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June 03, 2010
Times blog piece on science and research communication
Alexander Holmes and I have a post up on the Times science blog: discussing science/research communication and the importance of effective public engagement with research. We argue that the UK government's Science: So What? science communication initiative has illustrated many of the things that can go wrong when there is a move from rigorous research communication to PR-based research.
I'm pleased about how the article turned out and very happy with how efficiently the Times dealt with its publication. As I'm just at the end of a year of teaching, it seems appropriate to pull out a paragraph of the article which reminds me why it's such a privilege to be helping students to learn about research:
Part of the joy of doing research - and of speaking, writing and reading about research - is that it offers us new ways to understand, engage with and change the world. PR-based research, though, just aims to package up parts of the world and sell them to us. Learning about research can help us to work better, play better and do a better job of holding businesses, researchers and Government to account. These skills can't be bought and can't be sold but -- once learnt -- are valuable tools for dealing with the advertisers, PR agencies and governments who try to fob us off with shiny yakawow campaigns instead of offering any more meaningful engagement.
Posted by jon_mendel at June 3, 2010 05:58 PM
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