Public engagement is often thought to be something academics become involved in later in their careers, when relieved of the pressures to publish or secure funding and more able to devote time to outreach activities. Focusing on the successful SISSA for Schools programme, Simona Cerrato reports on a new generation of scientists who are confounding expectations and proving much more […]
Category: Public Engagement
The impact agenda has led to social media being used in a role it may not be equipped to perform
In a rapidly changing higher education landscape, where the meaning of “impact” and the expectations surrounding it are continually developing, the perceived relevance of social media seems obvious. Accordingly, increasing numbers of institutions are encouraging their researchers to take up social media to communicate their research to wider society. However, as Katy Jordan and Mark Carrigan explain, the rhetoric and […]
Access, engagement, then impact: factors affecting decision-makers’ use of research
Studies have shown that while many factors affect decision-makers’ use of research, evidence of what particular engagement actions actually work is very limited. Indeed, increasing access to research appears to be the only intervention to reliably increase use. The Conversation is a free-to-access research communication platform designed to be accessible to general audiences. Pauline Zardo reports on The Conversation Annual […]
Impact is crippling higher education. But it is still part of the solution
Now a fixture of the higher education landscape, the “impact agenda” is partly fuelled by a cost-benefit framework that encourages universities to focus on demonstrating the economic value of their interventions. As a consequence, a clear pattern emerges with the government as the main beneficiary of impact, not wider society. Tina Basi and Mona Sloane argue that REF 2021 offers […]
Five principles of holistic science communication
Effective communication is fundamental to increasing public understanding and the public impact of science. Suzi Spitzer outlines five principles of holistic science communication that can facilitate collaborative learning between scientists and the public. Assemble a diverse, interdisciplinary team, tell a story, make the message personal, communicate to people rather than at them, and remember to be human! How can we […]
New scales can be used to measure the short-term impact of public engagement on scientists
Most evaluations of public engagement work focus on the impacts on the public participants. But what about the benefits of public outreach on the scientists themselves? Karen Peterman, Elana Kimbrell, Emily Cloyd, Jane Roberston Evia and John Besley have created new scales to document the mutual exchange of ideas that is central to the public engagement approach, and the influence […]
Academics and professionals can contribute to “micro-impact” projects in rural villages that make a real difference and complement formal local services
Across the world, many academics and other professionals now live in rural areas and make important contributions to their micro-local communities. Michael de Percy draws some lessons from his own experience in rural Australia where “tree-change” movements of an eclectic mix of people from big cities to rural communities have created something of a lifeline for otherwise endangered communities. Micro-impact […]
The hidden costs of research assessment exercises: the curious case of Australia
Research assessment exercises provide the government and wider public with assurance of the quality of university research, with the guiding principles being accountability, transparency, and openness. But is there the same accountability and openness when it comes to the public cost of these large-scale exercises? Ksenia Sawczak examines the situation in Australia as the research sector looks ahead to the […]
A “work in progress”? Public engagement is now part of the UK research landscape but challenges remain
Funders of UK research have sought to foster a research culture in which public engagement is embedded at all levels. Kevin Burchell, Chloe Sheppard and Jenni Chambers report on research examining the extent of participation in public engagement by UK researchers, how it varies, and why. Large majorities of researchers have participated in public engagement and are broadly positive about […]
The “long tail” of research impact is engendered by innovative dissemination tools and meaningful community engagement
Research impact often tends not to happen in one emphatic, public moment but rather at more discrete points of the “long tail” of a research project. Achieving this depends largely on the tenacity of the research team but also on key allies such as the community members and service providers who have become energised by the work and inspired to […]