What researchers gain from communicating with the general public

The director of a science festival that takes place in more than 29 countries highlights three benefits for researchers communicating with the public: easier access to funding, identification of new research prospects and the joy of sharing the results of years of work.

Elodie Chabrol is the festival director Pint of Science. She herself a researcher in epilepsy, she chose to specialize in science communication after she understood how important communication in research is. Recently, she published an article in which she explains why communicating science helps researchers become even better at their jobs.

Here they are:

• Presentation skills needed in fundraising:When researchers engage in communication with the general public, they learn to present their work without jargon and technical terms. These skills help them a lot in getting funding, especially when they have to explain, in an accessible way, what value that research would bring to society.
• A new perspective: time and time again, she received feedback from researchers who took part in the Pint of Science festival that the audience's unexpected questions were a source of inspiration that helped researchers rethink solutions in a fresh way.
• The joy of a result: "Have you ever tried to explain to friends or at a family dinner what innovative result you have achieved and been disappointed by the puzzled looks they give you?" - asks the author. Communicating science is how researchers can share the results of their work with the world.

We always need funding and politicians on our side

In addition to those three reasons, the author mentions another one, where the benefit belongs to the community: funding. "We always need funding and politicians who are on our side and I think the way to get that is to involve the public more."

Personally, I would add that the above statement comes from a person now working in the UK, where investment in research reaches 1.69% of GDP. In Romania? 0.5% of GDP. This means, among other things, that we need even more communication of science than the 'famous' British scientists.

Image source: Hindawi (CC BY license)