Science and society

text of the presentation

The section Science and society analyses some of the central problems in the interaction between scientific advances and social structures. In particular, it looks at how individuals and social groups (the public) receive scientific advances in Spain. In addition, it includes a study of the influence that the appreciation of science by the public and society as a whole has on science itself. This summary highlights some of the section’s most representative observations, conclusions, and recommendations.

Nowadays, most scientific areas and their social applications are not a problematic issue for the majority of the public. Indeed, many such areas are seen as clearly beneficial. However, an overview of Spanish society’s recent perception of science and technology reveals one aspect that is different than that of other European societies. This is important when formulating programmes for bringing science and society closer together and for establishing a dialogue between the scientific community and the public. This aspect is outlined below:

Studies carried out by the European Commission and private institutions concur in characterising Spanish society as one of the most optimistic, with the least reservations about science.
Spanish society’s optimistic, unproblematic profile is accompanied by a low level of scientific knowledge among the population (knowledge of science’s central concepts and ways of operating). It is significantly lower than the level in the majority of advanced European societies. In other words, Spain’s open attitude to science is, in fact, passive. It is not linked to personal efforts to take an interest in science or to become informed about it. Science is not seen as an essential aspect of society’s culture.

In this respect, the proposals are:

In Spain, more than in other European societies, lasting and effective initiatives should be introduced to increase society’s knowledge and general interest in both the scientific foundations of culture and the contribution of science to cultural development. This would also encourage young people to choose scientific careers.
Efforts by public and private agents to communicate science to the public should be considerably increased. In addition, the results of these efforts should be scrutinised and assessed. In particular, it should be compulsory to assess the results of implementing public science-related policies.

The number of researchers involved in bringing science closer to society is almost negligible. This activity does not form part of researchers’ normal concerns. Many researchers consider that it is outside their role, and even contrary to their interests. Therefore, the following proposal is made:

The scientific community and scientific institutions with competence in political science should make a clear and explicit commitment to assess and stimulate science communication by researchers.

Obviously, the best results of educational efforts are attained within the formal education system. It is extremely important to dedicate special attention to generating and maintaining university students’ interest in research.

Obviously, the best results of educational efforts are attained within the formal education system. It is extremely important to dedicate special attention to generating and maintaining university students’ interest in research.
In primary and secondary education, all teaching- staff initiatives directed at increasing interest in science and its applications should receive special attention and support from the universities, the CSIC, and scientific organisations. This would help to draw the attention of the corresponding education authorities to the importance of basic scientific education. There are currently serious shortcomings in this area. Such support would also highlight the lack of encouragement, incentives, and resources of the teaching staff.

Like the rest of Spanish society, the Spanish political class is not in close contact with scientific knowledge, and, unlike the majority of countries in Europe, there are no official and transparent channels for offering scientific and technological advice to the government or parliamentary representatives. Examples of such channels are: scientific advisory offices for the presidency; permanent Parliament and Senate scientific commissions; scientific advisors in embassies, and international organisations.

It is essential to institutionalise the channels for managing and applying scientific knowledge, so that public interest can be handled on a daily basis, not just in crisis situations.

The scientific community cannot remain indifferent to Spanish society’s view of science and its level of acquisition of scientific culture. Thus:

Spanish researchers have to be aware of those concerns and attitudes in the social environment that are relevant to their work. Likewise, the scientific community should take advantage of any opportunity to inform society about how public concerns, preferences, and requirements are incorporated into research work
It should be clear to the scientific community that using public resources entails some indissoluble, inherent principles of reciprocity. Among others, these include explaining the efficient use of resources in terms that can be understood by the society that provides them.

The position of scientific information in the Spanish media is on a par with its situation in the country, in terms of effort and scientific level. It lies somewhere between that of the most advanced countries and the least developed. The small size of the Spanish science and technology system; the lack of leading scientists and authorised spokespeople; the limited social and political influence of scientists; and the absence of a scientific tradition in Spain are factors that have a negative effect on the social appreciation of science, despite the level reached in the last two decades. Thus:

All agents in the science and technology system should be aware of the importance of All agents in the science and technology system should be aware of the importance of Bridges need to be built, and connections improved, between the scientific community and the media in order to bring about this flow of information. Both groups must play a part in this process. However, science will have to continue to earn its presence in the media by generating interesting news, being open and transparent to the media, and offering quality up-to-date information.
Specialised personnel or scientific communicators –ideally, journalists with scientific training or scientists with journalistic training– should be involved and work first and foremost in this area. The public system should stimulate training of these professionals.

