New zeitgeist for geoscience communication
Extinct megafauna sculpture on a remote Canadian island, and example of community art that makes citizens more protective of their scientists. Image: Guthrie Gloag
How can we geoscientists share what we do with the public — and what are we looking for in return? It’s an urgent question in these uncertain times, and one that AuScope representative, Rohan Byrne found on the minds of many delegates at the Australian Science Communicators 2020 conference. He heard from researchers, bloggers, journalists, policymakers, teachers and artists, all with the same refrain: to keep science trusted and relevant, we’re going to have to do things differently.
Here are Rohan’s five big takeaways from the conference. From community artwork to the dark art of public policy, there’s something in here that each of us can do to help win friends for geoscience beyond the so called ivory tower.
Get emotional
When David Robertson and Vicki Kyriakis from the Monash Sustainable Development Institute invited everyone to the floor for a purgative ‘rant’, I admit I had my doubts. But after an hour of shouting and drama, I began to get the idea.
Their research suggests the image we try to project of the dispassionate and aloof scientists is actually counterproductive for good outreach. And when more and more people are relying on geoscientists for safety, prosperity, and hope, making it personal can help us make an impact. So try a little ‘rant’ now and then — though perhaps not in the office.
Get collaborative
Up in the Top End, good science can be a matter of life and death. So it can be perplexing to us geoscientists when communities fail to take our advice. Researchers at the Environment Institute of Australia have become experts at winning a public license to work — and getting good uptake for their recommendations too. The key is collaborative research co-design — engaging communities before the research even begins, instead of when it’s over.
Nine times out of ten the researchers get what they want anyway, and plenty of public goodwill into the bargain; while that remaining one in ten could represent a novel contribution, with real scientific and pragmatic value. What does this mean for us? For starters, try visiting the local pub before visiting your field area — surely no problem for a veteran geoscientist.
Get creative
Is art a potential ally for science? More than that, says Kate Cranney, a CSIRO researcher and communicator: creative engagement is an obligation. She spent nine months visiting over 20 different community art-meets-science projects around the world.
From fish made of plastic pollution dredged from the harbour, to extinct megafauna resurrected in driftwood on a remote Canadian island, Kate saw how community art makes citizens more protective of their scientists — and more willing to put up with a little inconvenience in the name of good research.
For the shovel-wielding geoscientist, it’s not hard to see how useful this could be. But it’s also good for society, says Kate — and that benefits us all.
Get pragmatic
Why is the government so deaf to sound scientific advice? According to ANU’s Subho Banerjee, the problem is a bad case of culture shock. A former government insider himself, Subho spoke to the audience about the importance of process — as revered in the public service as facts are in the academy.
When scientists express frustration with the political process, said Subho, politicians are frankly offended, closing their ears to even the most reasoned appeal.
If we want to make our leaders understand the importance of geoscience, we need to know the policy framework better than they do. Time for us all to dust off our copy of the 2018 NCRIS Roadmap!
Get philosophical
What is truth? It’s the kind of open-ended question scientists usually frown upon. But lacking a proper grounding in the history and philosophy of science has made the academy especially vulnerable in the age of fake news, argues Professor Brendan Barrett from Osaka University.
The truth is, we scientists’ commitment to facts as arbiters of reality is pretty unique. For most communities, values and norms are more important for daily life, says Barrett — while science can feel remote, dispassionate, and even a little scary. As geoscientists, whose knowledge is becoming more valuable to society by the day, we need to connect what we know to what we care about. Because when people know what you want — even if they want something very different — they are much more likely to trust what you have to say. And that’s the honest truth.
AUTHOR
Rohan Byrne, AuScope SAM
(Underworld) / Melbourne Uni
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