Exploring reflexivity: Building bridges between theory and practice in science communication

You are here: / Salmon R

Exploring reflexivity: Building bridges between theory and practice in science communication

Author: Rhian Salmon – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Co-authors:

  • Jo Bailey – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Over the last decade, science communication has shifted away from ‘pop outreach’, towards more strategic, deliberative approaches. However, many scientist-communicators still lack the support, training and professional recognition required to design effective and theoretically-informed engagement.

The authors of this paper are both public engagement practitioners and researchers. We will present how we have explored bridging the theory-practice divide in a number of science communication case studies in Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes engagement about national research programmes on climate change, complexity, and sea level rise; and a series of festivals that celebrate mathematics and mathematical thinking through the medium of craft.

This research explores the practical challenges of putting engagement theory into practice, building on two papers that propose that an increase in reflexivity on the part of science communicators could change the focus of public engagement with science (Salmon et al. (2017), Salmon & Roop (2019)). We have experimented with different, consciously designed engagement devices that are used to change the way a practitioner thinks about and delivers their communication and engagement. This ranges from exercises using cardboard prototypes and drawing exercises; to an activity that interrogates the power structures and implicit assumptions behind a given initiative; to designed installations at conferences seeking to elicit insights into participants’ thoughts, hopes, and fears.

We argue that by continually interrogating our theoretical approach to public engagement, while also having very real associated funding, responsibility, deliverables and deadlines, we have been contributing to building bridges between science communication practice and research in Aotearoa New Zealand. This has been demonstrated by changes to the annual national science communication conference; integration of engagement at a senior level across national research programmes; and the inclusion of an Engagement Incubator in a new funding proposal for a national Centre for Research Excellence.

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

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation

Climate change engagement in the “Deep South challenge” – Integrating theory into practice

Author: Rhian Salmon – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Co-author:
Joanna Goven – Victoria University of Wellington

In 2013, new government investment in science research led to the creation of “National Science Challenges” that were expected to “respond to the most important, national-scale issues and opportunities identified by science stakeholders and the New Zealand public” and “have major and enduring benefits for New Zealand”. The resultant eleven cross-disciplinary, collaborative research programmes are primarily focused on human health and living conditions, environmental issues, and science innovation. The Challenges are not only meant to be informed by the priorities of New Zealand’s publics, but “public outreach, communication, public engagement, and education activities” are also expected. Knowledge transfer and effective public and end-user engagement are fundamental to the Mission of every Challenge.

We will discuss the prioritization and development of “Engagement” within one of these Challenges, the Deep South Challenge, which has a mission “to transform the way New Zealanders adapt, manage risk, and thrive in a changing climate”. The goal of the associated Engagement Strategy is to “improve New Zealanders’ ability and capacity to make decisions informed by DSC-related research”.

The presentation will explore tensions between delivering a robust and theoretically-grounded engagement strategy with the need to meet (or manage) “outreach” expectations from the science community, government funders, and different publics and end-users, and issues associated with connecting this publics-oriented mission with its core science research culture.

The presentation will use examples of engagement activities in the Deep South Challenge to illustrate different models for science engagement in practice, including a focus on dialogue, co-production and evaluation, and outline how this action research is contributing to bridging the theory-practice divide often experienced in science communication.

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

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

Reflexive practice – Radicalising how scientists approach communication

Author: Rhian Salmon – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Co-authors:
Jo Bailey – Victoria University of Wellington
Rebecca Priestley – Victoria University of Wellington

Te Punaha Matatini (TPM), a Centre of Research Excellence focused on Complexity, Risk and Uncertainty, is fortunate to boast some of New Zealand’s top scientist communicators in its cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional, research team. It also takes real engagement seriously – and is demonstrating this by funding a PhD scholarship specifically focused on evaluating and re-designing its approach to science communication.

TPM researchers (like many researchers) currently invest significant time and resources into science communication but have limited capacity to evaluate, peer-review, and improve these activities. This project builds on a recent paper by Salmon et al (2017), which proposes an approach to transforming public engagement by scientists through reflexive analysis of their activities. The PhD project aims to test this theory in practice.

This mixed methods research project has three parallel strands: theoretical, practical, and reflexive, and will contribute towards building a new theoretical model for public engagement by scientists. Using TPM as a case study, it will involve unpacking assumptions related to engagement activities, clear articulation of appropriate and measureable objectives, and development of integrated qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluation.

The project will take a human-centred design approach and involve engaging practising scientists (and information recipients) in reflexive journaling; interviews; focus groups and other design ethnography processes; as well as research into relevant theoretical frameworks; development of evaluation instruments; use of data analytics to identify networks and measure the propagation of outreach efforts and the development and evaluation of a new engagement activity (as a form of design research).

In addition to learning from the evaluation data itself, our goal is to see if this project leads to a more sophisticated approach (by both individuals and organisations) to science communication, and how the attitudes, objectives and practices of those involved change through the experience of being involved in this project.

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

Presentation type: Idea in progress
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

Contact

The Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST Network) is an organisation that promotes discussion on the theory and practice of communicating science, and of public discourses about science and technology and their role in society.

Email: admin@pcst.network
Web: www.pcst.network

Incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Registered number AO5352.

Terms and conditions  ·  Privacy policy
Disclaimer  ·  Copyright  ·  Sitemap

Copyright © PCST

Connect

Join

PCST is the an active and influential international academic and professional organisation in the field of science communication.

➔ Become a member

Discuss

Our email discussion list is free for everyone to join and has an international audience of over 2000 subscribers.

➔ Join the discussion list

Partners

PCST Network has co-operation agreements with the following international organisations:

EUSEA
European Science Engagement Association

IECA
International Environmental Communication Association

RedPOP
Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Popularisation of Science and Technology