Communicating Science

Experiencias de Talleres de Iniciación en Ciencias y Medio Ambiente en el Estado de Coahuila

by Vanessa Martínez Sosa

Greek students' images of scientific researchers

by Vasilia Christidou

Published in 'Journal of Science Communication', 2010

Public images of scientific researchers –as reflected in the popular visual culture as well as in the conceptions of... more Public images of scientific researchers –as reflected in the popular visual culture as well as in the conceptions of the public- combine traditional stereotypic characteristics and ambivalent attitudes towards science and its people. This paper explores central aspects of the public image of the researcher in Greek students’ drawings. The students participated in a drawing competition held in the context of the ‘Researcher’s Night 2007’ realized by three research institutions at different regions of Greece. The students’ drawings reveal that young people hold stereotypic and fairly traditional and outdated views of scientists and scientific activity. Research institutions are faced with the challenge of establishing a sincere and fertile dialogue with society to refute obsolete and deceiving notions and to promote the role of researchers in society.

The image of scientific researchers and their activity in Greek adolescents’ drawings

by Vasilia Christidou

Co-authored with Vassilia Hatzinikita and Giannis Samaras, published in 'Public Understanding of Science', on-line before print, November 2010.

The image prevailing among the public of scientific research and researchers constitutes a contradictory and complex... more The image prevailing among the public of scientific research and researchers constitutes a contradictory and complex combination of traditional stereotypes. We explore central facets of the image of scientific research and researchers as reflected in Greek adolescent students’ drawings. Drawings were produced by 171 students participating in a drawing competition launched in the context of the “Researchers’ Night 2007” implemented by three research institutions in Greece. Analysis of students’ drawings involved dimensions related to the image of scientific researchers and of scientific research. Outcomes indicate that the students hold fairly outdated views of scientific researchers and their activity, involving stereotypic views of scientists and science, as well as gender stereotypes. Therefore there is an urgent need to promote a more relevant image of scientific researchers and their activity to young people and especially students.

Science learning at the zoo: Evaluating children’s developing understanding of animals and their habitats

by Eric Jensen

Co-authored with Dr Brady Wagoner (Aalborg University), published in Psychology & Society (http://www.psychologyandsociety.ppsis.cam.ac.uk/currentissue)

This study investigated the development of new ideas about animals, habitats and the zoo amongst a sample of pupils... more This study investigated the development of new ideas about animals, habitats and the zoo amongst a sample of pupils attending ZSL London Zoo. Results indicate the potential of educational presentations based around zoo visits, for enabling conceptual transformations relating to environmental science. At the same time, the research highlights the vital role of existing cultural representations of different animals and habitats which are confronted by the new ideas introduced during educational visits to the zoo.

Wagoner, B. & Jensen, E. (2010). ‘Science learning at the zoo: Evaluating children’s developing understanding of animals and their habitats’. Psychology & Society, 3(1): p. 65-76.

Evaluate Impact of Communication

by Eric Jensen

Published in the journal Nature (13 January 2011)

Effective communication between scientists and non-scientists calls for special evaluation and training procedures,... more Effective communication between scientists and non-scientists calls for special evaluation and training procedures, not simply “more and better science” (Nature 468, 1032–1033; 2010). The impact of science communications on target audiences needs evaluation. And effective evaluation requires upstream planning and clear objectives if it is to inform practice (E. Jensen & B. Wagoner Cult. Psychol. 15, 217–228; 2009). Unfortunately, institutions that sponsor science-communication activities are not always consistent in their evaluation requirements and rarely assess long-term impact. And when such projects are subject to independent evaluation, tenders are typically assessed either by the practitioners whose work is under scrutiny, or by staff without the relevant methodological expertise. To enhance the quality of their engagement with the public and with policy-makers, scientists and other science communicators should make use of theories and results from the social sciences. Without training in media literacy, audience reception or the communication and sociology of science, communicators could find themselves rehearsing long discredited practices. I propose that such training should be incorporated into scientists’ graduate studies. This would spare governments and scientific institutions from reframing the funding and practice of science communication to protect the sciences and the public from the largely unacknowledged risks of miscommunication.

