Entradas M – PCST Network

Author: Marta Entradas – LSE, United Kingdom

Co-authors:

Martin Bauer – LSE, United Kingdom
John Besley – Michigan State University, United States
Asako Okamura – Senior Research Fellow, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP), Japan
Giuseppe Pellegrini – Observa Science in Society, Italy

Public communication of research institutes compared across countries

In recent years, we have witnessed a growing tendency within academic and research organisations to turn to the public; and it is surprising how little systematic research exists on how this change is taking place. With a few studies that have looked at PR communications offices in German universities, and their influence in scientists’ visibility in the media, less is known about what is happening at other levels within organisations; not to mention how the activity is developing across countries with very different traditions, commitments and resources for science and science communication.

In this linked session, a group of science communication researchers, will present first hand empirical evidence on the communication function of institutes/units in eight countries (within research universities and large research organisations), and discuss tensions and challenges for science communication. The findings presented here result from the international study ‘MORE-PE- Mobilisation of REsources for Public Engagement’ carried out in Portugal, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, the USA, Brazil, Japan, and China. This will be the first presentation of the results on a comparative level.

The speakers are:

Paper 1 – Marta Entradas –ISCTE- University Lisbon Institute/Visiting Fellow at LSE

Paper 2 – Martin Bauer – London School of Economics (LSE)

Paper 3 – Giuseppe Pellegrini – Italy, OBSERVA Science in Society

Paper 4 – John Besley/Anthony Dudo – USA, Michigan University/ Texas University

Paper 5 – Asako Akamura – National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan

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

Presentation type: Linked papers
Theme: Time

Author: Marta Entradas – LSE, United Kingdom

Co-authors:
Martin Bauer – LSE
John Besley – Michigan University
Giuseppe Pellegrini Pellegrini – Observa
Pedro Russo – Leiden University

Science communication has become a crucial issue for academic and scientific institutions. Many have incorporated it into their missions, adopted policies for communication, while enhancing their communication structures to support relationships with the media, policy makers and the wider public. Still, our understanding of what institutions are doing and under what conditions is limited. Institutional commitment to science communication has, at least in some countries including Portugal or the UK, been spurred by national science and policy contexts and strongly encouraged by governments and renowned scientific institutions.

In this grouped paper, a panel of science communication researchers will present preliminary results of an international study ‘MORE-PE- Mobilisation of REsources for Public Engagement’ aimed at mapping science communication at the level of research institutes (RIs) in Portugal, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, the USA, Brazil, Japan, Taiwan and China. Representative samples of RIs by areas of research were drawn using stratified random probability sampling procedures (N=1200 per country). Data collection will be complete in October 2017. This will be the first presentation of the results on the country level.

Panellists will provide an account of national institutional practices in their countries, and discuss it in light of national science and policy contexts for science communication. Each country will cover: (1) generic national policy/encouragement for PE (2) national research system and description of populations and national samples, and (3) key findings of interest, including but not limited to ‘what’, ‘to whom’, ‘why’ and ‘under conditions’ are RIs addressing non-specialists.

The panellists are:
Marta Entradas – PT, LSE
Martin Bauer – UK, LSE
Giuseppe Pellegrini – Italy, OBSERVA Science in Society
Pedro Russo – The Netherlands, Leiden University
John Besley – USA, Michigan University

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

Presentation type: Grouped paper
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices

Public communication of research institutes compared across countries

Institutional science communication – Cross-national comparative study

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