Who works in science communication? Identifying and characterising professional profiles in Spain

Message from the Executive Director: Interview with Britta Voss and Kylla Marie Benes, ASLO 2016 Science Communication Interns

The information environment is increasingly composed of online media, especially through the growth and evolution of social media since the early 2000s. This shift is most pronounced for science information in particular, as legacy newspapers cut their science sections and science journalists, communicators, interested publics, and scientists themselves migrated to online-only mediums. Because of these changes, science communicators increasingly rely on social media to engage with peers, stakeholders, and interested publics. The new and changing social media environment, however, also comes with features that can facilitate or limit successful communication. Because bad communication is often worse than no communication, it is important for communicators to understand how the features within and across specific media platforms improve or hinder communication across specific groups, topics, and communication goals. This chapter provides an overview of what we know about practicing successful science communication on social media. It describes why and how science communicators use social media and what the pros and cons of particular features are for communicating on different platforms. It ends with a discussion of how science communication research and training help inform best practices on social media, and how collaborations between researchers and communicators can strengthen science communication.

The landscape of contemporary media presents challenges and opportunities for science writers and communicators. These issues have not yet been fully understood. This paper presents the findings of collaborative work conducted to identify the growth in numbers of social media communicators who are writing about science for the Canadian public. We used emerging media research tools, including Altmetrics, and traditional survey tools. Our goal was to help Canada's professional member associations—Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) and the Association des Communicateurs Scientifiques du Québec (ACS)— map the changing science communication landscape in Canada. Using an online survey tool, we compared survey responses from social media science communicators we identified to those of professional science communication members of SWCC and the ACS. We found that Canadian social media science communicators were younger, were paid less (or not at all) for their science communication activities, and had been communicating science for fewer years than other science communicators. They were more likely to have a science background (rather than communication, journalism or education) and were less likely to be members of professional associations. They tended to communicate with one another through their own informal networks. These findings provide professional science communication organizations in Canada with an empirical base from which to develop training, support and outreach activities aimed at improving the quality of public engagement with science in Canada.

Overcoming Barriers to Engaging in Science Communication: An Interview with Science Communicator Paige Brown Jarreau

Science and Public Engagement in National Parks: Examples and Advice from Young Scientists

Many business leaders agree that almost every company experiences crisis though many of them do not apply any actions to overcome it. Crisis problems are solved not in its primary stage and usually chaotic, without any strategic crisis situation or crisis management plans (Yair, Golenko-Ginzburg, Laslo, 2007; Bivainis, Tuncikiene, 2007; Ciegis, Gineitiene, 2008; Diskiene, Galiniene, Marcinskas, 2008; Kaplinski, 2008; Markovic, 2008). Even more difficult situation appears when company‘s employees as well as the internal and external environment have to be informed. Therefore it is necessary to represent the organization realistically (Tijunaitiene, Neverauskas, 2009; Deephouse, 2005), to train the specialists of knowledge management (Melnikas, 2005, 2008; Saee, 2005; Sakalas, Ciutiene, Neverauskas, 2006; Kumpikaite, 2007; Rees, 2008; Boguslauskas, Kvedaraviciene, 2008). breaking news in The situation does not become easier because of the negative attitude to crises (Klein, 1981; Rosenblatt, Sheaffer, 2002; Anikin, 2008; Virbickaite, 2009). Therefore crisis solution can bring positive consequences in company‘s change (Gummensson, 1991; Heath,1994; Sakalas, Savaneviciene 2003; Garskaite, Garskiene, 2005; Adekola, Korsakiene, Tvaronaviciene, 2008; Valackiene, 2009; Startine, Remeikiene, 2009). One of them is efficient communication and conflict management during a crisis period (Varey, White, 2000; Januleviciute, Bieleviciene, Dambrava, 2003; Steyn, 2003; Talef–Viia, Alas, 2009). The efficiency of communication process is confirmed by the worldwide models designed and applied in practice (Turney, 2004; Deephouse, Carter, 2005; Neville, Bell, Menguc, 2005; Luecke, 2007). Worldwide management practice demonstrates the appearance of new management area – corporate communication. Global business confederations (European Confederation of PR and CERP) prepare recommendations of public relations in business environment, which are successfully applied in strategic planning, scientific – research institutes (Corporate Communication Institute , New Jersey, USA; BNFL Corporate Communication Research Unit, Salford, UK; MBA Corporate Communication Concentration New Jersey, USA; Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center, USA), where different business researches are done in the area of public relations. Scientific and practical discussions are published in the continual reviewed scientific journals (Theory, Culture, Society, USA; Evolution of Communication, Netherlands; European Journal of Communication, UK; Corporate Communications: An International Journal, UK). Universities in all over the world (Scotland University of Sterning; University of Alabama, USA; Viena Institute for Communications Management and other) prepare professionals according to the Corporate Communication Management program. Communication agencies, crisis management consulting teams, consulting and teaching services successfully work in Lithuania, too, which give wide spectrum of service in public relation area: corporate and marketing communication, strategy creation of crisis communication, government relation, public relation and crisis management problem solving. Corporate Communication is presented as a Strategic Management function, focusing nowadays challenges: the necessity to create confidence between internal and external audience of a company; to activate business forming responsible corporate culture (Goodman, 2006; Luecke, 2007;). In this context efficient Corporate Communication problems still remains relevant in social, economi and managerial aspects. The structure of the paper: y in the first part Corporate Communication concept has been based up emphasizing the importance of corporate communication in the management science structure; y in the second part the process of crisis planning and strategic management has been discussed; y in the third part practical recommendations have been defined – “Plan of Efficient Crisis Communication“.

