Science with Impact How to Engage People, Change Practice, and Influence Policy

About this book

Will you please just listen to me? If you are a scientist, or a fan of science, have you ever wondered why your fact-based explanation of ground-breaking scientific research falls flat with family, friends, and the general public? Do you want your research to matter to society and not simply be confined to arcane discussion in academic circles? Social science communicator Anne Helen Toomey argues that science today faces a public-relations crisis due to its historic emphasis on "trickle-down research", and she calls for a whole-scale change in how scientists engage with the world. Science with Impact is a guide for the scientific community and its allies to build public trust in science – and scientists – again.

In this accessible volume, Toomey unpacks why "facts" mean different things to different people and how science-based attitudes and behaviours spread. Using humour, stories, and down-to-earth examples from her own science journey, she explains why seemingly straightforward evidence can sometimes feel irrelevant, or even threatening, to a sceptical public. This practical, how-to guide will help scientists think more carefully about the choices they make, even before collecting data. It explores how researchers and others who work with science can address public distrust, communicate about uncertainty, and engage with policymakers for real-world impact.

Science with Impact argues that science can – and should – make a meaningful difference in society. It offers hope and guidance to those of us who wish to take the steps to make it so.

Contents

Introduction: Science – The Next Generation

Part One: Searching for Impact
Chapter 1. Will You Please Just Listen to Me?
Chapter 2. Will I Please Just Listen to You?
Chapter 3. From Impact to Encounter
 
Part Two: The Spaces of Scientific Impact
Chapter 4. Asking a Good Question
Chapter 5. The Privilege of Choice: Methods, Permissions, and Location
Chapter 6. The Power of Participation: Data Collection and Analysis
Chapter 7. Rethinking the “Peer” in Peer Review
 
Part Three: The End Is Just the Beginning
Chapter 8. The Scientist Next Door: Conversations, Communities, and Connections
Chapter 9. The Skeptic in the Mirror: The Essential Role of Uncertainty in Science
Chapter 10. In the Belly of the Beast: Scientists, Policy-Making, and Advocacy
Conclusion and Acknowledgments: From Boldly Going to Steadily Engaging

Notes
Index
About the Author

Customer Reviews

Biography

Anne Helen Toomey is an associate professor of Environmental Studies and Science at Pace University, a visiting scientist at the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History, and the cofounder of Participatory Science Solutions LLC, a social-impact research consulting company. She lives in Sleepy Hollow, New York.