New sciences in a new country – the Irish paradox

Brian TrenchCelsius group, DCU

Ernest Walton, 1903-95

The Irish National Conversation on BiotechnologyThere is a potential for conflict between the demand by industry and the research community to move forward and capitalise on the economic opportunities presented by biotechnology and those who advocate a broader perspective that would take into account the long-term social / environmental / ethical / safety impacts of these types of technological developments … A communications strategy in biotechnology that uses a partnership approach with ongoing, transparent and open dialogue should be a priority of any initiative.

HOW WELL INFORMED PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS

22%

33%

9%

30%

4%

15%

30%

14%

33%

8%Very well informed

Fairly well informed

Neither

Not very well informed

Not at all well informed

MEAN SCOREMEAN SCORE 2.62 2.62 2.91 2.91

‘‘9898 ‘‘0000

ATTITUDE SHIFTS on STI

2%11%

13%

49%

25%

3%

9%

13%

49%

26%

2%

11%

21%

44%

22%

3%11%

19%

36%

30%

3%11%

18%

39%

29%

1%

8%

25%

44%

22%

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE IMPORTANT BUT NOT THE BE ALL IMPORTANT BUT NOT THE BE ALL

AND END ALL OF FUTURE AND END ALL OF FUTURE ECONOMIC PROGRESSECONOMIC PROGRESS

THERE SHOULD BE MORE TIME THERE SHOULD BE MORE TIME AND SPACE GIVEN OVER TO AND SPACE GIVEN OVER TO

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES IN IRISH SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES IN IRISH NEWSPAPERS, TV AND RADIONEWSPAPERS, TV AND RADIO

Agree strongly

Agree slightly

Neither / don’t know

Disagree slightlyDisagree strongly

MEAN SCORE 3.83 3.86 3.74 3.79 3.80 3.80MEAN SCORE 3.83 3.86 3.74 3.79 3.80 3.80

‘‘9898 ‘‘0000‘‘9696 ‘‘9898 ‘‘0000‘‘9696

TY STUDENTS’ LEVELS OF INTEREST IN STI

Very interested

Fairly interested

Neither

Not very interested

Not at all interested

19981998 20002000

6%

11%

16%

41%

25%

4%

13%

28%

34%

20%

8%

16%

27%

31%

18%

20022002

HOW WELL INFORMED TY STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT

SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Very well informed

Fairly well informed

Neither informed nor uninformed

Not very well informed

Not at all well informed

20002000

5%

27%

24%

42%

3%

6%

29%

32%

29%

3%

20022002

TY STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TO S&T, 1998-2002

2%

11%

20%

41%

26%

3%

14%

14%

39%

29%

2%

15%

16%

38%

28%

4%7%

21%

46%

21%

8%

12%

14%

37%

29%

6%

15%

17%

37%

24%Agree strongly

Agree slightly

Neither

Disagree slightly

Disagree strongly

Only by applying the most modern technology, can our economy become

more competitive

There should be more time and space given to scientific discoveries and tech. Info. In Irish newspapers, TV and radio

AVERAGE 3.79 3.76 3.76 3.63 3.73 3.58

‘‘9898 ‘‘0000 ‘‘0202 ‘‘9898 ‘‘0000 ‘‘0202

Presentation of EU survey results

Highest

EU average

Irish (IE) score

Lowest

Science and European public opinion, 1977

• Are you interested in information on science discoveries?

• Do you (at least sometimes) discuss science with friends?

• Do you see science as a main factor in improvements in life?

76NL

66EC

56IE

56IE

73LU

55EC

45IE

45IE

81LU

69EC

61IE

• Life has changed a great deal (agree)?

• Life has changed for the better (agree)?

• Science is (very / quite) important in these changes?

