Science communication

Every university in Flanders offers a myriad of science communication activities for anyone interested in science and academic research, from young to old. As a researcher it is important to help foster this relationship between academic research and society. More and more, academic research is strongly embedded within society, rather than on the periphery, looking at society from its ivory tower. Trust in academic research is one of the key elements to foster more and better academic research as it is important to show the public institutions that the scientific endeavour is worth the (financial) investment. Although perhaps less strictly determined in a set of pre-defined rules and regulations, science communication needs to comply with quality standards and research integrity which makes research results more transparent, more understandable and thus more trustworthy. In a way, communicating your research to a broader audience comes with a shared responsibility of researchers because there are no peer reviewers checking the validity of your ideas before you post a blog or appear in a panel on national television; there are no ethics reviewers making sure no one in the audience takes offense with what you have to say about a certain topic.

Regarding integrity and science communication ‘the main lesson’ you should always take into account is that ethics and integrity don’t stop just because you have finished a project or published a scientific article.

Impact

Communicating your research results to non-peers, be it specific stakeholders or citizens in general, is a prerequisite for societal impact. Not every scientific article should be translated to be understood by these target groups, but most research programs and lines of research can and should strive to have an impact outside of academia, and thus contribute to healthier citizens, evidence-based policies, a better world, … The past century it became common for governments to legitimise their policies by appealing to science (cf. Maarten Van Dyck). As a consequence, clear, comprehensible, accurate and honest communication about the knowledge that is gathered by researchers, has become more and more important.

When communicating about your (or others’) research:

• Keep in mind you’re representing science (and your university, but you’ll mostly be remembered as a scientist). Be honest about the limitations of your conclusions (to what extent do they apply to the real problem/solution in society, in what way do they help better understanding) and of science in general. Behave modestly when possible but stand up for science when needed.
• Listen to the stakeholders of your research, both the ordinary citizens as well as the more specific stakeholders. Learn how they look at your research subject. How do they define certain situations or problems you’re researching, what are their questions and worries, what do they find important, in what wordings do they talk about it, what are their misconceptions, … A better understanding of your stakeholders can help in your communication, but in your research too!
• Anticipate how your message will be received. How might citizens or journalists misinterpret your message, possibly deliberately? Make it impossible for them to transform what you want to say in what they want to hear, by explicitly expressing what your sayings don’t mean, and what you can’t conclude from them. Try to control your narrative as much as possible, e.g. by publishing your story yourself on an own blog. Think – especially in certain disciplines for example concerning health issues – about expectation management: e.g. when will people be able to use, benefit from your research?
• Ask the press office of your university to review the press release and make sure you’re comfortable with it. It ought to be understandable for the target group but still needs to be correct (pay especially attention to the conclusions; keep in mind the title has to make people want to read the article; make an accurate summary for quick reading).
• Ask the press office of your university to review the press release and make sure you’re comfortable with it. It ought to be understandable for the target group but still needs to be correct (pay especially attention to the conclusions; keep in mind the title has to make people want to read the article; make an accurate summary for quick reading).
• Especially in delicate issues such as climate change, vaccination, evolution theory, etc. communication can be difficult because of emotions or strong beliefs that get in the way of a balanced conversation. It is therefore of great importance to start or respond to every communication with an openness that includes understanding and mildness for the dialogue partner. Do not see the conversation as a competition for being right but focus on finding common understanding, listen instead of trying to convince, establish creative thinking and problem solving. This requires a specific communication style that is called dialogue (versus debate). More on this approach and exercises on: the dialogue approach.
• Always separate fact from opinion. You’re entitled to your own opinions, and there’s nothing wrong with being an activist, but make it crystal clear to what extent your opinion is founded in scientific consensus among peers. This is of the greatest importance for science as a whole. Remember that trust is hard to earn, but easy to lose.
• Sometimes there is a need to delay the communication about specific parts of your research, especially when, in the framework of a future technology transfer, the decision is made to protect the outcome of your research with intellectual property rights, such as a patent or design. Ask advice to the Technology Transfer Office of your university on when the communication can be made. 

Some basics of science communication training

• It is always good to ask yourself the basic communication questions: What (do I want to communicate), Why (do I feel this is important / would an audience be interested), How (would I like to communicate) and Who (do I want to reach). When considering your objective it can help to look at it as the change you want to bring about in your target group: what do you want people to do, to consider, to be convinced of, to know … that they didn’t before. Use your answer on the objective and target group to answer the other questions ‘how’ and ‘when’ and even to reconsider what you should communicate to achieve this goal. In answering the ‘what’, look for the intersection of what you want to tell and what they want to know, or think of an angle that can grab their attention and pull them in your story.
• Communication is not a one-way process. Rather, it is preferably two-way, making it a dynamic process from which both parties can learn and gain. Therefore, consider communication as an interactive process and focus as much on what you can learn from your audience. After all, your readers are an important source of knowledge with added value for your research.
• Know there’s lots of ways to communicate. To name a few; talks, blog articles, social media posts, 1-on-1 interactions, videos, podcasts, newsletters, books, events, … Don’t wait until your first results to communicate. Instead start small and practice. Experiment, evaluate, adapt.
• Know where your target group is. Don’t expect them to come to you. E.g. don’t expect them to go looking for and find your blog post, but point them to it using a channel (of your own or from a third party) that reaches them.
• You’re not alone, nor are you solely responsible for the communication about your research topic. Define your communication goals and look for others with overlapping goals (your research group, your faculty, your university, an international research consortium). Identify the aggregation level where your efforts will generate the most impact (e.g. for shared goals you might want to use existing channels with a greater reach, instead of starting a new one). Participate in larger, professional projects for less overhead.
• Cut out the middle man if you can: the more specific communication goals the less likely, you need a journalist to reach your target group.
• Use stories instead of news. People respond much more to emotions than to facts. Make it personal: how will your research help people, how did your research change you? Stories will be remembered.
• Get attention by connecting emotionally, use recognisable situations, intriguing questions or facts. Understand the concept of news value: news is what is near, unique, new, important for society, unexpected, or another angle on an already hot topic.
• Imagine the effect of your communication. Will you choice of medium/message have the effect you want? Really? Try imagining how your mother or neighbour would react.
• Already in the exploratory phase, it certainly pays off to contact the science communication team in your university. They have a very good overview of opportunities for science communication and ways to support you and get you started.

Examples of science communication initiatives in Flanders. There are many ways for a researcher to reach out. Just a few examples:

Universiteit van Vlaanderen (online videos and podcasts on science)

Ik heb een vraag (researchers answer questions from citizens) 

Dag van de Wetenschap (yearly science festival all over Flanders) 

EOS Wetenschap blogs 

Iedereen wetenschapper (citizen science) 

Sound of Science (the first open air science festival in Flanders)

Jaarprijzen wetenschapscommunicatie KVAB 

Pint of Science Belgium