Science for Everyone

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Science for Everyone

Author: Francesca Gale – Connecting Science Public Engagement, United Kingdom

Research has shown that a shortage of women working in science and technology could be exacerbated by gender discrimination taking place early on in life. Children are being influenced by gender-based beliefs as early as 4 or 5 years old. Teachers can play a key role in challenging these narrow views in the classroom before they become too entrenched. There is also an impact on the gendered expectations and awareness of career choices that start as young as 8 years old, with boys more likely to be interested in jobs related to the physical sciences and girls in those related to health/biological sciences. There are also socio-economic influencers in career choices.

Science for Everyone is a pilot programme for Primary school teachers raising awareness of unconscious bias and stereotype threat in the classroom. The programme includes a training workshop and tool kit with bespoke STEM bias tests around gender, ethnicity, and class, career cards for students and teachers highlighting diverse and gender-balanced roles in the science sector as well as the relatable skills and characteristics of the individuals in those roles. The toolkit is supported by classroom resources that encourage teachers to set challenges that build science capital and encourage non-stereotypical experiences around STEM.

The Insight talk will discuss Science for Everyone and the experiences of the first cohort of participants taking part in the programme.

This session is not about Science Education, rather it is about how experiences in a child’s formative years can be such an early influencer for perceptions around science and technology.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Transformation

Activists as “alternative” science communicators

Author: Birte Fähnrich – Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany

Co-authors:

  • Hannah Feldman – The Australian National University, Australia
  • Jane Gregory – University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Susana Herrera Lima – Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Ivan Lukanda – Makere University, Uganda
  • Simone Roedder – University of Hamburg, Germany
  • Louise Windfeldt – University of Copenhagen, Denamrk

Activists (e.g. environmental, health, food, and social justice) compete with other societal actors for public attention and sovereignty over issues and opinions. Some take on roles as “alternative” science communicators in the public sphere (Maeseele, 2009). They use scientifically informed expertise as a social currency (Fähnrich, 2018). Like all communicators of science, activists draw on the “symbolic legitimacy” of science (Cox, 2013) to confer credibility on their claims in the wider social environment. They make strategic use of science to influence political and/or economic decision-making and motivate civic action (Yearly, 2014).

Besides these findings, our perception of and our knowledge about activists as “alternative” science communicators lacks substantial analysis and reflection. The round table offers a platform for exchange and discussion on this topic by focussing especially on the following three themes:

Interrogating assumptions related to what is labelled ‘alternative’/advocate, academic framing of scientists‘/advocates‘ roles and issues as socio-ecological problems

The impact, democratic legitimacy, and relevance of ‘alternative’ science communication for science communication and society

The problems and opportunities associated with activists’ perspectives in relation to the discipline for which they are advocating

Session attendees will first discuss these themes in three break out rooms. To inspire the discussions, there will be two lightning talks per group. Finally, groups will report on their conclusions in the plenum and consider future directions and potential follow up activities.

Chairs
Birte Fähnrich (Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany)
Michelle Riedlinger (Queensland University of Technology, AUS)
Emma Weitkamp (University of the West of England, Bristol, UK)

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Roundtable discussion
Theme: Transformation

Science Communication and Political Divides in the U.S.

Author: Cary Funk – Pew Research Center, United States

This presentation will look at Americans’ trust in scientists since the coronavirus outbreak with an eye to the implications for science communication. Drawing from a series of nationally representative surveys from Pew Research Center, we will examine the growing political differences in public trust in scientists and in beliefs about the threat posed by the coronavirus and the best ways to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. These divides have intensified leading up to the presidential election in which a center-piece issue has been the president’s handling of the outbreak. We will evaluate the extent to which public confidence in public health recommendations and a coronavirus vaccines has shifted over this period and the factors at play in those shifts. Analysis will examine the extent to which political divides over the coronavirus outbreak extend to beliefs and attitudes across other areas of science. Where possible, we will draw comparisons between U.S. public opinion and that in other Western nations. We will discuss ways to bridge political divisions over science and foster public engagement with science.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation

The raise and the fall of a rockstar epidemiologist in Mexico

Author: Gabriela Frias Villegas – Nuclear Sciences Institute, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico

The first case of Covid-19 was detected in Mexico the 27th of February of 2020. From that moment on, the person in charge of the management and communication of the health emergency has been Hugo López Gatell, Subsecretary of Prevention and Promotion of Health in Mexico, an epidemiologist and researcher. Everyday, he gave a talk in national TV about the development of the pandemic of Covid-19 in Mexico. During the first few months of the pandemic, he was considered a hero, and he became a media rockstar with high credibility.

