In early 2024, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor made me a Fellow of her office. In this role I produced a report on mission-led science communication and engagement and research impact.
I presented a webinar on this report as part of Dr Ashley Bloomfield’s Research Impact for Public Good Series in October 2024 that you can watch here (45 minutes, also includes slide pack).
Traditionally, science communication is seen as a way of explaining science to non-scientists – the translation goes in only one direction. The mission-led element of science communication and engagement, however, requires multi-directional translation, including from the end-users or stakeholders of the research to the researchers as well as between researchers in different institutions and disciplines.
This kind of multi-directional translation of research coming from different organisations does not fit easily within the remit of an institution’s communications staff, who are almost overwhelmingly incentivised to promote only their own institution’s research.
My report looks at how mission-led science communication and engagement can be better enabled to improve science impact in all its different guises. In compiling the report and the case studies illustrating elements of mission-led science communication and engagement, I interviewed directors and communications and engagement staff across a wide variety of mission-led, science focused organisations and programmes.
While a Fellow, I also compiled a resource for researchers in search of funding, to explain how mission-led science communication and engagement can help achieve the most effective impact across the life of a multi-institution, multi-disciplinary project.