Contemporary high-profile scientists and their interactions with the community

ABSTRACT

This article presents a case study of 10 high-profile Australian research scientists. These scientists are highly committed to engaging with the public. They interact with a wide range of groups in the community, including the traditional media. They are aware that they are seen as representatives of science at a time when the authority of science and scientists is threatened in Australia by controversy around issues such as climate change and vaccination. Through their experiences of interacting with non-scientists, they have developed views about qualities, characteristics and knowledge that contribute to, or inhibit, positive interactions between scientists and non-scientists. Their experiences and insights highlight aspects of contemporary science that are not generally acknowledged in science curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• High-profile scientists
• practice of scientists
• public
• views
• communities
• science and society

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Dorothy Smith is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at La Trobe University. Her interests include examining the ways in which contemporary scientists interact with society; her goal is to generate new approaches to science curriculum in schools and universities.

Dr Pam Mulhall is a research fellow interested in understanding ways of improving students' learning and engagement in science (and physics) and of better preparing teachers to teach science (and physics).

Dr Christina Hart is a science education consultant, with a particular interest in physics education, professional development for science teachers, and the school curriculum for physics and general science.

Dr Richard Gunstone is Emeritus Professor of Science and Technology Education at Monash University. His interests include considerations of the nature of the school science curriculum and the nature of science in this century.

ORCiD

Dorothy V. Smith http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7280-1307

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Australian Research Council [grant number DP120102714].