More than a year later, the pandemic in Mexico has not ceased. Since the first confirmed case, there have 190 thousand deaths and Mexico became the third country in the world with the most deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, nowadays people strongly questioned Gatell’s strategy, in particular his refusal to recognize that the use of masks is important to control the raise of the disease among Mexican population. Also, him and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador have communicated contradictory and even pseudo scientific information, which has caused misunderstandings resulted in an enormous amount of human losts.

In this paper I would like to talk about the raise of Lopez Gatell as a scientist rockstar, and analyze his covid-19 strategy in three moments of time: a month after the first case, six months after the first case and a year after the first case, using as sources the surveys presented by the newspaper El Financiero, the recordings of his daily talks and the media coverage of three Mexican newspapers: El Universal, El Reforma, and La Jornada. With this analysis I would like to show that the communication strategy of the science of Covid in Mexico has been inconsistent and confusing. Moreover, it has caused Gatells credibility to fall.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation

How does communication drive innovation?

Author: Daniela Antonio – CERN, France

Across different fields of science, there are moments when key decisions are expected to be taken. For particle physics today, these decisions relate to the next big colliders. They involve experts from various fields, all of whom are necessary to the functioning of a particle accelerator. Decisions of this scope often result from a process involving multiple additional stakeholders, both specialised and not: policy makers, media, industry, and even general audiences like the neighbouring community.

To make informed decisions, these key audiences must understand the work done in research institutes and laboratories, so that science continues to find the support and talent it needs to develop. Scientific communication can also inform other scientists of one’s activities, overcoming the barriers that separate different disciplinary fields. And communicating outside a technologically rich field allows different experts to understand the complexity of certain developments, which might result in mutually beneficial collaborations with industry and facilitate the societal impact of fundamental research.

In addition, at a time when fundamental research must prove its impact, research institutions and laboratories have finite and limited resources to allocate to communication and outreach. The science communication officers” creativity shines in these circumstances, as they communicate across several channels for a broad field of stakeholders and audiences.

To answer our question, we review the 101 of communication and our strategy to highlight CERN’s technology and its applications beyond particle physics. We take a look at our community engagement newsletters”, content creation, entrepreneurship events, workshops and networking activities as projects with specific goals, audiences, channels and evaluation methods. We share our learnings in a multi-stakeholder, multi-channel approach, aiming to characterise a generation of communication officers, who have broad expertise and a data-driven approach to the creative process.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Technology

Know Your Audience? A Look into What Romanian Researchers Think About the Public with Which They (Don’t) Engage

Author: Alexandra Anghelescu Tiganas – University of Bucharest, Romania

We asked a large group of Romanian researchers who have received funding through a state agency within the past five years to answer a questionnaire designed to assess their attitude toward public engagement, as well as their perception of the public in general.

The approach for this research was suggested by Levy-Leblond’s statement from his article in the first issue of Public Understanding of Science Journal, in 1992: “(S)hould we not supplement our studies and activities on the understanding of science by the public, with studies and activities on the understanding of the public by scientists?”

The conference will be the first time that the preliminary results of this study are shared with an international audience. I expect to bring results from a country previously absent from this arena, as well as a new direction for research relevant to the wider audience of PCST.

The questionnaire is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, according to a direction followed by many researchers since 2007, when Poliakoff and Webb’s paper, “What Factors Predict Scientists Intention to Participate in Public Engagement of Science Activities”, was published in Science Communication, as well as Wrightsman’s Philosophies of Human Nature questionnaire, described in 1962 in the “Measurement of Philosophies of Human Nature” paper published in Psychological Reports.

