Scientists' motivation to communicate science and technology to the public: surveying participants at the Madrid Science Fair

This paper investigates what motivates scientists to communicate science and technology in a science event involving a direct relationship and interaction with the public. A structured questionnaire survey was administered through face-to-face interviews to 167 research practitioners (researchers, technicians, support staff and fellows) at the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) who participated in the Madrid Science Fair in the years 2001 to 2004. The motivations of members in each professional category are discussed. The most important motivations have to do with the desire to increase the public's interest in and enthusiasm for science, the public's scientific culture, and public awareness and appreciation of science and scientists. Senior researchers were also highly motivated by a sense of duty. Personal satisfaction and enjoyment were important motivations for younger scientists. This research will help to understand the mechanisms of scientists' motivation, and thus foster and encourage greater and better participation in events of this kind

Scientists' motivation to communicate science and technology to the public: surveying participants at the Madrid Science Fair

This is an author pre-print (ie final draft before peer review) of the paper published in 'Public Understanding of Science, July 2008, Volume 17, No. 3., pages 349-367. The original publication is available at http://pus.sagepub.com[http://pus.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/17/3/349][EN] This paper investigates what motivates scientists to communicate science and technology in a science event involving a direct relationship and interaction with the public. A structured questionnaire survey was administered through face-to-face interviews to 167 research practitioners (researchers, technicians, support staff and fellows) at the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) who participated in the Madrid Science Fair in the years 2001 to 2004. The motivations of members in each professional category are discussed. The most important motivations have to do with the desire to increase the public's interest in and enthusiasm for science, the public's scientific culture, and public awareness and appreciation of science and scientists. Senior researchers were also highly motivated by a sense of duty. Personal satisfaction and enjoyment were important motivations for younger scientists. This research will help to understand the mechanisms of scientists' motivation, and thus foster and encourage greater and better participation in events of this kind.[ES] Se analizan cuáles son las motivaciones de los científicos para comunicar la ciencia y la tecnología en un evento científico en el que se produce una interacción directa con el público. Para ello se entrevistó, utilizando un cuestionario estructurado, a personal del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) que habían participado en la Feria Madrid por la Ciencia en sus ediciones de 2001 a 2004, ambos inclusive. Se realizaron un total de 167 entrevistas a investigadores, técnicos, personal de apoyo y becarios. Se discuten aquí las motivaciones para partcipar en la Feria, de los individuos de cada una de estas categorías. Las motivaciones más importantes tienen que ver con el deseo de despertar e incrementar el interés y entusiasmo del público por la ciencia, incrementar la cultura científica del público, e incrementar el conocimiento y reconocimiento de la ciencia y de los científicos. Además, los investigadores "senior" señalaron senstirse motivados por el sentido del deber, mientras que para los investigadores más jóvenes la satisfacción personal y la diversión fueron factores motivadores importantes. Este estudio pretende contribuir a comprender las motivaciones que inducen a los científicos a participar en la Feria, así como los mecanismos de esta motivación, con el fin de aprovecharlos, potenciarlos y canalizarlos adecuadamente para una mayor y mejor participación en este tipo de eventosThe project ‘Scientific Culture and Communication of Science in the Community of Madrid. A study to encourage participation of scientists in PCST activities’ has been funded by the General Directorate for Universities and Research of the Regional Government of Madrid. Este trabajo se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto de investigación "Cultura Científica y Comunicación de la Ciencia en la Comunidad de Madrid. Un estudio para inventivar la participación de los científicos en las actividades de divulgación científica", financiado por la Dirección General de Investigación de la Comunidad de Madrid (Proyecto 06/0076/2003