Taking science out of the lab

Scientists sometimes seem to live in their own bizarre realm that bears little relation to the outside world. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) aims to dismantle the barriers between the scientific community and society by promoting effective communication between them.

To the layperson, the world of modern science can often feel more akin to the realm of science fiction: distant, inexplicable and alien. Part of the problem is the complex and abstract nature of today’s scientific knowledge.
But inadequate communication is increasingly being recognised as a key barrier to promoting understanding between scientists and society. To tackle this, the European Commission has incorporated a Science and Society thread within all the thematic priorities of FP7.

A common language

Under FP7, the EU aims to take science out of the laboratory and into the public arena. The Commission is interested in arousing greater public interest in science and not just in major breakthroughs and controversies.

This will involve bringing science closer to society by engaging citizens in the research process and stepping up public dialogue surrounding scientific issues of general concern.

Food for thought

A European Roundtable on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was set up in 2001. It brings together biosafety researchers and other stakeholders – such as consumer organisations, national administrations and industry – to ensure that up-to-date knowledge accompanies the safe use of GMOs.

The Commission-backed PABE project provides intelligence about social, ethical and cultural factors shaping public responses to genetically modified foods. It was conducted between 1998-2000 by an inter-disciplinary research team from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. See the final report of the research project: Public perception of agricultural biotechnology in Europe (2002).

Public debate

The public’s perception and beliefs of new technologies on innovations susceptible to change people’s life, such as novel foods, are feeding directly into the policy of integrating biotechnology developments into society. Recent surveys on public perception of biotech food carried out in both, the EU (by the Pew Initiative) and the US (by the Food Policy Institute, November 2004 ), are of high interest for policy-makers, as well as reflections on how to consult the public (for instance www.agbioforum.org, 7(3): 113-123, 2004). Other aspects of the European public opinion on biotechnology are covered by the Eurobarometer.

Biotech lessons

The biotechnology sector is progressively growing. This is having a significant economic and social impact on European citizens. An EU-backed project has put together an inventory of schemes to inform and educate the European general public regarding the technical, economic and social aspects of this emerging technology.

The authors of ‘Biotechnology – educating the European public’ (2002) [ - 768 Kb] say their report is not intended as an exhaustive catalogue of initiatives. It presents a comparative overview of the range of opportunities for biotech education open to citizens in the various Member States.

Finding common cause

Dozens of journalists, communications experts and scientists from 13 different countries took part in a special workshop in Brussels on ‘Life Sciences communication in the media’. The Commission-backed initiative was aimed at promoting better understanding and co-operation between the scientific community and the media.
The participants were given the opportunity to voice their needs and concerns, then sought to forge areas of common action that would enhance their relationship and serve to improve the media’s science coverage.

The way forward

The workshop recommended the carrying out of detailed studies of the appeal of particular scientific information to the general public. It suggested that networks enabling the media to gather relevant information from bioscientists should be set up or improved.
It was also agreed that research institutions and scientists needed to play a more proactive role in the communication process and become more engaged in public debates.
Read the ‘Life Sciences communication in the media’ report (2002) [ - 156Kb].

Further information

EPC Working Paper - Improving the quality of risk management in the European Union: risk communication (June 2003) [ - 176Kb]

The Commission’s Research Directorate-General has been conducting a survey of websites that help enhance communications between society and the scientific community.

Ambivalent GM nation? Public attitudes to biotechnology in the UK, 1991-2002 [ - 225Kb]
(Research from the project 'Life Sciences in European Society' supported by the EC Directorate General for Research QLG7-CT-1999-00286)

If you are a journalist, then stay ahead of events by registering for Alphagalileo, the Internet press centre for European science.