The research is ongoing at the time of this submission. However, the results will be in and processed by the time of the presentation, which will likely propose a new understanding regarding the gap areas for science communication in countries like Romania, with weak public engagement by the scientists.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Time

A Model to Communicate Science from Institutes of Scientific Research

Author: Gabriela Frias Villegas – Nuclear Sciences Institute, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico

In the last few years most of the institutes of scientific research of the National Autonomous University of Mexico have transformed the way they share their knowledge, and have created science communications units with the purpose of transmitting the product of their scientists’s research to wide audiences. For my PhD dissertation in science communication I did an ethnographic research of some of the communication of science actions created by specialists who work in several Mexican institutes specialized in areas related to physics. I also interviewed those people in charge of the science communication projects to learn about their interests, their goals and the models they were using, if any. Afterwards, I visited 10 science communication of science projects within Institutes, centers and experiments of areas related to physics around the world, to do interviews and ethnographic work.

Once I gathered the information, I analyzed it with tools from sociology and philosophy of science, comparing the results with all the projects I visited. With this knowledge in mind, I created a Dialog Model to Communicate Science from institutes of Scientific research, that recognizes multiculturalism, with the intention of communicating science in a horizontal way, to different cultural groups. In this insight talk I will focus on some of the practical uses of the Dialog Model to Communicate Science that I propose in different settings and the results obtained by applying it with different kinds of audiences, in terms of a more effective appropriation of science and a wider dissemination of knowledge.

This talk is the result of my PhD research about science communication projects in institutes of scientific research, but also about the practical work that I carried out for 10 years, in which I used the Model I propose.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Transformation

Vaccine Hesitancy Communication during a Global Pandemic: A Case Study of Vaccination Hesitant Facebook Pages during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

Author: Samantha Fowler – Laurentian University, Canada

Co-authors:

  • Chantal Barriault – Laurentian University, Canada
  • Paulo Monteiro – Instituto Butantan, Brazil

The COVID-19 global pandemic creates a unique environment for vaccination hesitant messages, within which traditionally vaccine-focussed Facebook pages are used to promote diverse anti-science messaging. Understanding these communities, their messages, and their tactics is vital to producing effective science communication and combatting anti-science ideas that can threaten global health, including currently declining vaccination rates. The complex political and societal influences of the global pandemic further combine with the critical role social media platforms, like Facebook, play in spreading health beliefs. The research explores the posts and comments shared on two prominent, public, North American vaccination hesitant Facebook pages (Vaccine Facts -14,231 followers and Vaccine Choice Canada – 14,187 followers) during the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic from March 1 to May 31, 2020 (443 posts and 6109 comments). This research uses a qualitative, semi-emergent design to organize both posts and comments by discussion topic and style. Using an adapted Health Belief Model framework, researchers added additional constructs to provide a snapshot of vaccination hesitant beliefs, including constructs of perceived lack of authority and the use of community-building tactics. Research findings included a description of how the perceived safe spaces provided by these Facebook communities support diverse anti-science beliefs, including anti-mask and anti-physical distancing beliefs. This study also showed that these groups are toxic and violent environments that do not allow for dialogue or differing opinions. This study builds a necessary audience understanding that can inform future science communication initiatives. Vaccines are a critical current and future study that aligns with the conference’s theme of “time”.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Time

Catch 22 – improving visibility of women in science and engineering for both recruitment and retention

Author: Laura Fogg-Rogers – University of the West of England, United Kingdom

Co-authors:

  • Laura Hobbs – University of the West of England, United Kingdom

There is a significant under-representation of women in STEM which is damaging societal progress for democratic, utilitarian, and equity reasons. However, changing stereotypes in STEM requires a solution denied by the problem – more visible female role models. We therefore argue that science communication has a vital role to play in socially engineering representations of scientists and engineers, in order to change perceptions and stereotypes in STEM.

In this paper we describe outcomes from the ‘Women Like Me’ project, which aimed to apply lessons from the social psychology literature to support women in engineering. Our previous research indicates how important peer group and mentoring support is for women, providing vicarious experience and changing social norms.

In total, 52 professional female engineers working in industry or research in the West of England region were trained in public engagement and outreach (‘junior’ engineers with ≤5 years’ experience, N=26) and mentoring (‘senior’ engineers with 5-32 years’ experience, N=26). Junior engineers were to carry out a target of three education outreach activities each, with senior engineers providing at least two mentoring sessions to the junior engineer with whom they were paired through the scheme.

