PUS, PESTs and More… Flashcards
What are some benefits of PUS?
Benefits of PUS
- To get evidence, results and research out to the public.
- Influence policy change
- Reassure people
- Get new generation of scientists in
Financial crash 2008, period of rescission and austerity yet public understanding of science has mostly still been funded
Fake news – shaking confidence of scientific evidence to the government
In this time of austerity there has never been a greater need for
What are some terms and definitions used when talking about public understanding of science?
The level of the public understanding of science and interest in science can change every quickly
PUS – top-down, authoritarian
PEST – about interaction with the public, hands-on, engage with research and understand the research process. It implies a more highly informed public, one that sees the benefits. Members of the public can have a say and are equipped to have a say. Co-enquire, to also have a role in scientific projects.
Outreach and activity is done by an organisation to share what and the organisation does.
Studies and society, groups. It can get criticism from scientists, because of the perspectives the science communication has.
What are the questions to keep in mind when thinking about social science? as considered in the bodmer report
ÒWhat do we mean by ‘science’?
ÒWho are the public?
ÐDifferent publics in different contexts
ÐKnow your audience before embarking on PUS!
ÒWhy do they need to understand?
ÐWhat are the motivations for getting ‘them’ to understand?
ÐWho needs them to understand? Who benefits?
ÒWhat do we mean by ‘understanding’?
ÐWhat constitutes ‘scientific literacy’?
ÐWhat do ‘we’ need ‘them’ to achieve?
What do we mean by ‘science’?
- The professional science understands by the rigouous and unbias tasks in the laboratory
- Social scientists can also shed light on the way scientists work and the role of science in society
Who is the public?
Who are the public – whether professional scientists or a social scientist studying the interactions between scientists and the public it is important to understand the different groups and therefore contexts?
STDs is a very different problem in developed European countries than developing countries
What do we understand by ‘science’? and where is the value of studying all branches together?
Empirical sciences
·systematic investigation of the natural world based on observable phenomena and testable hypotheses
·practical application of this knowledge
Also
- Mathematics - a formal science that uses a priori (as opposed to empirical, experience-based) evidence
- Technology the use of tools, techniques and systems (often but not exclusively the result of science and engineering)
- Engineering
- Medicine
There is value in discussing stem together, as they are linked in application of pure science principles
Historical context
the industrial revolution n
Ðscientists to be revered and unchallenged
- Modern science – birth in the industrial revolution
- Massive increase in lifestyle, wealth ect
- Technology and science, birth of jobs
- Scientist were unquestioned people
Historical context
WW2
- Japan nuclear bomb, showed that science can have a negative effect
- That coincided with a growing realisation of the environmental impact of science
- The environmental impacts from the growing use of pesticides became more commonly known from t 1960’s, following the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring
Historical context
post WW2
From WW2 right up until the 1970s scientists were challenged and considered with caution and fear, the whole image of what a scientist was changed, culturally.
Across the world, governments were beginning to reflect on their budgets and cut the budgets for research scientists
Huge investment up to and between the two world wars, after 1950’s 60’s and 70’s there was cutting back. Under 1980’s UK government there was a massive decrease in funding for science.
Historical context
Describe the growing concern for social science.
Sputnik – an embarrassment for UK and US
NASW – national association science writers, starting an annual series of surveys – public attitude to and understanding of science. Found support but very low levels of understanding. Spawned PUS movement, which massively leads to increases in spending, in science education – enough investment in science education – would create enough science and technology- Russia would not beat them again.
UK followed behind US in PUS movement. CUTS under thatcher’s GOV lead professional scientist to be scared for public support for science work – Royal Society set up a working party called PUS in 1985, outcomes and reverberations of the report has influenced all science education since
Conclusions of the Bodmer report, what were the answers to the report in response to who are ‘the public’?
Understanding is important for…..
- Private individuals for their personal wellbeing
- Citizen participation in civic duties
- Employees in skilled & semi-skilled jobs
- Middle management and professional trade union associations - “to help their decision making”
- Major decision-makers in industry & government – “major decision making”
- Different members of the public can be part of multiple groups, the level of understanding is dependant on their group
- Why the public should understand – one reason is that if you look across the world the prosperity of different countries in the developed world is hugely influenced by the amount of science and technology in that country. Direct relationship between research fundraising and prosperity
Conclusions of the Bodmer report
Why should the public understand?
- National prosperity
- The informed citizen
- Governmental policymaking
- Quality of life of the individual
- Risk assessment
Back to Bodmer report - one of the reasons the public should have a greater understanding is the informed citizen, many scientific or technological areas of research had very significant social connotations. Stem cell and embryo research. After 2014 floods, should we dredge and engineer rivers? Huge numbers of important scientific areas of research. For members of the public to be informed and vote appropriately, need a good understanding of science. Understand the long term requirements of scientific funding and the immense cost of scientific research. Be able to sift out pseudoscience – when choosing day to day products.
For an example of how the public might benefit from better capability for risk assessment, see the case of Andrew Wakefield, and his discredited publication published in 1998 on the so-called ‘link’ between MMR vaccination and autism
How did the Bodmer report suggest the UK was competing in science on the world stage?
Because of the investment in research and science, the UK was world leading (until Margret thatcher), 3% global funding, *% of publications, 14% of the worlds most highly cited
This was published in 2010, aimed at the new incoming government, telling them not to cut research budgets
What recommendations did the Bodmer report have for incoming scientists at the time?
- Put science and innovation at the heart of economic policy
- Invest in the best people, not just the best projects
- Strengthen the use of scientific advice in government
- Promote the UK as hub that draws the world’s best scientist
- Focus science on the “grand challenges”, such as food security
- Revitalise science and mathematics education
- “The Scientific Century”
- Published March 2010, Royal Society
What were the concluding messages of the bodmer report?
Able scientists……………………… tend to shun the higher administrative responsibilities of government, the Civil Service and industry……..
To ensure that those who do achieve such positions of influence without a primary scientific education, have a least some understanding of science, science education must be extended and in particular broadened at all levels.
The “Direct and Urgent Message”
Learn to communicate with the public, be willing to do so and consider it your duty to do so