84IE

84IE

65EC

46DE

74IE

74IE

52EC

44NL

93FR, NL

88EC

78IE

78IE

Science and European public opinion, 1977

Awareness of new sciences, 2005, 2006

GM foods Gene therapy

Nanotechnology

Pharmacogenetics

92 SE 73 NL 69 DK 47 SE

EC 80 45 44 27

IE 68 40 26 21

52 LT 22 MT 26 IE 14 UK

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

How familiar are you with the following? (Very / quite familiar)

Very Fairly Not very Not at all

14 DK 47 DK 56 SK 67 EL

IE 5 29 33 34

EC 4 26 37 32

0 SLO, SI, CZ

7 EL 24 EL 10 DK

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

How familiar are you with stem cell research? (Very / quite familiar)

Special EB, 2006: Biomedical research

Have you heard of EC funding of medical and health research?

Have you heard of (Irish) researchers working on EU collaborative research in medicine and health?

63EL

44EU

25IE

22UK

72FR

52EU

28IE

28IE

Informedness on science-based issues, 2005, 2007,

2008

Well (2005) Well (2008)

51 SE 52 SE

IE 26 21

EC 25 25

15 PT 15 BG

Europeans and radioactive waste, 2005-8

How well informed are you on radioactive waste?

Very well + well

Not at all

53 DE 38 SK

EC 38 21

IE 25 37

20 IT 11 EE, BE,FI, BG

Europeans and biodiversity loss, 2007

How well informed are you on biodiversity loss?

Well (consequences)

Well (causes)

85 SE 88 SE

IE 59 59

EC 56 56

34 PT 33 RO

Europeans and climate change, 2008

How well informed are you on consequences and cause of climate

change?

Interest in science, 1989, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Europeans and S&T, 1989

• New scientific discoveries

• Medical discoveries

• New technologies and inventions

52FR

35EC

28IE

21PT

48FR

32EC

29IE

19DE

How interested are you in the following? (very interested)

61FR

41EC

32IE

20ES

Europeans and S&T, 2005

• New scientific discoveries

• New technologies and inventions

64CY

30EC

26IE

11LT

54CY

30EC

27IE

14LT

How interested are you in the following? (very interested)

Special EB, 2006: Biomedical research

Are you (very/fairly) interested in medical and health research?

Are you (very/fairly) interested in science and technology?

93EL

71EU

66IE

47LT

82EL

60EU

47IE

40CZ

Scientific research in media, 2007

Very Fairly Not at all

27 DK

55 FR, FI, SE

34 BG, IE

EC 13 44 16

IE 9 32 34

3 CZ

26 RO

6 DF, SE

How interested are you in scientific research?

Flash EB, 2008: Young people and science

• Are you (moderately / very) interested in S&T news?

• Are you interested in new inventions and technologies?

• Are you interested in the universe, sky and stars?

86PT

67EU

53IE

53IE

97PT

87EU

83UK

80IE

81PT

64EU

54IE

49PL

Attention to science, 1989, 2005, 2007

Europeans and S&T, 1989

• Science museum or science centre

• Zoo or aquarium

• Natural history museum

26LU

19EC

8IE

8IE

47DE

35EC

32IE

21IT

28BE

21 EC

19IE

10EL

Visit the following at least once in past year?

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

• Do you talk (frequently / occasionally) about biotechnology?

• Would you take part in public discussions or hearings?

• Would you watch a TV programme or read an article?

50DK

32EU

18IE

18IE

83SE

68EU

64IE

41ES

45LU

33EU

29IE

15ES

Europeans and S&T, 2005

Regularly Occasionally

Hardly ever

Never

NL 38 32 18 12

EC 19 40 20 20

IE 16 35 19 25

IT 10 41 21 28

How often do you read articles on science in press or on internet?

Scientific research in media, 2007

Internet search for scientific information

Science articles in press or magazines

44 DK 79 SE

EC 28 49

IE 19 34

16 HU 30 HU

Do you use / read the following? (regularly + occasionally)

Scientific research in media, 2007

TV programmes

Radio programmes

Specialised press

84 LU 52 EE 36 LU

EC 61 26 22

IE 48 25 12

48 IE 17 PT 11 PL, HU

Do you watch / listen / buy media on scientific research? (regularly + occasionally)

Disposition towards science, 1989, 1997, 2005

Europeans and S&T, 1989

• Science-led change is too rapid

• Benefits of science outweigh harms

75EL

58EC

54IE

51PT, UK

57EL, ES, FR

48IE

46EC

30NL

How do you respond to the following? (strongly agree / agree)