About the Authors

This study explores the types of actors visible in the digital science communication landscape in the Netherlands, Serbia and the U.K. Using the Koru model of science communication as a basis, we consider how science communicators craft their messages and which channels they are using to reach audiences. The study took as case studies the topics of climate change and healthy diets to enable comparison across countries, topics and platforms. These findings are compared with the results from a survey of over 200 science communication practitioners based in these countries. We find that although traditional media are challenged by the variety of different new entrants into the digital landscape, our results suggest that the media and journalists remain highly visible. In addition, our survey results suggest that many science communicators may struggle to gain traction in the crowded digital ecology, and in particular, that relatively few scientists and research institutions and universities are achieving a high profile in the public digital media ecology of science communication.

This article offers a view on the emerging practice of managing external relations of the modern university, and the role of science communication in this. With a representative sample of research universities in four countries, we seek to broaden our understanding of the science communication (SC) function and its niche within the modern university. We distinguish science communication from corporate communication functions and examine how they distribute across organisational levels. We find that communication functions can be represented along a spectrum of (de)centralisation: public relations and marketing activities are more likely carried out at the central level (central offices), and public affairs and SC activities are more likely carried out at decentral levels (e.g. in specific offices and/or research institutes, departments). This study shows that little attention is paid to science communication at central structures, suggesting that it is not a practice that aligns easily with university corporate communication, yet SC might find its niche increasingly in decentral locations of activity.

In times of crisis, science communication needs to be accessible and convincing. In order to understand whether these two criteria apply to concrete science communication formats, it is not enough to merely study the communication product. Instead, the recipient’s perspective also needs to be taken into account. What do recipients value in popular science communication formats concerning COVID-19? What do they criticize? What elements in the formats do they pay attention to? These questions can be answered by reception studies, for example, by analyzing the reactions and comments of social media users. This is particularly relevant since scientific information was increasingly disseminated over social media channels during the COVID-19 crisis. This interdisciplinary study, therefore, focuses both on science communication strategies in media formats and the related comments on social media. First, we selected science communication channels on YouTube and performed a qualitative multi-modal analysis. Second, the comments responding to science communication content online were analyzed by identifying Twitter users who are doctors, researchers, science communicators and those who represent research institutes and then, subsequently, performing topic modeling on the textual data. The main goal was to find topics that directly related to science communication strategies. The qualitative video analysis revealed, for example, a range of strategies for accessible communication and maintaining transparency about scientific insecurities. The quantitative Twitter analysis showed that few tweets commented on aspects of the communication strategies. These were mainly positive while the sentiment in the overall collection was less positive. We downloaded and processed replies for 20 months, starting at the beginning of the pandemic, which resulted in a collection of approximately one million tweets from the German science communication market.

