Supporting scientists who communicate: The role of scientific societies in fostering a culture shift among science institutions towards outreach and engagement

Abstract:

Effective science communication — authentic, bi- or multi-directional engagement among scientists, communities, decision makers, and the public — is essential for addressing the crucial challenges of our time. Yet, while many scientists do engage with diverse audiences and some scientific institutions are leading in this space, for the most part, scientific culture and institutional policies present key barriers to communication and outreach. For example, academic tenure and promotion systems tend not to reward such approaches, and many deans and advisors actively discourage engagement as being outside the scientific process. Even universities who may not discourage such work often lack infrastructure such as a dedicated center with staff to provide guidance to researchers who want to engage with their communities.

To foster shifting the culture of science toward one in which engagement is valued more highly, a group of scientific societies is working to make a compelling case for universities to develop new policies (such as changes in tenure and promotion criteria) to better support this important work. We will introduce a toolkit developed by the Society Civic Science Initiative to assist researchers and academic leaders in making the case for broader support of scientists’ communication and engagement efforts. The presentation will cover many of the reasons that science communication is beneficial for scientists and the scientific enterprise, for universities, and for society at large. We will also share examples of impactful institutional change that supports science communication, and we’ll cover specific recommendations for ways to bring about that change, developed through a literature review and interviews. After the session, participants will have the tools to develop a strategy for increasing support for science communication and engagement at their institution and to begin implementing it.