Improving Science Communication
Posted on | March 7, 2010 | Comments Off
How is Science's Image? Photo by Svilen Milev
In the recent controversy over climate change – both the UEA emails and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) misuse of data – one thing that has become clear to me is that scientists need to learn how to communicate the results of their work, and the public need to learn how to listen to scientists.
For too long, science has taken on a status of some kind of higher level of existence – distinct from the rest of humanity, beyond our understanding and simply to be trusted blindly. Like some kind of religious entity.
From time to time scientific research is reported by the media: “Scientists have discovered that…” or “Scientists have proved that…” with some black and white statement – usually involving the connection of what we eat or do with our health or the environment. Then, in the most interesting or bizarre cases, the media discusses it – with various celebrities suggesting ways that it will affect their lives, some jokes being made – and within a few days it is forgotten. The Scientists remain unseen, separate, unquestioned beings who are there to accumulated.
Even the issue of climate change has been like that. The number of times people make comments during a bad winter about how they can’t see evidence of global warming is staggering. But slowly the whole issue of carbon emissions has become a monster in its own right – overshadowing all other aspects of science. Individuals and businesses have become obsessed with reducing carbon footprints and saving energy, as much because it makes you look better as for any particular concern for the glaciers in the Himalayas or starving farmers in Africa. There were a few who questioned the issue but they were generally dismissed as freaks who didn’t understand – The Scientists have proved it!
Then came “Climate-gate”, suddenly the mythical scientists were real people who wrote emails and seemed to be pulling the wool over our eyes. The Scientists had lost a lot of their mythical nature, and sceptics rejoiced. But, what are we left with? When the TV newsreader next tells us: “Scientists have proved that eating grapes prevents heart disease” – what will be our response? Will it be – ‘that’s good – better get some grapes next time I’m shopping’, or ‘What do scientists know – I bet its all some conspiracy with grape farmers’?
We need to look at the way we communicate science. Scientists need to work on a way of explaining their conclusions in a way that shows how they were reached, and how certain they are. The media need to find ways of avoiding giving an impression of scientists as godlike creatures who are always right. And the general public needs to remember that scientists are real people, like poor Professor Phil Jones of the UEA, who harboured suicidal thoughts when his emails were stolen and incriminating sections published.
Alan Thorne of the Natural Environment Research Council claims that scientists do not have to fight a battle over climate change. I think now is the perfect time to fight a battle for a better, more sustainable public image. Scientists are just humans who are accumulating knowledge in order to understand the world better – they are not infallible gods, but neither are they conspiring monsters.
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