The PhD in CSD

Building Online Academic Community: Reputation Work on Twitter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of social media and corporate communication as a key success factor of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Arab world. This is a conceptual study and has shed light on the notable existing literature on these issues and particularly of Arab context. The social media has emerged as an opportunity for marketing communication, and it is the easiest cheapest way of advertising products and services. Social media provides a platform wherein a company or firm can target a diverse audience and can create an effective communication strategy. The sustainability agenda has emerged as a key as well as a sensitive issue for the global as well as local organizations. The inclusion of corporate social responsibility and incorporation of sustainability initiatives have changed the corporate landscape and merged as key determinants of business success. The social media for many firms has emerged as a major outlet of internal and external corporate communication for sustainability. The uniqueness of social media is that it not only conveys a message, rather it also provides an opportunity for direct feedback from users. This study will be helpful for practitioners, policymakers and researchers in understanding the link between social media, corporate communication and sustainable performance of the SME sector. The paper adds to the literature on the role of social media and corporate communication as a key success factor of SMEs operating in Arab world. Design/methodology/approach The paper will highlight significant and relevant findings generated from previous scholarly and commercial research on the subject. Thereafter, the discussion will focus on the unique relationship between the social media and the Arab world in social, political, religious or cultural and economic spheres. Thereafter, the paper will progress to the central theme of the discussion, reviewing social media’s impact on the Arabian market in such areas as offering a marketing platform for the new age, being an avenue and forum for increased sales, and as a public relations front line (a benchmark of direct client communication). Ultimately, the paper will provide a succinct conclusion to the discussion. Findings The paper affirmed that the social media is influencing/impacting the SMEs in the Arab region in numerous ways. Findings generated from recent empirical studies, strengthened by a resounding theoretical and scholarly literature, helped identify four of the main impacts of social media on SMEs in the Arab world. These four significant impacts, as discussed in the paper, include offering a marketing platform for the Information Age, offering an avenue and forum for increased sales, giving an innovative edge to SMEs in a bid to reduce expenditures/cost and increase profitability and creating a benchmark of direct client communication in modern PR. These fours ways constitute the most significant impact of social media, as demonstrated by SMEs in the Arab world, and in many ways they are congruent with the social media impact beyond the Middle East. Research limitations/implications This paper is very limited in Arab countries, and researchers could not use this study with female. Practical implications Information technology and gender are linked with the usage of social media. Originality/value The core focus of the present paper was to provide a brief literature-based review of how the social media affects SME in the Arab world (largely in nations within the Middle East region). Not only is the social media enabling positive “societal and cultural change” in the Arab world.

Nowadays, visibility is playing an increasingly important role in science communication. The topic is particularly significant for female experts, as their visibility not only inspires other women but also challenges gender stereotypes in academia. This article provides the first insights into the actual public visibility of scientific experts in Germany and presents potential factors that influence visibility. The analysis is based on the theoretical concept of doing visibility and identifies factors that influence the decision to increase visibility via social media. Our complex dataset comprises 139 experts (59 from computer science and 80 from social sciences), who took part in our online survey about visibility and personal information. Additionally, we tracked the respondent’s online footprint to ascertain their actual visibility in social media and press. The study reveals significant differences in creating visibility and the perception of visibility by sex and discipline. Computer scientists are more active on social media, while male social scientists are more visible in the press. Male computer scientists (57%) post their work on social media most frequently, followed by female computer scientists (35%), female social scientists (24%), and male social scientists (17%). Furthermore, the engagement on social media depends on the discipline, age, and media affinity of the experts. Overall, female experts gain less visibility on LinkedIn and in the press, although the gender differences in IT are smaller in this respect. Based on the results, we discuss potential reasons for the unequal distribution of visibility and suggest targeted interventions to close the gender visibility gap, such as (social) media or interview training. In addition, organisations and media representatives should be trained to actively contribute to breaking down gender stereotypes.

