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Communication

Deliberating the Environment: Scientists and the Socially Excluded in Dialogue	Principal	Team	Status
In this pilot study, we began the process of exploring the potential of the “deliberative exchange” as a novel forum for mutual learning. We define a “deliberative exchange” as a facilitated one-to-one conversation between two persons from disparate social groups, in which the participants discuss important ethical or policy issues. In this study, the two groups of participants were academic scientists and members of the local community in Newcastle upon Tyne. Each participant took part in a series of exchanges in which he or she was invited to discuss environmental issues with a member of the other group.	Dr Derek Bell, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NE1 7RU derek.bell@ncl.ac.uk	Professor Tim Gray, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NE1 7RU Dr Jan Deckers, School of Population and Health Sciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle NE2 4HH Ms Mary Brennan, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, University of Newcastle Newcastle NE1 7RU Dr Nicola Thompson, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, University of Newcastle Newcastle NE1 7RU nicola.thompson@ncl.ac.uk	Ended September 2004


Spinning Science: the Nanotech Industry and Financial News	Principal	Team	Status
This research investigated the relationships between public relations and communication firms promoting the commercialisation of nanotechnology and scientists who are spinning out start-up companies, financial journalists and other mediators, and investors. It focused on mediated, financial and market information about the nanotech field that appeared in financial, science and trade publications, company reports and marketing materials, brokerage firms, and websites dedicated to nano-investing. Research was conducted in the United Kingdom and in the United States.	Mary Ebeling work undertaken at: Department of Sociology University of Surrey Guildford GU2 7XH Now at Drexel University , Philadelphia, USA mfe@drexel.edu	Dr Geoff Cooper Department of Sociology University of Surrey Guildford GU2 7XH g.cooper@surrey.ac.uk	Ended December 2006


Public Involvement, Environment and Health: Evaluating GIS for Participation	Principal	Team	Status
It is frequently claimed that better public involvement with science and science policy can give more trusted and more applicable policy results as well as better and more trusted science. Yet PUS practitioners have identified problems that can arise when non-scientists hold naïve understandings of science, and when naïve sociological accounts are applied by scientists to complex social situations.	Dr John Forrester, Department of Sociology University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD jf11@york.ac.uk	Mr Steve Cinderby, Stockholm Environment Institute -York, Department of Biology, University of York York YO10 5DD Ms Laura Potts, School of Management Community and Communication, York St John College Lord Mayor's Walk York YO31 7EX Dr Paul Rosen, Science and Technology Studies Unit, Department of Sociology, University of York York YO10 5DD	Ended January 2003


Communicating Science through Novel Exhibits and Exhibitions	Principal	Team	Status
The project addresses how people respond to exhibitions in science museums and how we can design and deploy exhibits to enhance engagement and participation. It involves video-based field studies in science museums and of the design and development of exhibitions. The project will contributes to current debates in the social sciences concerning participation in museums and the ways in which we can engage the public with scientific issues and debates.	Professor Christian Heath, The Management Centre, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 christian.heath@kcl.ac.uk	Dr J Bradburne, The Next Generation Foundation Dr Dirk vom Lehn, The Management Centre, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 dirk.vom_lehn@kcl.ac.uk	Ended September 2006


Experiments In Science Communication: A Pilot Study With A Digital TV Channel	Principal	Team	Status
This project addressed an acknowledged shortage of high-quality case studies of science television, and especially the convergence of television with digital media. We initiated a collaboration with Einstein TV, a digital channel branded as 'Europe's first science channel', which claimed to challenge conventional science TV with innovative programming. With the aim of establishing a longer-term collaboration, the project conducted an initial case study of the channel.	Dr Richard Hull The Business School University of Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle NE1 7RU	Prof Jenny Kitzinger, School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies Cardiff University Room 0.55a The Bute Building King Edward VII Avenue CARDIFF CF10 3NB 029 2087 4571 KitzingerJ@cardiff.ac.uk	Ended February 2003