Learning about Animals, Science and Conservation: Large-scale survey-based evaluation of the educational impact of the ZSL London Zoo Formal Learning programme

by Eric Jensen

Empirical evaluation research report on the impacts of zoo-based conservation education for children and young people, funded by the Greater London Authority.

Millions of children visit zoos every year with their parents or schools in order to learn about wildlife firsthand.... more Millions of children visit zoos every year with their parents or schools in order to learn about wildlife firsthand. Moreover, public conservation education is a basic requirement for membership in professional zoo associations. However, in recent years there has been increasing criticism of zoos from animal rights groups for failing to demonstrate their averred value for public understanding of conservation and related biological concepts such as animal adaptation to habitats. Indeed, no study to date has fully assessed scientific learning for the key zoo audience of children. The present study represents the largest (n=3018) and most methodologically robust investigation of the educational value of zoos for children aged 7-15 ever conducted worldwide. This research evaluates the relative educational impact of educator-guided and unguided zoo visits at ZSL London Zoo, both in terms of the development of new knowledge about conservation biology and changing attitudes towards wildlife conservation. Results show a strong statistically significant increase in learning about animals and habitats from pre- to post-zoo visit. Moreover, zoo visits supplemented by an educational presentation almost doubled the aggregate increase in scientific learning found for unguided zoo visits. Conversely, negative changes in children’s understanding of animals and their habitats were much more prevalent in unguided zoo visits. Overall, this study offers the strongest evidence to date of the potential educational value of visiting zoos for children and young people. However, it also identifies problematic patterns that can emerge if zoos’ educational provision is insufficient. Given that hundreds of millions of people visit zoos every year, rigorous assessment of their value as sites for public conservation education holds important implications for public knowledge and attitudes towards key concepts relating to conservation biology.

Upstream Public Engagement at the Zoo: The Durrell Wildlife Park Public Participation Meeting

by Eric Jensen

Report for the European Commission-funded project 'EU Zoos XXI' and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, 2011. Authored by Dr Eric Jensen (University of Warwick)

This report describes key findings from a series of concurrent focus groups comprising the Durrell Wildlife Park -... more This report describes key findings from a series of concurrent focus groups comprising the Durrell Wildlife Park - Public Participation Meeting (PPM). This PPM is part of the larger European Commission-funded project EU-Zoos-XXI, which will see other PPMs taking place at zoos across Europe in Portugal, Sweden and Italy. The aim of these PPMs is to engage with members of the zoo visiting public and understand the kinds of educational and engagement needs they would like to see addressed by zoos. This unique approach involves engaging publics upstream in the decision-making process, and empowering them to guide the development of the zoo’s educational provision.

Although the PPM participants focused primarily on defining the development of the Durrell ‘Demonstration Project’, the PPM focus groups also offer important insights into visitor interests, priorities and engagement preferences. This report presents both specific educational interventions identified as desirable by participants and general principles of visitors’ engagement interests and needs revealed through in-depth, systematic analysis. The results show that in terms of message content, participants advocated a focus on the inter-connectivity of life on Earth, alongside the provision of details about the scope and details of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust’s efforts to redress negative impacts on endangered wildlife. An unexpected rationale for the latter focus was to make Durrell Wildlife Park a ‘see-through zoo’ that is transparent in its goals, actions and impacts. This transparency was viewed as important for justifying admission costs, as well as demonstrating the legitimacy of the organization its requests for donation and further support from visitors in seeking to promote wildlife conservation.

2009 Cambridge Science Festival - External Evaluation Report

by Eric Jensen

Published on University of Cambridge website

In calling for a sustained dialogue between the sciences and the public, the House of Lords (2000), Royal Society and... more In calling for a sustained dialogue between the sciences and the public, the House of Lords (2000), Royal Society and others (e.g. Stilgoe, Irwin and Jones 2006) have clearly identified the need for the sciences to go beyond traditional, formal contexts for science communication to engage with publics through activities such as the Cambridge Science Festival. However, there has been a paucity of research on the impacts of such informal contexts for science communication (Holliman, Jensen and Taylor 2007; cf. Rowe et al. in press). What are the impacts of informal science communication? Can science festivals improve scientific literacy, scientific citizenship, the perceived accessibility of scientific knowledge and other dimensions of sciences-society relations? The present research represents the first systematic and rigorous attempt to address this question empirically. Drawing primarily upon mixed methods data from on-site questionnaires (n =957) and focus groups (n = 13) , this study explores the ways in which the 2009 Cambridge Science Festival was perceived by its attendees.

