Project description
New ways to engage societal actors in science
Outcomes of scientific advancements and developments can be seen in daily life. However, most people feel little or no connection with science. Few understand it and even fewer participate in it. The EU-funded ALLINTERACT project aims to reverse this trend. It will create new knowledge on how to transform potential citizen participation in science into actual engagement as well as new ways to engage societal actors in science by increasing their awareness of the impact of research in their daily lives. Through improving cooperation between science and society, the project will facilitate a transformative dialogue with citizens throughout and beyond the research process, which, in turn, will increase the social impact of research. The project will focus on two sustainable development goals: quality education and gender equality.
Objective
Despite the efforts done to engage societal actors in scientific developments, many citizens still do not see why they should understand science or participate in it. Nevertheless, they potentially engage in science through dialogues and actions (live and digital) that are related to research results. Moreover, they are willing to participate in science when they become aware of the social impacts generated by research outcomes.
Therefore, the general goal of this project is twofold: on the one hand, to create new knowledge about how to transform potential citizen participation in science into actual engagement in scientific research. On the other hand, to unveil new ways to engage societal actors, including young citizens and groups that have traditionally been excluded from science. This will be done in the framework of two Sustainable Development Goals –Quality Education and Gender Equality – and with a mixed method approach, by using digital technology (social media analytics), a survey and an intervention study, including communicative focus groups. By exploring the transformation of potential engagement into actual engagement through fostering awareness of the social impact of research, this project will contribute to understand how societal actors react to and interact with scientific developments. The aim is to improve the cooperation between science and society, with diverse citizens and societal actors involved in it. The potential pair between scientific excellence and social awareness of social impact of research will be addressed alongside. This proposal has been developed by an interdisciplinary consortium in close dialogue with diverse stakeholders and societal actors. The inclusion of their voices will raise critical dimensions to successfully engage diverse citizens in science. Overall, engaging in a transformative and productive dialogue with citizens throughout the research will be key process in order to achieve the envisioned goal.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.5.c. - Integrate society in science and innovation issues, policies and activities in order to integrate citizens' interests and values and to increase the quality, relevance, social acceptability and sustainability of research and innovation outcomes in various fields of activity from social innovation to areas such as biotechnology and nanotechnology Main Programme
- H2020-EU.5.g. - Take due and proportional precautions in research and innovation activities by anticipating and assessing potential environmental, health and safety impacts
- H2020-EU.5.d. - Encourage citizens to engage in science through formal and informal science education, and promote the diffusion of science-based activities, namely in science centres and through other appropriate channels
- H2020-EU.5.h. - Improving knowledge on science communication in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of interactions between scientists, general media and the public
- H2020-EU.5.a. - Make scientific and technological careers attractive to young students, and forster sustainable interaction between schools, research institutions, industry and civil society organisations
- H2020-EU.5.f. - Develop the governance for the advancement of responsible research and innovation by all stakeholders, which is sensitive to society needs and demands and promote an ethics framework for research and innovation
- H2020-EU.5.b. - Promote gender equality in particular by supporting structural change in the organisation of research institutions and in the content and design of research activities
- H2020-EU.5.e. - Develop the accessibility and the use of the results of publicly-funded research
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
08007 Barcelona
Spain