I too am a little optimistic. I meet a very large number of young researchers who are quite passionate about engaging publics with their work. People who, a few years ago would have been actively deterred by their supervisors, department heads etc. are now able to shoulder the burden on behalf of colleagues (of all ages) who are disinclined or chronically inept communicators. Universities tend to respond well to top down pressure, so the more the better in my view.
pip pip
Ben Johnson
Graphic Science
Part of The Training Group - Supporting public engagement in the research community
S +44 (0) 1275 47 44 44
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Disclaimer: The author of this email never meant a word of it.
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-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alice bell
Sent: 09 December 2010 17:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
Ha, Beck you beat me to advertising the event on the 14th -
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1069203015
Also - re the 'grunts'... I think they are gradually starting to get a
bit louder. We can all provide our own anecdotes, but here's some
research on the changing culture around engagement, at least in
biomedical science, whcih might help lift us out of just our own
personal experience:
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/BIOS/research/scope/scope.aspx
There is still a long way to go, but twenty-five years is twenty-five
years. Maybe I'm being naive but to say nothing ever changes just
seems unobservant.
Alice
---
Dr Alice Bell
Senior Teaching Fellow in Science Communication
Imperial College, London
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/people/alice.bell
http://alicerosebell.wordpress.com/
On 9 December 2010 16:35, Rebecca Smith <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> On the subject of science blogging, Alice Bell (Imperial College) and I are organising an event on Tuesday (14 December) evening looking at evaluation and impact of science blogging. It's free to attend and there's more information available here: http://christmastalkfest.eventbrite.com/.
>
> Best, Beck
>
> Beck Smith MRes
> Parliamentary and Policy Officer
> The Biochemical Society
> Charles Darwin House
> 12 Roger Street
> London WC1N 2JU
> UK
>
> Tel: +44 (0) 20 7280 4151
> Fax: +44 (0) 20 7280 4167
>
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/beck_smith
>
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.biochemistry.org/publicaffairs
>
> Do you really need to print this e-mail?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of e-mail julie.p.clayton
> Sent: 09 December 2010 12:34
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
>
> Worth taking a look at the Beacons for Public Engagement programme which has lots of university case studies, contacts and other resources http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/
>
> Julie Clayton
> Science Writer
> [log in to unmask]
>
> On 9 December 2010 11:40, Chloe Sheppard (RCUK, Strategy Unit) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Thanks Dom.
>>
>> RCUK recognise that engaging the public in your research is a valid way to help create potential impact. Therefore public engagement activities can be included within research grant applications within the Pathways to Impact section, providing they are tailored, relevant and appropriate given the specific nature and focus of the proposed research. Societal impact is one of the key areas covered under the 'Impact' umbrella and so it is legitimate for researchers to request resources and time to undertake PE activities to achieve their Pathways to impact.
>>
>> Also, as psci-commers may be aware, a new Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research was launched this week by David Willetts to create a greater focus on and help embed public engagement with research across all disciplines in the higher education and research sectors.
>>
>> Signed by Research Councils UK, the UK Funding Councils, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and British Academy , the Concordat provides a single statement of expectations and responsibilities of research funders in the UK. It has four principles:
>>
>> 1) UK research organisations have a strategic commitment to public engagement.
>> 2) Researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities.
>> 3) Researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate training, support and opportunities.
>> 4) The signatories and supporters will undertake regular reviews of their and the wider research sector's progress in fostering public engagement across the UK.
>>
>> Supporters of the Concordat include Universities UK, The 1994 Group, The Russell Group, Wellcome Trust, Association of Medical Research Charities, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, Society of Biology and Academy of Social Sciences.
>>
>> More on the Concordat including a full list of signatories and
>> supporters can be found at www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/concordat
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dominic McDonald
>> Sent: 09 December 2010 09:53
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
>>
>> Hi all
>>
>> I think Michael is being slightly more pessimistic than is necessary... only slightly...
