Public engagement with science
Public engagement is a core strand of the Science and Society work informed by the 2008 consultation on Science and Society and by the work of the Science for All, Science and Media and Science and Trust expert groups.
Greater public confidence and improved engagement in scientific research and its innovative applications is important.
Greater engagement will identify public aspirations and concerns regarding the health, safety, environmental, ethical and social issues related to science and technology. It will help to inform Government policy and decision-making, and will also build understanding and appreciation of the wider benefits of science and technology to society.
Public engagement is a core strand of the Science and Society work informed by the 2008 consultation on Science and Society and by the work of the Science for All, Science and Media and Science and Trust expert groups.
The Science for All group have developed the following vision:
All sections of society valuing the sciences and their methods as creative and empowering ways to ask questions, offer solutions and contribute to our understanding and improvement of the world in which we live.
In practice, this means:
- those involved in the sciences listen to, engage with, and are informed by knowledge and views from the public, leading to increased learning and mutual respect between scientists, the wider society and policy makers
- the science communities are accessible and visible, and there is informed and open communication and debate about the findings, practices, directions and implications of science
