Engagement present and future: Graduate student and faculty perceptions of social media and the role of the public in science engagement

Interest in public engagement with science activities has grown in recent decades, especially engagement through social media and among graduate students. Research on scientists' views of engagement, particularly two-way engagement and engagement through social media, is sparse, particularly re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2019-05, Vol.14 (5), p.e0216274-e0216274
Main Authors: Howell, Emily L, Nepper, Julia, Brossard, Dominique, Xenos, Michael A, Scheufele, Dietram A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
College students
Colleges & universities
Communication
Computer and Information Sciences
Decision making
Digital media
Education
Education grants
Education, Graduate
Educational research
Environmental studies
Faculty
Graduate students
Graduate studies
Graduate study
Higher education
Humans
Life sciences
People and Places
Physical Sciences
Psychological aspects
Public participation
Research funding
Science - education
Science Policy
Scientists
Social Media
Social networks
Social Sciences
Students
Universities
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Summary:Interest in public engagement with science activities has grown in recent decades, especially engagement through social media and among graduate students. Research on scientists' views of engagement, particularly two-way engagement and engagement through social media, is sparse, particularly research examining graduate students' views. We compare graduate students and faculty in biological and physical sciences at a land-grant, research-intensive university in their views on engagement. We find that both groups overwhelmingly believe that public input in decision-making around science issues is important, and hold largely pro-engagement attitudes. Graduate students, however, have somewhat more optimistic views of engagement through social media and on the appropriateness of discussing science controversy on social media. We discuss implications for graduate education and future engagement.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0216274