Young Researchers and Science Communication

Posted by Rebbica Jhonsan on March 3rd, 2020

That it is time for scientists to move out of their ivory tower is sometimes seen as a reductive call to action. Yet as the topic of science communication emerges as a focal point of discussion for what science needs to do to connect with society, there is a concomitantly growing murmur that academia needs systemic incentives to support such behavior. Initiatives from the top down that can support scientists beyond mere lip service.

What can be done?

Placing scientific work within a larger context can be gratifying as well as stimulating for scientists. But without clear rewards, a time-strapped demographic is unlikely to add another potentially burdensome activity to their already long work weeks. What shape could these rewards take?

Pro-science communication policies across the board. Universities in the UK are subject to a national performance-based research funding system called the Research Excellence Framework (REF). REF is the system for assessing the quality of research in the UK higher education institutions.

To read more, visit: https://www.impact.science/how-do-we-get-young-scientists-to-communicate-science/