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Jul 04, 2022 Commentary

Evidence in the eye of the beholder: portrayals of risk and scientific (un)certainty in ‘Don't look up’

In this invited comment, we discuss portrayals of risk and scientific (un)certainty in ‘Don't look up’. Specific scenes of the movie were selected, to reflect how within and between the spheres of science, politics, journalism, and economics an upcoming risk and its scientific (un)certainty is (re-)interpreted and (re-)framed, in line with the respective sphere's logic. We extend our assessment by common criteria of film analysis and comparisons to climate change, where applicable. This comment emphasizes how in the movie the logic of economy is taken over by politics and journalism, and how it prevails over the logic of science.

Volume 21Issue 052022

Jul 04, 2022 Commentary

The science communication of ‘Don't Look Up ’

by Hannah Little

In December 2021, Netflix released a comedy feature film, ‘Don't Look Up’. The film follows two scientists who discover an extinction-level comet heading for Earth, which they then attempt to warn humanity about. The makers of the film have publicly stated that the film is meant as a satirical metaphor for the response to the climate emergency. The film presents representations of science, scientists, and science communication. In this set of commentaries, experts have been selected to explore these representations and the lessons the film presents for using satire in science communication.

Communicating climate change in ‘Don't Look Up’

by Julie Doyle

Evidence in the eye of the beholder: portrayals of risk and scientific (un)certainty in ‘Don't look up’

by Lars Guenther and Lutz Granert

`The handsome astronomer and the yelling lady': representing scientists and expertise in ‘Don't look up’

by Amy C. Chambers

Science communication in the face of skepticism, populism, and ignorance: what ‘Don’t Look Up’ tells us about science denial — and what it doesn’t

by Niels G. Mede

The use of satire to communicate science in ‘Don't look up’

by Hannah Little

Caricatures and omissions: representations of the news media in ‘Don't look up’

by Declan Fahy

Volume 21Issue 052022

Jun 28, 2022 Article

Plausibility of scientific findings: institutional factors in lay evaluations

by Elizaveta P. Sheremet , Inna F. Deviatko

One of the recent “crises” experienced by science is associated with a decline in its public support. We conducted two factorial surveys among university students aiming at broadening our understanding of the information cues influencing the wider publics' judgments of science. We found that sociological and criminological research results are perceived as less plausible compared to neuroscientific and physiological research, but as more plausible than results from genetics. In contrast with the previous data on the importance of funding and institutional prestige cues as the indirect indicators of the research quality among academic experts, we discovered the absence of any effects of funding or institutional prestige for the selected type of general audience.

Volume 21Issue 052022

Jun 10, 2022 Article

The ‘Engagement Incubator’: using design to stimulate reflexivity about public engagement with science

by Jo Bailey , Rhian Salmon , Maja Horst

Public Engagement with Science calls for scientists to think more reflexively about their research, and how assumptions, power and contexts influence associated communication. To interrogate this, we utilised design to stimulate reflexive thinking about science communication through a residential ‘Engagement Incubator’ that took the form of a pop-up cardboard laundromat. Participants reported an increased appreciation for, and insight into, PES theory, and its relevance to their work. In addition, our experience of enacting PES theory, and reflexive thematic analysis of data collected through the process, deepened our own understanding of PES and reinforced our appreciation of engagement as reproductive, and inherently circular work.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Commentary

Responsible science communication in Latin America: reflections on challenges

by Claudia Aguirre Rios , Sergio de Régules

Practitioners of responsible science communication in Latin American countries face context-dependent challenges ranging from high poverty and inequality to a public from an extremely varied palette of cultural backgrounds. Effort has been done in the region to foster a coherent community of science communicators. This article reflects on the history of science communication in Latin America and how these challenges are being faced.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Commentary

Beyond the needs of science — can openness and reflexivity push the polish science communication further?

by Wiktor Gajewski

The Polish science communication field has grown into a robust and diverse community. Centralised and governmentally funded initiatives are complemented by more bottom-up actions led by academia, researchers, journalists and educators. Still, the main goals of science communication in Poland seem to be a diffusion of scientific knowledge and building trust towards science and scientist. The concept of openness and reflexivity could help to include the needs and perspectives of non-scientific audiences into science communication practice in Poland.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Article

Levelling the playing field: lessons from sport on re-framing science engagement as a benefit to the individual

by Lindsay Keith , Gary Kerr

The workforces of the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) industries suffer from skills gaps and lack diversity. Science engagement activities often try to solve these problems through targeting audiences under-represented in the STEM workforces. There is limited data, however, to suggest that these engagement efforts are successful in translating into more diverse workforces. We draw upon Unicef’s ‘Sport for Development’ model and propose a new conceptual framework: ‘Science Engagement for Good’. This frames science engagement activities around the benefits to individuals, families and communities, rather than the benefits to STEM industries, the economy or society at large.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Article

Roles, incentives, training and audiences for science communication: perspectives from female science communicators

by Clare Wilkinson , Elena Milani , Andy Ridgway , Emma Weitkamp

Both research and anecdote in science communication suggests that it is a field where women feel ‘at home’, with high numbers of women science communicators and students on training programmes, but why might this be the case? Using data gathered from a survey of 459 science communicators based in Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden and the U.K., we examine the perspectives of female science communicators, in terms of working practices, motivations and barriers to communicate.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Article

A methodological approach to co-design citizen science communication strategies directed to quadruple-helix stakeholders

by Joana Magalhães , Blanca Guasch , Rosa Arias , Paolo Giardullo , Ana Elorza , Inês Navalhas , Esther Marín-González , Marzia Mazzonetto , Cristina Luís

Citizen Science (CS) can help change the paradigm of science communication. To test this, 38 ongoing CS projects from Italy, Portugal and Spain have been selected by the H2020 NEWSERA project to act as pilots in the development of communication strategies, specifically targeting stakeholders in the quadruple helix. The projects, together with stakeholder representatives and science communication and journalism professionals participated in a series of workshops — #CitSciComm Labs — where communication strategies were co-designed, using adapted design-thinking methods. The innovative methodological approach is hereby presented and can be an inspiration for others willing to implement improved communication strategies to target different stakeholders.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

Jun 10, 2022 Article

Towards the reflective science communication practitioner

by Tessa Roedema , Virgil Rerimassie , J. E. W. Broerse , J. F. H. Kupper

The practice of science communication is fundamentally changing. This requires science communication practitioners to continuously adapt their practice to an ever-changing ecosystem and highlights the importance of reflective practice for science communication. In this study, we supported 21 science communication practitioners in developing a reflective practice. Our study shows that reflective practice enabled practitioners in becoming aware of their own stance towards science or assumptions regarding audiences (single-loop learning), underlying and sometimes conflicting values or worldviews present in science communication situations (double-loop learning), and facilitated practitioners to adapt their practice accordingly. Triple-loop learning, allowing practitioners to fundamentally rethink and transform their mode of science communication, was less observed. We argue that reflective practice contributes to opening-up public conversations on science — including a conversation on underlying values, worldviews, and emotions, next to communicating scientific facts.

Volume 21Issue 042022Special Issue: Responsible science communication across the globe (RETHINK)

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