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%)
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