By enhancing the capacity and self-efficacy for mid-career female scientists and engineers to mentor others, it is hoped they will generate a more supportive workplace for junior female staff. Providing training for women scientists and engineers in mentoring and education outreach, along with supported opportunities for public engagement, significantly improved the self-efficacy of junior engineers to undertake more public engagement. These social connections will in turn boost the science capital of girls and other minorities in STEM, and enhance their ability to continue in these rewarding careers.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Transformation

Act Now: Is the time for science communication about climate change over, or just beginning?

Author: Laura Fogg-Rogers – University of the West of England, United Kingdom

Co-authors:

  • Sophie Laggin – University of West England, United Kingdom
  • Rhian Salmon – Centre for Science in Society, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand/li>
  • Margarida Sardo – University of the West of England, Bristol, Portugal

The effects of climate change are now being felt around the world, and yet cohesive and collaborative policymaking to mitigate impacts are moving too slowly. Indeed the latest scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that we have until 2030 to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5C above pre-Industrial levels.

International protest movements such as Extinction Rebellion are now stepping up non-violent direct action, with a core demand to Act Now. The movement involves several professional groups such as scientists, doctors and psychologists, who have advocated for their peers to move beyond communication[1].

Meanwhile, science communication efforts focus on individuals ““ imploring us to change our personal behaviours to benefit the environment. However, psychological and social research indicates that asking individuals to change their behaviour against the norms of society is at best ineffective, and at worst harmful to the individual through the resulting guilt, shame and eco-anxiety.

In this series of linked papers, we will discuss whether science communication on climate change has failed. Outreach and education are important, but 30 years of advocacy have seen emissions continue to rise. We argue that science communication therefore needs to focus on creating societal change in order to enable and encourage individual behaviour change. We will discuss where this leaves the neutrality of science, and the role of science communicators in direct action.

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02734-x

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Linked papers
Theme: Time

Diagnosis: Kidnapped! Escape game

Author: Ali Floyd – University of Dundee. United Kingdom

Co-authors:

  • Nathan Glover – Agent November, United Kingdom
  • Irene Hallyburton – Drug Discovery Unit, United Kingdom
  • Erin Hardee – University of Dundee, United Kingdom

The Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research has a range of missions. As researchers, we make new medicines and technologies to fight deadly diseases of the developing world. As a Wellcome Centre, we want to create innovative experiences that bring our work to life, giving difficult and abstract concepts real world meaning.

We are fascinated by the potential of gamification in this transformation. It offers the potential to engage non-expert audiences with science topics, using elements such as competition, teamwork, continual assessment and narrative framing. It is a hot topic within the science communication community, one we wished to explore for ourselves.

Inspired by the popular escape room format, we have developed a PE activity which consists of a series of puzzles and challenges. With a compelling storyline, it opens up aspects of the drug discovery process. Looking at parasites, chemistry and pharmacology, it explores how they all come together to create new medicines.

We propose to run this escape game for conference delegates in order to share our practice and get feedback from other science communicators. The game itself runs for around 45-55 minutes, depending on how quickly participants progress through the puzzles. We would then spend the rest of the time in conversation. This would include us telling the story of the project’s development with our scientists and collaborators.

We are also keen to share our evaluation. As part of the University of Dundee’s School of Life Sciences, we have a framework which allows us to align participants’ feedback with our strategy. We ran a successful session at Engage in 2018 on this, and we would love to share how it is working on a specific project.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Demonstration
Theme: Transformation

Communicating scientific uncertainty during COVID-19 Investigating the use of preprint research by digital media outlets

Author: Alice Fleerackers – Scholarly Communications Lab, Simon Fraser University, Canada

Co-authors:

  • Rukhsana Ahmed – Department of Communication University at Albany, State University of New York, United States
  • Juan Pablo Alperin – School of Publishing, Simon Fraser University, Canada
  • Laura Moorhead – Journalism, College of Liberal & Creative Arts San Francisco State University, United States
  • Michelle Riedlinger – School of Communication, Queensland University, Australia