Europeans and S&T, 2005

• Science-led change is too rapid

• Benefits of science outweigh harms

94EL

60EC

42IE

42IE

PL65

52EC

50IE

39NL

How do you respond to the following? (strongly agree / agree)

Europeans and S&T, 1989

• We are too dependent on science, not enough on faith

• Scientific knowledge is not important to me in my daily life

57ES

46EC

45IE

35BE

46ES

37EC

35IE

27LU

How do you respond to the following? (strongly agree / agree)

Europeans and S&T, 2005

• We are too dependent on science, not enough on faith

• Scientific knowledge is not important to me in my daily life

63MT

41IE

40EC

24NL

54AT

42IE

37EC

24MT

How do you respond to the following? (strongly agree / agree)

Europeans and S&T, 1989

Renewable energy

Biotechnology applied to agriculture

Nuclear energy

74DK

56IE

55EC

35 PT

55IT

51IE

47EC

37 NL, PT

55IE

55IE

38EC

17LU

How important is it that EC engages in research on the following? (very

important)

Europeans and biotechnology, 1997

Biotech research brings benefits in food (quite agree/ definitely agree)

Biotech research brings benefits in food (DK)

70NL

58IE

54EU

31AT

16AT, BE

16IE

9EU

4IT, NL, SE

80NL, FI

69EU

66IE

36AT

17IE

17IE

9EU

3NL

Biotech research brings benefits in plants (quite agree/ definitely agree)

Biotech research brings benefits in food (DK)

Europeans and biotechnology, 1997

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

GM foods Gene therapy

Nanotechnology

Pharmacogenetics

46 CZ 60 BE 72 FI 69 BE

EC 27 50 55 52

IE 29 34 33 33

13 LU 32 MT, LT

33 IE 31 SL

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

Support for following technologies

Europeans and biotechnology, 2005

Do you support embryonic stem cell research?

With usual regulation

With tighter regulation

Only under special circumstances

Not at all Don’t know

41 DK 60 BE 31 SI 20 EL 36 EE

EC 23 36 17 9 15

IE 15 21 19 11 34

3 SI 23 EE 10 ES 4 SE, DK, NL, IT

2 EL

‘Don’t Know’ responses, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2007

Europeans and S&T, 1992

Irish biotechnology ‘knowledge’ responses, 1996, 1999

Scientific research in media, 2007

Importance of science in media? (DK)

Satisfied with media information on scientific research? (DK)

47BG

38IE

20EU

4EL

42BG

34IE

15EU

5EL

Scientific research in media, 2007

Media information on science is useful? (DK)

Media information on science is difficult to understand? (DK)

22IE

22IE

8EU

2SK

23BG

23IE

8EU

0EL

Attitudes to S&T, 2008

2008 Survey for SFI

• SFI commissioned Drury Research to explore:– Attitudes towards Science / Engineering /

Technology – Perceived importance of investment in

Scientific / Engineering / Technology research – Understanding & perceived importance of a

knowledge based economy– SFI awareness, understanding of SFI role

Q3. There has been some media coverage about Ireland becoming a knowledge based economy. How well informed do

you feel you are about what this means?

10

23

14

27

13

12

0 20 40 60 80 100

Don't Know

Not at all informed

Not informed

Neither

Well informed

Very well informed

Base: All (1001)

Only 1 in 4 claim to be informed about the term “knowledge based economy”.

Similar results throughout, except:

ABC1 32% consider themselves well informed, compared with 20% of C2DE

Q2(i). Agree or Disagree with the following statement:Investing in scientific research is critical to Ireland’s future

economic development

7

3

3

10

21

56

0 20 40 60 80 100

Don't Know

Totally Disagree

Disagree

Neither

Agree

Totally Agree

Base: All (1001)

Younger age cohort less likely to appreciate economic benefit of investment in scientific research:

67% of 18 – 24 year olds agree, compared with 77% overall

NB: vast majority of ABC1 agreed with the statement (84%)