Editorial: The shadowlands of (geo)science communication in academia – definitions, problems, and possible solutions
Date
2024-11
Authors
Gani, Shahzad
Arnal, Louise
Beattie, Lucy
Hillier, John
Illingworth, Samuel
Lanza, Tiziana
Mohadjer, Solmaz
Pulkkinen, Karoliina
Roop, Heidi
Stewart, Iain
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Geoscience Communication
ORCID
Type
Article
Degree Level
Abstract
Science communication is an important part of research, including in the geosciences, as it can (1) benefit both society and science and (2) make science more publicly accountable. However, much of this work takes place in “shadowlands” that are neither fully seen nor understood. These shadowlands are spaces, aspects, and practices of science communication that are not clearly defined and may be harmful with respect to the science being communicated or for the science communicators themselves. With the increasing expectation in academia that researchers should participate in science communication, there is a need to address some of the major issues that lurk in these shadowlands. Here, the editorial team of Geoscience Communication seeks to shine a light on the shadowlands of geoscience communication by geoscientists in academia and suggest some solutions and examples of effective practice. The issues broadly fall under three categories: (1) harmful or unclear objectives, (2) poor quality and lack of rigor, and (3) exploitation of science communicators working within academia. Ameliorating these problems will require the following action: (1) clarifying objectives and audiences, (2) adequately training science communicators, and (3) giving science communication equivalent recognition to other professional activities. In this editorial, our aim is to cultivate a more transparent and responsible landscape for geoscience communication – a transformation that will ultimately benefit the progress of science; the welfare of scientists; and, more broadly, society at large.
Description
Keywords
geoscience, communication, academia
Citation
Gani, S., Arnal, L., Beattie, L., Hillier, J., Illingworth, S., Lanza, T., Mohadjer, S., Pulkkinen, K., Roop, H., Stewart, I., von Elverfeldt, K., and Zihms, S. (2024). Editorial: The shadowlands of (geo)science communication in academia – definitions, problems, and possible solutions, Geosci. Commun., 7, 251–266, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-251-2024.
Degree
Department
Program
Advisor
Committee
Part Of
item.page.relation.ispartofseries
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-251-2024