Science Shops asScience – Society

interfaces

CUexpo, Victoria4 May 2008

An introduction

Norbert Steinhaus and Caspar de Bok

About Science Shops

What ?

Why ?Where ?

How ?

When ?

Are you familiar with these questions ?

A Science Shop provides

independent, participatory

research support

in response to concerns

experienced by civil society

Science Shops seek to• provide civil society with knowledge and skills

through research and education • provide their services on an affordable basis • promote and support public access to and

influence on science and technology • create equitable and supportive partnerships

with civil society organisations • enhance understanding among policy makers

and education and research institutions of the research and education needs of civil society

• enhance the transferrable skills and knowledge students, community representatives and researchers

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art 27(1)(United Nations, 1948)

‘Everyone has the right

freely to participate in the cultural life of the community,

to enjoy the arts and

to share in scientific advancement and its benefits’

70’s Netherlands, USA

80’s Australia, Denmark, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium

90’s Canada, Spain, Romania, Norway, Israel, New Zealand, Malaysia, Czech Rep, South Korea, South Africa

00’s Belgium, France, South Korea

2005 Portugal, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland, Japan, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Turkey, Finland

2006 Hungary, China, Italy, Israel, Czech Republic

2007 South Africa

From the 70’s to 2007

Science Shop - Wetenschapswinkel - Boutique de Science - Videnskabsbutiken - Wissenschaftsladen - Bazar de las Ciencias - InterMediu

University - Society interfaces

Target group Facility/ Interface• General public Lectures, events, press

releases

• Civil society• Small NGOs

Science Shop student projects

• SMEs • NGOs• Local authorities

Transfer bureau

(Science Shop)

• Industry • National authorities

Research departments contracts

Actors and factors

SCIENTIFIC CULTURAL

POLICY-MAKERS

FUNDERS

HOSTS

SUPPLY DEMAND

STAFF

SOCIO-POLITICAL

Science shop models

Universitybased

Non-university based

Funding:• fully university• university/charity/projects

Position:• central/faculty/research dept.

Funding:• CBR projects• other activities• (local) government

Where:

NL, DK, D, UK, B, RO, CA, USA, AU, N, E, GR, F

Where:

D, AT, E, USA, CA, KR, I

Criteria for projects

1. Scientific element

2. Broad public interest

3. Use of results

4. Public results

5. No commercial means

6. No (full) financial means

Clients of Science Shops

• Local community groups

• NGOs (e.g. environment, health, animal welfare, consumers)

• Local/regional authorities

• Trade unions

• Museums

• SMEs

• Schools/pupils

• Individuals (conditional)

Mediation process1. Receive/solicit clients and new questions

2. Map the real problem (articulation)

3. Preliminary research: refuse, refer, advice or formulate (scientific) research question (incl. funds if required)

4. Find (co-)supervisor

5. Find student / researcher

6. Maintain communication and process

7. Facilitate usable presentation / publication of results

8. Support implementation results and follow-up actions

9. Make inventory of follow-up research/themes

10. Evaluation

Science Shop Basics

• Demand driven

• Listening and asking: articulation

• Equal partnerships

• Quality and understanding

• Feedback to science system

Interactive Science Communication

Science Shop impacts

Society

• community access to research

• community awareness of science

• community involvement in policy (empowerment)

• good governance (social capital)

Education

• academic curriculum; problem-based learning

• students awareness science - society

Research

• research themes

• researchers awareness society needs

Some examples of projects

• Cosmetics and environment

• Traffic related air pollution and respiratory health

• Side-effects of pesticides

• Health related risk communication

• Textiles, chemicals and allegies

• Electrosmog

• Ecological constructing

• Environmental impact assessment products

• Animal welfare and animal testing

University mission

3. Service to society

“…and they transfer knowledge on behalf of society” (Dutch Law on Higher Education and Research, art 1.3.1, 1992)

1. Education

2. Research

University based Science Shops

combine all three university missions

A changing (Dutch) context

• A revised focus on knowledge transfer • New funding structures• Integration with SME front office• Stronger faculty links• Less staff, bigger pool of faculty experts• Embedding in curricula