Co design and societal influence - atm seminar 160316

HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND CO-DESIGN YOUR RESEARCH?

PhD Tanja Suni, Secretary General MA Iina Koskinen, Science Coordinator

Future Earth Finland

www.futureearthfinland.fi@FESuomi

Increasing calls for better societal influence from research: •  Former and current government committed to it (TEAS, STN, leading by

knowledge) •  The triple helix idea in private sector: government, industry, academia •  Science to support decision-making •  Scientists to give contexts and scenarios in media and public discourse •  Future Earth: co-design of research with stakeholders Many funding agencies nowadays require scientists to understand and utilise methodologies of co-design, co-production, and effective science communication.

WHY COMMUNICATE AND CO-DESIGN RESEARCH?

Strategic Reseach Council (Strategisen tutkimuksen neuvosto) •  More than 50 M€ per year total, typically about 1 M€ per year per project •  Two calls per year, funding period 6 yrs/3 yrs •  Strategic themes recommended by the Council, approved by the government

•  Break-through technologies, urban development, climate-neutral circular economy, security, equality

•  Consortia of at least 3 partners, in practice from 5 to 10 •  Co-design and interaction plan required, support for professional facilitation VN TEA funding (Strategic funding from Prime Minister’s Office) •  Research to support decision-making. One main call + complementary call per year •  5.7 M€ per year, 37 projects – from a few months to 2 years •  Commissioned research for a particular problem

Government’s key project funding via Academy of Finland and Tekes •  Improving societal influence of ongoing research: adding the element of stakeholder

engagement, piloting, experimenting, application development •  300 000 € for 2 years •  Eligibility: PIs in an international/Academy project, max 14 yrs from PhD

FUNDING INSTRUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR SOCIETALLY RELEVANT RESEARCH

1.  What kind of societal impact can research have? 2.  Route to impact: co-design and co-production of research

3.  Why and how to build your expert profile as a scientist?

OUTLINE

Formula for research impact

Stakeholder need

Compe00ve results

Successful communica0on

Desired impact

RESEARCH ON IMPACT



OUTLINE

The societal influence of research has been studied for decades. Main factors influencing the usability and applicability of scientific results:

•  Amount and quality of the interaction between the producers and users of science

•  Applicability of scientific knowledge for the users’ needs. Factors that advance the utilisation of scientific knowledge include

•  Co-designing and co-producing research. •  Long-term and trust-building relationships between producers and users of

scientific knowledge. •  One good way of maintaining such relationships is via “boundary organisations”.

SCIENCE IN SUPPORT OF SOCIETY – SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

Source: Future Earth Initial Design Report (2013)

STAKEHOLDERS: Policy and decision makers and planners on government and city level, citizens, NGOs, private sector, media

”CO-DESIGN” OF RESEARCH

•  Ideally: identifying research questions together •  At minimum: designing end-products together with the users. At any point

of the project but the earlier, the better

•  An opportunity for scientists to become visible in society and to influence societal development by ensuring the scientific excellence of research questions

•  Co-design is not synonymous to purely user-driven, commissioned research! Researchers bring to the discussion wider perspectives, different time scales, and information about the background and interconnectivity of problems.

CO-DESIGN AND CO-PRODUCTION OF RESEARCH

Value-chain/stakeholder map

Research Community

Psychology Criminology Anthropology

Cultural studies Ethnology

History Law

Sociology Economy Political science Relgious

studies

Policy Makers EU

National goverments

Operative actors Migrant advocacy groups

Schools Healthcare providers

Prison authorities Religious communities Immigration authorities

NGOs (children, young, women) Parties

Media

Immigrants Children Young

Families

Local communities

Neighbourhoods

General public

Policies

Knowledge Recommendations

Methods Knowledge

Rough example: Contemporary radicalisation

trends and their implications for Europe (SC6-REV-

INEQUAL-02-2016)

ESIMERKKI HANKKEEN SIDOSRYHMÄJAOSTA

Durham E., Baker H., Smith M., Moore E. & Morgan V. (2014). The BiodivERsA Stakeholder Engagement Handbook. BiodivERsA, Paris (108 pp).

EXAMPLE OF STAKEHOLDER PRIORIZATION

LEVELS OF CO-DESIGN AND EXAMPLES FOR COOPERATION

The BiodivERsA Stakeholder Engagement Handbook www.biodiversa.org/577 Durham E., Baker H., Smith M., Moore E. & Morgan V. (2014) BiodivERsA, Paris (108 pp)

How to co-design a research project?