This presentation focuses on the surge in media coverage of COVID-19-related preprint research and the varied approaches digital media outlets used to communicate this uncertain science. Preprints are generally recognised by the scientific community as unvalidated and preliminary, and journalists have been reluctant to cover them because of the associated scientific uncertainty. Yet, COVID-19 seems to be transforming this tendency; uploads of COVID-19 preprints surged in the first months of the pandemic, and their uptake in online media outstripped that of preprints about any other topic. Drawing on literature from digital journalism and science communication, we used an innovative approach combining altmetrics methods with content analysis to identify a diversity of media outlets that covered COVID-19-related preprints during the first four months of the pandemic. These outlets included specialist medical news outlets, traditional news media outlets and aggregators. They often used hyperlinks as citations, with over 90% of stories including a hyperlink to at least one preprint. Devices emphasising scientific uncertainty were rarely used consistently (e.g. mentioning that the study was a preprint, unreviewed, preliminary, and/or in need of verification). Less than half of the stories we analysed contained framing devices emphasising uncertainty, and few identified the research they mentioned as preprint research. Across outlets, “science communication” stories—that is, stories focused on communicating the results or implications of a particular COVID-19-related preprint—were more likely to portray that preprint as uncertain compared to stories using preprints for other purposes (e.g., to cover a wider issue, to support an argument). While evaluating the certainty of scientific findings can be challenging for readers without a science background, readers can at least understand whether research is established or preliminary with the help of editorial framing devices. This seems especially important for global issues with such local and personal relevance as COVID-19.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation

Over 20 PubhD Coimbra: When science communication renew city traditions

Author: Miguel Ferreira – Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Co-authors:

  • Sara Amaral – Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • Marta Costa – Communications’ Office, University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • Marta Quatorze – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • Ana Santos-Carvalho – Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • Fábio Sousa – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Portugal

“Can you explain your PhD in the pub?” is the question and premise behind PubhD, a British initiative, that began in 2015 filling Portuguese bars with science. In Coimbra, PubhD began in the midst of the SciComPT 2017, the Portuguese Science Communication Meeting. The concept is common: 3 PhD students have 10 minutes to explain informally their project. In all sessions, dialogue is promoted as well as the exchange of experiences.

PubhD Coimbra happens monthly, and was held for 20 editions, attended by 60 speakers and 900 participants. The average age of speakers is 33 years old. 63% of the covered topics were Exact Sciences and the remaining 37% were Social Sciences. The most covered area was Neuroscience (25%), followed by Ecology (10,7%) and Law (7,1%). All the 8 Faculties of the University of Coimbra (UC) were represented in the course of the event, as well as 18 research institutions.

This initiative is already rooted within the city, as it has been bringing in closer UC PhD students and the local community, allowing them to improve their communication skills to non-scientific public, by requiring a constant language adaptation. Moreover, PubhD has promoted the interaction between various research areas at UC, by connecting PhD students from the exact and social sciences in the same discussion site. The multidisciplinary and multicultural aspects are imperative in our sessions. Each session our audience grows more loyal, and questions the researchers about their projects, specially their applicability and impact on society and their daily-life. We are currently considering the following questions: “Should we apply evaluation questionnaires to the audience? How can we motivate PhD students to participate even more? How to captivate and attract other types of public? What can we change?”. We hope this poster presentation helps us discuss these questions.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Visual presentation
Theme: Transformation

Audiovisual tools in science communication Mapping video abstracts published in scientific Journals of Ecology

Author: Miguel Ferreira – Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Co-authors:

  • Helena Freitas – Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • Antíonio Granado – NOVA FCSH, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal
  • Betina Lopes – CIDTFF, University of Aveiro, Portugal
  • João Loureiro – Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal

In recent years the use of video by the scientific community has grown. More and more researchers, communicators, and other players are using audiovisual media to deconstruct complex phenomena, to simplify ideas and to tell their story. An example of this trend is the video abstract. It represents a potential unifying model that could improve science communication to the journal audience but also to the wider public, as it is an accurate but simplified synopsis of the main methods, findings, and the contribution of the study to the field.

Inserted in a larger project that aims to evaluate the global impact of science communication, through the use of video abstracts this work explores Ecology video abstracts at an international level. We identified the video abstracts on 29 scientific journals, based on impact, representativeness and visibility criteria. A data base with 171 videos, from 7 publishers and 17 different channels was constituted. Each video was viewed and analyzed for different parameters. Statistical analysis considering the relationship among these parameters was realized.

