{"id":6963,"date":"2016-05-10T16:03:34","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T16:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/per\/?p=6963"},"modified":"2016-05-13T10:41:02","modified_gmt":"2016-05-13T10:41:02","slug":"what-have-science-communication-and-engagement-ever-done-for-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/per\/?p=6963","title":{"rendered":"What have science communication (and engagement) ever done for us?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Professor<\/a>

Professor Richard Holliman, The Open University. Credit: Jane Perrone.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWhat have the Romans ever done for us?\u201d John Cleese\u2019s famous line from Monty Python\u2019s Life of Brian<\/a> is a question that has resonated with me over the last couple of weeks. <\/p>\n

Back came the answer, \u201cThe aqueduct.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah, yeah. They did give us that.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there\u2019s sanitation…\u201d <\/p>\n

You get the picture.<\/p>\n

Why, you may ask, is Monty Python featuring on the Open University’s Engaging Research blog? You can thank the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology. They recently called for evidence to be submitted to an inquiry into science communication<\/a>. In effect, they asked \u201cWhat has science communication ever done for us?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A Roman aqueduct.<\/p><\/div>\n

Over the past week I\u2019ve worked with colleagues from three organisations to respond to this call for evidence: AsSIST-UK<\/a> the UK national professional association for social studies of science and technology; the UK-based research network, Science in Public<\/a>; and the international Public Communication of Science and Technology Network (PCST<\/a>).<\/p>\n

By selecting the following links, you can read:<\/p>\n