The most reliable data regarding the amount of science shown on television reveal that science has a relatively low impact on TV programming in Spain (0.001–0.01% on TVE). Therefore we propose that:

Public television channels dedicate both more attention and time slots that attract much larger audiences to popular science programmes, even if they are not immediately successful. Children’s’ programmes with a science content are a clear investment in the future. Meetings between scriptwriters and news and scientific editors should be coordinated so that they views on science and society can be exchanged.

Since the early days of the internet, science has sought and found its place in the resources of the World Wide Web. This has raised the prospects of moving science closer to the interests of society. Scientific organisations and associations, hospitals, universities, companies undertaking research, government departments, museums, etc., have created an enormous arena for learning and communicating science. However, the limited number of internet portals for science communication and information in Spain are often of a low quality and have only marginal influence. If the overall effects are considered, it is clear that the internet has changed the situation, in science as in other fields, from a chronic lack of information and knowledge, to one in which the problem is the individual management of an overabundance of information. In turn, the traditional mechanisms for “filtering” or separating verified from spurious knowledge have been weakened.

Institutes and scientific organisations should exploit the revolutionary possibilities of new internet resources more professionally and intelligently, in order to communicate their research activities to society. It is vital to educate the population regarding the criteria for selecting and recognising the cognitive value of information available on the internet. Consequently, they will be able to access and use the vast digital library of verified knowledge that currently exists on the internet.

Intellectual access to science and other information is seriously limited by the fact that reading habits have changed for the worse and reading comprehension has decreased, particularly among schoolchildren. Recovering and strengthening these capacities should be compatible with the emergence of new media and formats. In addition, the production of scientific and popular science books is very low in Spain. The major scientific magazines (in all forms and at all levels) have only a limited role. They are better represented and established in other European countries.

There are very few science books in public libraries, and those that are found tend to be out-dated; thus, sustained plans are needed to increase their availability. In addition, joint publication agreements for popular science works of clear social interest should be reached, and a carefully thought-out plan implemented to provide support for magazines covering popular science and scientific culture.

Currently, Spain has a notable group of centres devoted to the communication of science. These include: museums and interactive science centres, specialised museums, planetariums, aquariums, botanical gardens, and zoos. All of these centres are essential to improving scientific knowledge and the public’s perception of science. In addition, they promote public education about the characteristic attitudes and skills of scientific research, aid in understanding scientific concepts linked to current affairs, and suggest ways to incorporate such concepts into culture.Society and the authorities should recognise the growing impact and diverse functions of science museums (including planetariums, aquariums, botanical gardens, and zoos) in disseminating scientific knowledge. Human and financial resources as well as museum space should be considerably increased to improve the educational function of the National Museums of Natural Sciences and of Science and Technology. The contribution of these institutions to the dissemination of scientific knowledge should be systematically assessed.

The presence of women in the Spanish education and research system has increased considerably in the last two decades. However, it has not yet had a significant effect on the number of women on the higher rungs of a teaching–research career.

To address a problem of this complexity, reliable and systematic data should be obtained immediately. Such data would be used to statistically analyse in detail all of the variables involved in gender inequality in the Spanish science and higher-education system.

However, some actions can be taken before the results of these analyses are obtained. A series of measures can be implemented that contribute to halting both the loss of women from the Spanish R+D system and their massive demotivation due to the additional barriers they encounter in pursuing a competitive research career and achieving excellence. The following measures stand out:

Mechanisms for harmonising professional, private, and family life should be created or strengthened. These could include: flexitime, public social services to look after dependants, tax incentives that favour these mechanisms, and other similar incentives that facilitate researcher mobility and the return to a scientific career or part-time work after periods of maternity leave.

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