Results indicate that between 2010 and 2018 the number of video abstracts increased sevenfold. Despite this growth, there was no solid strategy for disseminating the videos. While most of them are still associated with classic models, such as documentaries, disruptive formats such as animation are the ones that arouse greater interest. Videos that last between 2-3 minutes and that are professionally produced show a significantly higher number of daily views and their papers garnered a higher number of citations per day.

These data will help to develop a model for validating the quality of an Ecology video abstract and provide new clues to the global study of audiovisual science communication for future evaluation in formal and non-formal education, as well as, in other actors and stakeholders.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Technology

Multiplicity, visibility and readability: The communication of art, science and technology confluence

Author: Laercio Ferracioli – Department of Innovation and Science Outreach/Federal University of Espirito Santo, Brazil

Co-authors:

  • Wagner Barja – Republic National Museum – Federal District, Brazil
  • Gilberto Lacerda Santos – University of Brasilia – Federal District, Brazil

During the 2018 National Science Technology Week in Brazil, the National Museum of the Republic-DF Board opened the ACT Exhibition aiming at promoting the confluence between Arte.Ciência.Tecnologia. The artworks included dynamic and immersion elements, with music, artefacts for manipulation and experience with augmented reality. Although the idea that art installs doubt and imbalance as opposed to science, doubt is the archetype of science, coupled with questioning, requires the subject to act to understand this confluence.

The combination of Art.Science.Technology does not mean a myriad of concepts, but a course of surprising discoveries and approaches by an audience with a sense of perception and cognition of scientific-artistic-technological objects, in confluence. However, it’s reading is not trivial: out of a multiplicity of artwork, a wide range of visuality is grasped which leads to the discussion of the relationship of vision and its readability.

What is visible refers less to what has become a visual image and more to that visuality which, through societal play and communication strategies, is recognized as endowed with symbolic exchange value and communicative relevance. Visibility, finally, is only realized at the moment of consumption-reception-codification-interpretation-translation. In conclusion, visibility refers to a visuality that bears readability.

In order to scrutinize the audience experience through the exhibition a sample was interviewed and asked to write 5-or-more words expressing it. Analysis of the collected words with word cloud technique came up with citations such as, “creative”, “curious”. Preliminary interview analysis reveal a surprised audience with manifestations such as “is that art?”, or “where is science in it?”.

These preliminary results point that museums of art might be natural loci to promote the Art.Science.Technology confluence through scientific communication, as the greater the understanding of artistic, scientific, technological and cultural roots, the greater the public’s ability to build their own readability process.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Time

How to move masses? Engaging 15% of a population in a biobank with limited time and resources

Author: Annely Allik – University of Tartu, Estonian Genome Center, Estonia

Co-authors:

  • Annely Allik – Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Liis Leitsalu – Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Andres Metspalu
  • Lili Milani – Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Estonia

INTRODUCTION: In 2018, the Estonian government launched a program to map the genotypes of 150,000 citizens. The goal is to use genetic data as a basis for transforming the Estonian healthcare system to deliver personalized medicine. Estonia’s healthcare system has been revolutionized by innovative e-solutions. Patients and doctors benefit from the convenient access and savings that e-services have delivered. Each person in Estonia has an online e-Health record that can be tracked. Through the electronic ID-card-based access, the health information is kept completely secure and at the same time accessible to authorized individuals. These existing e-solutions will be built upon when incorporating genomic information in everyday health-care practice.

METHODS: In order to recruit participants and increase awareness of the potential of population biobanks, case examples showing the benefits of applying genetic information in health care were presented. To increase visibility, YouTubers and social media influencers were involved, having social media challenges to spread the word and get media attention. In order to make enrolment as flexible as possible, the Estonian ID-card systems and digitally signed consents were applied for sample-collection in a wide network of labs and pharmacies. A participant portal with an ID-login was created for participants to fill in their health questionnaire.

RESULTS: By the end of 2019, there were 200,000 participants in the biobank, increasing the previous cohort from 5% to 20% of the adult population of Estonia in less than two years. As part of the used case examples, around 3,000 individuals received personalized genetic risk information. Their impressions of the results received were collected through the participant portal and will be used in future initiatives involving genetic risk communication.

CONCLUSION: A lot can be done if you think out-of-the-box! The methods used throughout the project can be considered and applied by other countries.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Technology

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