>>
>> It is certainly true that the Public Engagement requirement has historically been something that was ignored when end of grant reports were submitted. But there has been a change in the rhetoric - at least - coming from RCs and Wellcome over the last couple of years. The change at EPSRC that Michael alludes to (i.e. moving away from specific grants for this sort of thing, and moving towards incorporating it into research grants) means that they are going to have to start taking this part of the process rather more seriously, and this is something that has been happening across the RCs, albeit very slowly. I'm sure my ex-colleagues at RCUK are composing a response to this as I type...
>>
>> To take another example, Dan Glaser from Wellcome was telling a meeting of ASDC the other day that Wellcome are taking this part of the end of grant report much more seriously now, and that we can start holding grant holders to account on that.
>>
>> Now these are only words, and don't butter any parsnips (so to speak), but it might be evidence of some sort of positive change in how this is perceived at institutional level.
>>
>> Dom
>>
>> Dom McDonald
>> Head of Public Engagement & Business Networks Science Oxford
>> 1-5 London Place
>> Oxford OX4 1BD
>> T: 01865 728953
>> D: 01865 810021
>> F: 01865 791854
>>
>> SCIENCEOXFORDLIVE
>> SCIENCEOXFORDNETWORKS
>> SCIENCEOXFORDNEXT
>> SCIENCEOXFORDONLINE
>>
>> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of Science Oxford unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender immediately and then delete it from your system.
>>
>> Science Oxford is the public face of The Oxford Trust, a registered
>> charity no 292664. A company limited by guarantee no 1898691
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Kenward
>> Sent: 08 December 2010 22:32
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
>>
>> This requirement was something that arose in the wake of the Bodmer report.
>>
>> After initial enthusiasm, it has achieved not much.
>>
>> How many projects do what they say they will do in their grant applications?
>>
>> Where can we see the output?
>>
>> (Anyone up for an FoI request?)
>>
>> The recent government injunction on all research councils to "cease
>> and desists" on glossy PR has also reduced their activities on Public
>> Engagement in general, including Science and Technology.
>>
>> Finally, EPSRC has terminated its support for specific projects in
>> public engagement.
>>
>> Not, I think you will agree, a happy time for this sort of activity.
>>
>> Next week, I will have 90 minutes to grill the chief executive of
>> EPSRC for a general profile. He will receive questions from me on this change of tack.
>>
>> If anyone else has questions they think he should answer, just wing
>> them my way.
>>
>> ___________________________________
>> Michael Kenward
>> Science Writer & Stuff
>> Genetically modified words for sale
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of J E Delany
>> Sent: 08 December 2010 13:50
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
>>
>> Hi Viviene
>>
>> ALL UK research councils require grant holders to outline how they
>> will address this, and with the new research assessment exercise
>> "REF", this is getting higher priority
>>
>> Blogging could be a component alongside other activity.
>>
>> Jane Delany
>>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:PSCI-
>>>[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vivienne Raper
>>>Sent: 08 December 2010 13:37
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: [PSCI-COM] Science blogging and scientific outreach
>>>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>I'm trying to find out which - if any - grant funding bodies in the UK
>>>and US ask scientists to explain in grant applications how they plan
>>>to communicate their research results to the public, decision-makers, etc.
>>>
>>>If any funding bodies require grant-holding scientists to do outreach,
>>>does anyone know if blogging about your research would fulfil this
>>>requirement?
>>>
>>>It's for an article about science blogging and academic careers. I
>>>want to know if communicating your research is increasingly seen as a
>>>duty for scientists and, if so, whether this might make blogging a
>>>career positive.
>>>
>>>I was going to ring all the UK Research Councils, but thought it would
>>>be quicker to ask. And I might get some intelligent discussion about
>>>scientists blogging too! Please don't shout at me - I'm scared I look
>>>like I'm spamming the list.
>>>
>>>Best wishes,
>>>
>>>Viviene
>>>
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