Proposal phase: • The value-chain: identifying actors necessary for best possible results and solutions

for stakeholders • Thematic workshops for researchers and key stakeholders:

• Elementary mapping of stakeholder needs within the boundaries of the research • Co-designing the guiding research questions

• Concrete interaction & communication plan for co-designing research and end-products together and for communicating to larger audiences

• Clear roles for stakeholders: complementary knowledge, analysis and interpretation of data, co-designing end-products, joint leadership with researchers on specific tasks

Research phase: • Adhere to the interaction plan: every step in it must have a purpose relevant for the

research! • Utilise participatory methods in your meetings, workshops, Townhalls • Create a public profile for the research via continuous communication



OUTLINE

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION – WHY BOTHER?

Compe&&on for a,en&on is tough! -‐ This is true for academic, policy, media, and lay audiences! Public discourse needs scien&fic knowledge and good arguments -‐  You are part of the democra0c process: make your results available and

enhance the decision-‐making and understanding capacity of the decision-‐makers and the public

-‐  Provide new knowledge and correct false opinions – interest groups are eager to take the floor if you don’t (e.g. climate pollu0on).

You have a lot of offer! -‐  You are an expert of your own field and your field is broader than you think! You already have an expert profile (just google yourself) – why not to shape it yourself!

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION – WHY BOTHER?

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION – 2 FUNCTIONS AND ROLES FOR SCIENTISTS

1)  communicate your research and research results Research communica0on & research communica0on profile. + 2) take part in public discourse Scien0sts framing, contextualizing and analyzing events in nature and in society. Public communica0on profile. = Your expert profile as a scien&st

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION – HOW TO BUILD YOUR EXPERT PROFILE?

1)  communicate your research and research results Communica0on takes 0me. Design a detailed communica0on plan and s0ck to it!

First steps: 1.  Set your goal and iden&fy your stakeholders – who should know about your

research in different phases of research? 2.  What are your key messages in plain English? What is useful informa0on for

your stakeholders? 3.  Start sharing your knowledge already in the beginning of the project: info

graphics, visualiza0ons, write a column / opinion piece 4.  Choose your channels: e.g. TwiXer and research blog, online portals (Climate

guide.fi)


TWITTER Decision-‐makers and journalists follow TwiXer, find your audiences here! People are interested in other people and research projects end at some point – tweet as a person! Easy ways to start: 1)  Remember, the life-‐span of one tweet is 7 minutes, don’t overthink it! 2)  If your project is short, it is beXer to use # (hashtag) than create a TwiXer

account for the project 3)  Start live-‐twee0ng from a seminar etc. Write a couple of tweets before hand. 4)  TwiXer is about sharing. Share interes0ng tweets and choose right #! 5)  Remember human interest.

Easy ways to start: 5) Remember human interest.


RESEARCH / SCIENCE BLOG: Over 1,8 m of scien0fic ar0cles every year, 50% have less 5 readers per ar0cle. Blogging widens readership! Case Melissa Terras (2009). More space to share your exper0se – in the way you want to share it. Easy ways to start : 1)  Remember, research blog is both for follow scien0sts AND lay audiences 2)  Use plain English (aerosols è 0ny atmospheric par0cles) 3)  Various op0ons for topics: your own research content (progress, results, field

trips etc.), latest developments in your field, reports from seminars you aXend/organize, comments on 0mely conversa0ons and events (COP21)

4)  Use short and aXrac0ve headlines and ac0ve voice!

For &ps on Twi,er, blogs and visualiza&ons, see Future Earth:

h"p://www.futureearth.org/blog/pop-‐webinars


2) take part in public discourse Fact and opinion – no clear dis0nc0on! Public discourse needs good arguments! What scien&sts have to offer for media and public discourse: •  Analysis based on scien0fic knowledge •  Informed assessments and viewpoints •  Crea0ng a context •  Specula0ons and scenarios for future

Step out of you comfort zone and widen your exper&se. Too much for you? Remember, part of your exper0se as a researcher is to know where to get informa0on!


How to survive with journalists – a few &ps: 1)  Follow the media and get to know the right journalists! (Climate: Heli

Saavalainen, HS, Pasi Toiviainen (YLE), Mikko PelXari (Yliopistoleh0). 2)  Contact the right journalist via targeted email – journalists don’t have 0me to

read press releases and aXend press breakfasts 3)  Check the media and ar0cle type before hand 4)  Discuss the content of the interview beforehand – remember that you can

shape the agenda 5)  You have a right to check your quotes but don’t make too many correc0ons, if

possible. Make your voice heard proac0vely -‐ Build you your expert profile in print and online media!

Future Earth Finland – national committee for global change research Division of Atmospheric Sciences PO BOX 48 (Erik Palméninaukio 1),00140 Helsinki [email protected] www.futureearthfinland.fi @FESuomi

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

WELCOME TO WORK WITH FUTURE EARTH FINLAND! We are always looking for new contacts in the global change research community, the public and private sector, and the media.

Co design and societal influence - atm seminar 160316

Science

Transcript of Co design and societal influence - atm seminar 160316