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What's next for science communication? Promising directions and lingering distractions
Author(s) -
Nisbet Matthew C.,
Scheufele Dietram A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.3732/ajb.0900041
Subject(s) - science communication , scientific literacy , diversity (politics) , set (abstract data type) , biology , process (computing) , public engagement , formative assessment , literacy , public awareness of science , social media , public relations , engineering ethics , sociology , political science , science education , computer science , engineering , pedagogy , anthropology , law , programming language , operating system
In this essay, we review research from the social sciences on how the public makes sense of and participates in societal decisions about science and technology. We specifically highlight the role of the media and public communication in this process, challenging the still dominant assumption that science literacy is both the problem and the solution to societal conflicts. After reviewing the cases of evolution, climate change, food biotechnology, and nanotechnology, we offer a set of detailed recommendations for improved public engagement efforts on the part of scientists and their organizations. We emphasize the need for science communication initiatives that are guided by careful formative research; that span a diversity of media platforms and audiences; and that facilitate conversations with the public that recognize, respect, and incorporate differences in knowledge, values, perspectives, and goals.