| Abstract Detail
Teaching Section Knapp, Sandra [1], Garlick, Alex [2]. Engaging the public in scientific research – an example from the Solanaceae. Public engagement with science has become increasingly important in recent years, both in terms of its importance in engaging public audiences with the complexity and issues surrounding scientific research and in terms of adding value to research itself. As the language describing these activities has changed from ‘Public Understanding of Science’ to ‘Public Engagement’ and now ‘Dialogue’ the approach to interacting with public audiences and what we wish to achieve with this interaction have both become confused and sometimes controversial. We will draw on our experience of delivering the public engagement strand of the multi-partner EU-SOL project (funded by the European Commission under Framework 6) to discuss issues relevant to delivering public engagement activities with particular reference to doing so from within a large, complex research project focused on improving the quality of solanaceous crops (principally potato and tomato). We will focus in particular on our experiences addressing controversial topics in science through engagement activities, and how these can benefit both a general audience and the scientific community. Log in to add this item to your schedule
Related Links: EU-SOL
1 - Natural History Museum, Department of Botany, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, England 2 - The Natural History Museum, Department of Botany, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
Keywords: outreach Solanum Solanaceae GM foods public understanding.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for BSA Sections Session: P1 Location: Event Tent/Cliff Lodge Date: Monday, July 27th, 2009 Time: 5:30 PM Number: P1TS001 Abstract ID:89 |