Scientific communication has been growing strong worldwide in the past decades. The use of modern data analysis tools to fine-tune its content, strategy, and effectiveness, together with the significative rise of social media, have contributed to such significative growth (Kappel and Holmen, 2019). Social media (such as blogs and microblogging) are powerful engines greatly incorporated into our daily lives for capturing information and as a social tool. As such, they are already being exploited for learning, discovering, searching, storing, and sharing knowledge (Lopez-Goni and Sanchez-Angulo, 2018). Research has shown that online media use increases scientific knowledge (Cacciatore et al., 2014; Su et al., 2015) and positive attitudes toward science (Dudo et al., 2011) therefore enhancing the learning and science process skills. Such scientific knowledge is a critical resource that enables political actors to inform and legitimate political decisions, and it is also important for non-scientific audiences in terms of forming public opinion about important political issues (Huber et al., 2019). Moreover, previous work has demonstrated that democratic societies that are scientifically literate make equitable choices regarding science-related policy issues (European Commission, 1995; Rudolph and Horibe, 2016). Thus, according to Marquez and Porras (2020), effective science communication and science literacy are socioeconomically imperative for all societies. At the same time, Science Communication can serve various diplomatic purposes. Particularly, science popularization initiatives, even when not targeted to policymakers or diplomats, can both raise awareness about international scientific cooperation and about locally produced science and technology which could be highly overlooked (Leach, 2015). English is currently the lingua franca of science. Currently, 98% of publications in science are written in English (Ramirez-Castaneda, 2020). This has facilitated the dissemination of knowledge across boundaries, but at the same time, the hegemony of English in science promotes and enforces the imposition of just one cultural point of view over others (Marquez and Porras, 2020). Because of that, generating science communication multilinguistic alternatives promotes diversity and creates culturally relevant content. Science communication in Spanish is especially imperative in Latin America. The intrinsic functional illiteracy, framed in the lack of economic and educational resources, inequality, poverty, political and social instability, are historical challenges that keep this region from unleashing its full potential (UNESCO, 2020). Moreover, and due to these issues, Latin America faces a human capital flight crisis, in which a high percentage of the individuals pursuing higher academic education end up emigrating and learning a second language. This is reflected in a marked lack of availability of educational resources in Spanish addressed to Latin American communities. Nevertheless, there have been efforts to build remote networks of Latin American scientists and science communicators that come together to counteract this effect. Three renown projects, different in nature, can be used as examples. First, the RedPop (Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Popularization of Science and Technology https://www.redpop.org) is a network of centers and programs created in 1990 at the request of UNESCO's program for Science, Technology and Society (Massarani et al., 2015). It encompasses around 80 science communication projects in different media platforms, but also science museums, interactive science centers, natural history museums, environmental parks, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. Second, the bilingual science communication portal Latin American Science (www.latinamericanscience.org) publishes pieces written by scientist and science writers for the public both in Spanish and English-speaking countries. It focuses on regionally produced research, science policy and science-related stories from the region. And third, the Journal of Science Communication JCOM America Latina (https://jcomal.sissa.it/jcomal/index.jsp), an open access journal focused on science communication in Latin America and publishing contributions in Spanish and Portuguese (Weitkamp and Massarani, 2018). Still, more opportunities need to exist in term of communicating science with regional relevance. Blogs and social media platforms, which are especially open and easily accessible resources, have fantastic potential to address this gap since it is allowing information and education to reach every home to an unprecedented extent. One of these regional initiatives, the Latin American Network for Scientific Culture (RedLCC), brings together regional scientists that communicate science for Latin American communities and, in consequence, also nurtures the “Science for Diplomacy” dimension of Science Diplomacy.