48,863 research outputs found
Scientists who engage with society perform better academically
Most scientific institutions acknowledge the importance of opening the
so-called 'ivory tower' of academic research through popularization, industrial
collaboration or teaching. However, little is known about the actual openness
of scientific institutions and how their proclaimed priorities translate into
concrete measures. This paper gives an idea of some actual practices by
studying three key points: the proportion of researchers who are active in
wider dissemination, the academic productivity of these scientists, and the
institutional recognition of their wider dissemination activities in terms of
their careers. We analyze extensive data about the academic production, career
recognition and teaching or public/industrial outreach of several thousand of
scientists, from many disciplines, from France's Centre National de la
Recherche Scientifique. We find that, contrary to what is often suggested,
scientists active in wider dissemination are also more active academically.
However, their dissemination activities have almost no impact (positive or
negative) on their careers
Science,technology and society
We shall discuss some aspects of science and technology, their increasing
role in the society, the fast advances in modern science, the apparent decrease
of interest of the young generation in basic sciences, the importance of proper
science popularization for better public education and awareness in scientific
fields.Comment: Lecture at the 7th School on Non-Accelerator Astroparticle Physics,
Trieste,Italy,200
Popularization in the Higher Education and Optimal Educational Policies
In this paper, we construct a model which explains a change in demand for education, considering an individual preference for the higher education (university). We suppose that the individual preference for education depends on the average level of education in a society and
changes drastically at some level. We consider a possibility that diffusion of education brings about discontinuous increase in demand for education, and examine the optimal educational policies in dynamic setting
Journalistic practices of science popularization in the context of users’ agenda: A case study of „New Scientist”
The article includes a discussion of two models which describe contemporary communication processes in journalism: agenda-setting and news value, indicating the need to expand their research tools to include qualitative methods, and merging the analyses of the reception and the message. It also includes indications as to the possibility, or even the social relevance, of the methods for applying those research perspectives to analysing journalism popularising science. Later, I present the results of an analysis of the content of a sample of 500 most read popular science texts available on the New Scientist website. I demonstrate which thematic areas were valued by the readers, and what values are most commonly applied. Further, upon applying a filter in the form of surveys regarding reader preferences, I discuss the main linguistic devices utilised for controlling readers’ attention. The shaping of the hierarchy of importance of items of news is the result of a dynamic interaction between (1) the thematic priorities and discursive strategies of imposing elite representations of science within media agenda, and (2) the means of negotiating order and values of specific content, which are correlated with readers’ preferences, both in terms of the content and the form of providing popular scientific information
Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science: PLACES Impact Assessment Case Study of Prague
Regional aspects of science communication represent a potential asset and as such are quite suitable topic for further examination with respect to future social and economic development in Prague based on the city's main development strategies. Closer analysis of SCIP aspects at re- gional level can present a suitable complement for development of suitable measures and projects of the regional innovation and education policies. This study focuses on research questions related to regional dimension of science communication, its impacts and suitable tools. Document analysis and questionnaire distributed among selected experts were chosen as tools for elaboration of the study. Results suggest that regional dimension of science communication policy and initiatives is a relevant one in case of Prague. However, the attention given to this topic by national and regional authorities is unsatisfactory resulting in lack of co-ordination of activities of the respective stakeholders. Impacts of SCIP, as far as causality can be identified, lie in encouraging young people in their interest in science, increasing awareness of general public in science-related issues and explaining role of science in society and problems that science is facing. To maximise effects of science communication there is a space for national and regional authorities to play an integrating role. Given the concentration of SCIP actors, the City of Prague could aspire to develop its science communication policy in order to promote itself as a Central European centre of science
Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque: ethics, aesthetics and garden design in Belgium (1913-1940)
Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque (The New Picturesque Garden) association was founded in 1913 to ‘renew and popularize garden art’ in Belgium. Originally, the emancipation of the lower classes was put forward as an important task; the association acted as a platform for those who were interested in the ethical role of garden design. Taking its journal Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque as the main source, this article investigates what was understood by the ‘new picturesque’ garden, why this type of garden was considered a suitable instrument for popularization and how the addressed audience evolved. The main argument is that the focus of Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque shifted from ethics to aesthetics during the interwar period. Under the impulse of landscape architect Jules Buyssens the emphasis moved towards the design of private gardens for the emerging middle class and away from the social role of the garden in the city
Mass Media As an Information Channel and Public Arena
Professor Peters argues that several functions of mass media compete and that attempts to improve risk coverage must avoid optimizing one at the expense of others
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