The New Zoos: Science, Media and Culture	Principal	Team	Status
The New Zoos: Science, Media & Culture project engaged in a two-year comparative case study of the remodelling of science and environmental communication at two zoos: the Bristol Zoo Gardens, and the Paignton Zoo Environmental Park. The zoos were chosen thanks to the fact that both have participated in the zoological fields’ trend towards environmental education, and new forms of display; in particular, what are widely described as ‘naturalistic’ forms of exhibiting wild animals.	Dr Nils Lindhal-Elliot work undertaken at: School of Cultural Studies, University of the West of England, St Matthias Campus, Oldbury Court Road, Bristol BS16 2JP now at Centre for Media, Culture and Environmental Education Bristol, UK nils.lindahl-elliot@cmcee.org		Ended September 2004


Consultation as Science Communication? The Case of Local Air Quality Management	Principal	Team	Status
The aim of this research was to investigate the nature, scope and effectiveness of local authority LAQM consultation approaches; develop methods and models of better practice; and disseminate our findings to a broad audience. We found that local authorities are faced with a series of substantive challenges in contacting, engaging with, and incorporating the views of their diverse statutory and non-statutory constituencies within the LAQM decision-making process. Local policy and organisational innovation struggled to adapt to complex systems with multiple goals that comprise cross-cutting and multi-level governance. For example an authority, whose duties involved reviewing the polluting effects of a major road near a population centre, expressed concern about their ability actually to do anything about the problem. Here, local authorities perceived that they were not ‘free actors’ – they were bound by structural constraints, and are self-aware of the relative limitations of current LAQM consultation practices and processes. This may be because poor local air quality tends to be perceived as a systemic problem with no easy solutions.	Professor James Longhurst, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS161QY james.longhurst@uwe.ac.uk	Professor Frank Burnet, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS161QY Professor David Gibbs, Department of Geography, University of Hull Dr Emma Weitkamp, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS161QY	Ended December 2006


Divided We Stand: Bridging Differential Understanding of Environmental Risk	Principal	Team	Status
The aim of this project was to create opportunities for stakeholders to engage as equal participants in debate on this controversial issue, including health professionals, policy makers, ‘lay’ people (including women with breast cancer), and members of health and environmental NGOs. We aimed to examine the fences and defences that act as barriers to participation in this kind of debate, and better understand what kind of evidence these different communities of interest find convincing about the causes of breast cancer.	Ms Laura Potts School of Management, Community and Communication, York St John College, Lord Mayor's Walk, York YO31 7EX l.potts@yorksj.ac.uk	Dr. Sarah Nettleton Senior Lecturer in Social Policy Department of Social Policy and Social Work University of York York YO10 5DD sjn2@york.ac.uk Dr. Rachael Dixey Senior and Principal Lecturer Centre for Health Promotion Research Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds LS1 R.Dixey@lmu.ac.uk Mr. Steve Cinderby Research Associate (Deputy Director) Stockholm Environment Institute University of York York YO10 5DD sc9@york.ac.uk Dee Barron, Research Associate, School of Management, Community and Communication York St John College Lord Mayor’s Walk York YO31 7EX deebarron@hotmail.com	Ended December 2004


What does social change mean in the context of Engineering education?	Principal	Team	Status
The main emphasis of the work was to look at engineering education at universities in the UK, Sweden and Canada and consider how engineering can promote social change. This project explored the nature of the engineering education at the undergraduate University level and explores what it means to engineering faculty, what are their perceptions of social change and social justice in light of their curriculum. One of the main issues in this project was to understand how what faculty said about issues such as social change and responsibilities related to what is taught to students, i.e. espoused theories and theories in use. Engineering and the education of engineers, like a number of disciplines, constantly undergoes reviews of the curriculum taught within higher education institutions.	Dr Jane Pritchard Teaching and Learning Service University of Glasgow Florentine House 53 Hillhead Street Glasgow j.pritchard@admin.gla.ac.uk		Ended December 2006