This large science festival included multiple locations spread around the general vicinity of the university. The audience research for this evaluation included data collected using mixed methods questionnaires distributed during and after the festival, as well as post-festival focus groups.

The results show some clear patterns in the perceived impacts of the Cambridge Science Festival, as well as some divergent findings worthy of further exploration. Key research questions addressed through this summative evaluation include:

Key research questions addressed through this summative evaluation include:

What have audiences gained from the science festival experience?

Why do audiences attend the Cambridge Science Festival?

What are their expectations of the events (and why)?

Jensen, E. (2010). Cambridge Science Festival: External evaluation report. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.

SCIENCE ON THE AIR: Investigating how radio can be used to communicate science in the Maltese Islands

by Christopher Bugeja

Published in UWE Science Communication Postgraduate Papers 2009.  Co-authored with Dr. Emma Weitkamp.

This research work was partly funded by Malta Government Scholarship Scheme grant number MGSS/2006/014.

In a bid to create an infrastructure for research and innovation (R&I) in the Maltese Islands, the Malta Council... more In a bid to create an infrastructure for research and innovation (R&I) in the Maltese Islands, the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), issued a report in which it outlined its vision
for R&I between 2007 and 2010. MCST stated that ‘it is strongly argued… that a comprehensive and multi-pronged science popularisation strategy is of fundamental importance’ (MCST, 2006: 67).

The multi-pronged strategy sought, amongst other things, to ‘launch on-going science journalism and science TV and radio programmes’ (MCST, 2006: 67). Science On The Air was a science communication initiative designed to explore the potential for a science-based radio programme in Malta. The project involved developing a pilot 15-minute science radio programme in the Maltese language. A lack of similar programmes and research into their audience appeal in Malta
meant that evaluation was an essential component of the study.

This research work was partly funded by Malta Government Scholarship Scheme grant number MGSS/2006/014.

ISOTOPE Project Final Report

by Eric Jensen

Co-authored with Richard Holliman and Trevor Collins

This is the final report for the Nesta-funded phase of the Isotope project, which ran from January 2007 to July 2009.... more This is the final report for the Nesta-funded phase of the Isotope project, which ran from January 2007 to July 2009. In this report the authors document: the wider context within which the project was conducted, alongside an overview of some of the core research findings (Section 1); the aims of the project (Section 2); the management of the project, noting how the key project milestones were achieved, including some of the problems encountered and lessons learned (Section 3); the various outputs from the project, including a description of the website and research papers (Section 4); the evaluation of the project deliverables, noting how the findings informed further website development (Section 5); the impacts of the project (Section 6); and, finally, a brief overview of the future plans for Isotope (Section 7).

Holliman, R., Collins, T., Jensen, E. and Taylor, P. (2009). Isotope: Informing Science Outreach and Public Engagement. Final Report of the Nesta-funded Isotope Project. Milton Keynes, The Open University. ISBN: N978-1-84873-414-2.

Between Credulity and Scepticism: Sightings of the Fourth Estate in 21st Century Science Journalism

by Eric Jensen

Published in 'Media, Culture & Society'

For years Anglo-American news media participated in hyping claims of imminent cures from therapeutic cloning. This... more For years Anglo-American news media participated in hyping claims of imminent cures from therapeutic cloning. This hype was scrutinised following the scientific fraud of South Korean therapeutic cloning researcher Hwang Woo-Suk. The scandal left questions about contemporary science journalists’ commitment to ideals of the press as Fourth Estate or watchdog. The present study adduces data from Anglo-American press coverage of therapeutic cloning (n = 5,185) and qualitative interviews with journalists (n = 18). The journalists expressed commitment to the Fourth Estate ideal, although their coverage fell short. Four explanations are postulated for this disjuncture between ideals and practice. Finally, two deviant cases of critical, Fourth Estate coverage point to institutional norms as the most important factor in (dis)allowing journalistic scepticism.

Jensen, E. (2010). ‘Between Credulity and Scepticism: Sightings of the Fourth Estate in 21st Century Science Journalism’. Media, Culture & Society, 32: 615-630.