. E. Walker ◽  
Zen Faulkes

As rates of traditional sources of scientific funding decline, scientists have become increasingly interested in crowdfunding as a means of bringing in new money for research. In fields where crowdfunding has become a major venue for fundraising such as the arts and technology, building an audience for one’s work is key for successful crowdfunding. For science, to what extent does audience building, via engagement and outreach, increase a scientist’s abilities to bring in money via crowdfunding? Here we report on an analysis of the #SciFund Challenge, a crowdfunding experiment in which 159 scientists attempted to crowdfund their research. Using data gathered from a survey of participants, internet metrics, and logs of project donations, we find that public engagement is the key to crowdfunding success. Building an audience or “fanbase” and actively engaging with that audience as well as seeking to broaden the reach of one’s audience indirectly increases levels of funding. Audience size and effort interact to bring in more people to view a scientist’s project proposal, leading to funding. We discuss how projects capable of raising levels of funds commensurate with traditional funding agencies will need to incorporate direct involvement of the public with science. We suggest that if scientists and research institutions wish to tap this new source of funds, they will need to encourage and reward activities that allow scientists to engage with the public.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrett E Byrnes ◽  
Jai Ranganathan ◽  
Barbara L. E. Walker ◽  
Zen Faulkes

As rates of traditional sources of scientific funding decline, scientists have become increasingly interested in crowdfunding as a means of bringing in new money for research. In fields where crowdfunding has become a major venue for fundraising such as the arts and technology, building an audience for one’s work is key for successful crowdfunding. For science, to what extent does audience building, via engagement and outreach, increase a scientist’s abilities to bring in money via crowdfunding? Here we report on an analysis of the #SciFund Challenge, a crowdfunding experiment in which 159 scientists attempted to crowdfund their research. Using data gathered from a survey of participants, internet metrics, and logs of project donations, we find that public engagement is the key to crowdfunding success. Building an audience or “fanbase” and actively engaging with that audience as well as seeking to broaden the reach of one’s audience indirectly increases levels of funding. Audience size and effort interact to bring in more people to view a scientist’s project proposal, leading to funding. We discuss how projects capable of raising levels of funds commensurate with traditional funding agencies will need to incorporate direct involvement of the public with science. We suggest that if scientists and research institutions wish to tap this new source of funds, they will need to encourage and reward activities that allow scientists to engage with the public.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrett E Byrnes ◽  
Jai Ranganathan ◽  
Barbara L. E. Walker ◽  
Zen Faulkes

As rates of traditional sources of scientific funding decline, scientists have become increasingly interested in crowdfunding as a means of bringing in new money for research. In fields where crowdfunding has become a major venue for fundraising such as the arts and technology, building an audience for one’s work is key for successful crowdfunding. For science, to what extent does audience building, via engagement and outreach, increase a scientist’s abilities to bring in money via crowdfunding? Here we report on an analysis of the #SciFund Challenge, a crowdfunding experiment in which 159 scientists attempted to crowdfund their research. Using data gathered from a survey of participants, internet metrics, and logs of project donations, we find that public engagement is the key to crowdfunding success. Building an audience or “fanbase” and actively engaging with that audience as well as seeking to broaden the reach of one’s audience indirectly increases levels of funding. Audience size and effort interact to bring in more people to view a scientist’s project proposal, leading to funding. We discuss how projects capable of raising levels of funds commensurate with traditional funding agencies will need to incorporate direct involvement of the public with science. We suggest that if scientists and research institutions wish to tap this new source of funds, they will need to encourage and reward activities that allow scientists to engage with the public.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. E ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Weitkamp

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tal Feder

AbstractThis article studies the socioeconomics of government public expenditure for the arts and the normative foundations of state intervention in the arts. I pose two interrelated research questions: (a) what is the relationship between the public funding of the arts and their consumption? and (b) what mode of justification and what perception of the place of art in society is reflected in this relationship? Based on the philosophical work of Alan Badiou, I develop a novel conceptual framework to delineate three types of normative justifications for the public funding of arts organizations: romantic, didactic and classical. Using data from the public funding of 92 orchestras, theaters and dance troupes in Israel between 1999 and 2011, I estimate a cross-lagged panel data model to study how arts funding both affects and is affected by the levels of consumption of the organizations’ productions. The results of the study show a complex pattern of different relationships between funding and consumption that accord with the three types of normative justifications for public arts funding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 87-98
Author(s):  
Elena Ruikyte

This article provides a student reflection on the management process of a student-led research project entitled Then & Now: Arts at Warwick. The project sought to document the history of the Arts Faculty at Warwick University and communicate it to the wider community. It was an interdisciplinary and collaborative co-creation project that brought together undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the Arts Faculty. Setting and aiming the goals of the project activities, managing teamwork and research processes, and planning and implementing the public engagement strategy in the unprecedented times of the Coronavirus pandemic were challenging and rewarding experiences. The article, framed by scholarly perspectives, summarises the key aspects of the project management process by discussing and analysing the role of an arts and cultural manager. The Then & Now project provided an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the profession while developing and learning new online-based project management practices.


2019 ◽  
pp. 231-245
Author(s):  
John Ashton

In this chapter the indivisibility of culture and the arts from health and wellbeing is explored through a variety of modalities; the power of the humanities to help us understand and explain the meaning of the challenges that affect us on life’s journey are explained; and the use of public spaces to engage with the public to promote health and wellbeing is described. Examples include: - The extensive use of the total environment of an international garden festival as a ‘health field’ for health promotion; - The value of cultural activity as a means for building peace and trust in the context of the post Northern Ireland Troubles; - An extended partnership and collaboration with the Liverpool artist and poet Adrian Henri, including an extensive programme of events to celebrate 150 years of public health in Liverpool; - The use of culture and the arts to restore public trust after serious clinical service failure; - The role of cultural facilities in providing support for dementia sufferers and their careers; and - The importance of ‘storytelling’ as a tool for public engagement and understanding of health and wellbeing.


Author(s):  
Irina Pavlichenko ◽  

The author examines how the public libraries could promote scientific knowledge. M. Lermontov Interdistrict Centralized Library System develops programs targeted at different population groups. The project activity is being accomplished in partnership with academic and research institutions, and universities.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan K. L. Chan ◽  
Colin K. C. Wong ◽  
Robin H. N. Lee ◽  
Mike W. H. Cho

The existing Kai Tak Nullah flows from Po Kong Village Road along Choi Hung Road and Tung Tau Estate into Kai Tak Development Area before discharging into the Victoria Harbour. Historically its upstream has been subject to flooding under storm conditions and this has had serious repercussions for the adjacent urban areas. A study has been commissioned by the Drainage Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China to investigate the flood mechanisms and to provide flood alleviation measures by improving the capacity of the Kai Tak Nullah. In addition to flood alleviation, there is a strong public aspiration to rehabilitate the Kai Tak Nullah by a comparatively natural river design. Since the Kai Tak Nullah is located within a heavily urbanized area, traffic and environmental impacts are also highly concerned. The final flood alleviation scheme has thus had to strike a balance among the aforesaid factors with assistance from the hydraulic modelling utilizing InfoWorks Collection Systems (CS) software. This paper presents the public engagement exercise, design considerations, methodologies, and recommendations regarding the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Kai Tak Nullah.


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