I2S Research Fellow Dr Ruth O’Connor’s latest publication is hot off the presses and full of great advice on how to communicate climate change research more effectively to the public. Read on for the quick key insights to support your efforts: “The value of public science events: insights from three years of communicating climate change research.”
This work unpacks the different values of communicating research in university settings. Some key take-homes:
- People were primarily motivated to learn about the causes, impacts and responses to climate change & learning was the most common outcome
- Events were also valued as an opportunity to be amongst like-minded people. This was particularly important because many participants were feeling despair at inaction on #climatechange.
- Events can stimulate new behaviours as participants move from despair to agency through learning, participation, interpersonal discussions and seeing that other people care
- A major outcome was people were motivated to talk about what they learned with others during or after the event, increasing the reach of the events
- Audiences were skewed toward older, educated people. We suggest access and inclusion could be improved through co-design with target groups and more off-campus events.
Hungry for details? The full, open access article is available here.
Ruth sends huge thanks to her co-authors, Tara Roberson, Zoe Leviston & Clare de Castella.
I2S Research Fellow Dr Ruth O’Connor
is an engagement and evaluation specialist at the Institute for Infrastructure in Society where she is working with Industry partners to develop indicators for best practice infrastructure engagement. Ruth’s research interests revolve around participatory processes undertaken to address complex problems. Ruth started her career as a freshwater scientist with Sydney Water and has worked with other water utilities, governments and communities as a researcher and engagement practitioner.