Moderator
Dr. Emily Agard (Director, SciXchange, Ryerson University)
Panellists
Jesse Hildebrand (Vice President, Exploring by the Seat of your Pants)
Dr. Marianne Mader (Executive Director, Canadian Association of Science Centres)
Anthony Morgan (Founder, Science Everywhere)
Ivan Semeniuk (Science Reporter, The Globe and Mail)
The first panel of the conference tackled the question of how we can build and bolster the Canadian science communication sector if there was a much-needed (large) injection of cash. At its core, this stimulating discussion emphasized the need for a culture change in Canada, one in which science and SciComm is valued and funded to support a better-informed society. The panel agreed that additional funding is necessary to ensure proper training, mentorship, and the professionalization of science communicators.
Ivan Semeniuk believes that a $1 million annual infusion into science communication can provide internship and training opportunities for science graduate students directly in the newsroom, leading to proper national coverage of science news and the means for Canadian media agencies to commission award-winning science stories. Mr. Semeniuk also reminded the audience that Canada already commits $1 billion annually towards supporting media – money is not the issue; rather, how that money is diverted to different content providers should reflect the needs and values of our society.
“What defines a profession? A profession is a paying job.” - Ivan Semeniuk
Yet, the current funding structure for SciComm activities does not reflect a Canada that values science and media literacy. Science communicators compete for a very small pot of grant money; there is a need to build engagement strategies that generate revenue for SciComm to be sustainable because public funding is so meager. “We need a culture shift in Canada,” Dr. Marianne Mader asserted, asking why Canada does not already have more established fellowships and granting programs in place for SciComm. In addition, Dr. Mader advised an ecosystem approach – SciComm groups have stayed insular for too long and collaboration needs to happen in order to combine resources towards broader goals that address gaps.
“Science is a life-long journey.” - Dr. Marianne Mader
One such gap is that science education has historically been focused on school-age children, while engaging adults, the ones who vote and make decisions, is not always seen as a necessity. Engaging adult audiences often “preaches to the choir” of individuals who are already interested in science. Anthony Morgan believes that reaching beyond this group requires an adjustment in strategy that fosters public participation. “Science is not what you think but how,” Mr. Morgan explained, injecting that SciComm strategies should promote critical thinking towards solutions, as well as fostering an environment where productive dialogue can take place. He emphasized that actively engaging with individuals with opposing opinions can help science communicators identify their own blind-spots and understand the social nuances of many controversial issues. To that, Jesse Hildebrand added the need to provide training for scientists to better communicate their work to the public, as well as the adoption of social media as tools to improve reach to different audiences. Providing context, moderator Dr. Emily Agard underscored the importance of providing accurate information in places where people are actually looking, citing studies done by the SciXchange at Ryerson showing that universities and science centres are considered to be trusted sources of scientific information, but people also regularly turn to TV shows, the internet, and newspapers.
Ending on a brighter note, Mr. Hildebrand divulged that now is the most exciting time for SciComm in Toronto with new funding initiatives from Tri-Council and a network of communicators working together on projects rather than fighting over their slice of the pie.