Developments from the Wellcome Trust

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Developments from the Wellcome Trust

• Clare Matterson
• BA - Royal Society Conference
• 24 May 2005

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Draft aim - public engagement
To engage with society to foster an informed
climate within which biomedical science can
flourish
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Draft objective
To fund public engagement

• To promote learning, interest and excitement
• To stimulate an informed debate
• To inform national and Trust policy and plans

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Wellcome Trust - public engagement
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Impact analysis 2000-2005

• Where known outcome
• Expenditure
• Audience reach
• High level impact
• Scientist involvement
• .work ongoing

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Providing information
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Impact Scientist involvement

• Audience
• National coverage
• Adult focussed
• Unique complex contemporary science made
  accessible
• Greater when well targeted
• Underpinning resource for other activities
• Scientist involvement
• Primary source
• Extensive use of science writers/communicators
• 13 scientists write for non-specialists
• Need for good surveillance systems

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Stimulating thinking

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Impact

• Highest levels of engagement
• Diverse new audiences
• Audiences motivated by issues
• Regional
• Even adult/young people mix
• Exhibitions inspired, challenged, learning
• Debate, performing arts attitude impact
• Impacts can extend over years
• Highest press/broadcast coverage

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Scientist involvement

• Advisory role on content
• Science centres/exhibitions
• Judges on competitions
• Leading an activity
• 1/3 of small grants led by scientists
• Participatory role
• SciArt
• Debates and talks 32 scientists

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Understanding thinking
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Impact and scientist involvement

• Quant. studies
• Provide generalist view
• Not specific to biomedical
• Broad indications, limited understanding
• Qual. studies
• Greater understanding of issues
• Smaller basis scepticism about generalisability
• Some use in policy discussions
• Scientist involvement
• As subject
• As advisor

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Informing decision-making

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Impact and Scientist involvement

• Direct into practice policy
• UK Biobank management and framework
• Human Cloning results fed extensively into stem
  cell debates
• Animals research resources for teachers
• Human Tissue Human Tissue Authority
• Scientist involvement
• As initiator unusual, but increasing
• As participant
• As advisor

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Why involve scientists

• Those with good communication skills are best
  placed to
• put a human face to science
• help people understand the process of scientific
  research
• convey the excitement of their research findings
• address concerns about science
• Potentially contact with the public can
• inspire researchers
• help them consider the potential social and
  ethical implications of their work

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Barriers to involvement

• 2000 Survey of scientists
• 2003 Wellcome Trust workshop with researchers
• No funding available
• Unaware of opportunities
• Lack of training
• Lack of institutional support

• no
• better
• no
• yes

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How do we.

• Change culture at VC level
• Enable PE to be integral to academic career
• Reward universities that takes public engagement
  seriously
• Get funders to work together RCUK, WT, OST
• Associated media partner THES
• Do something big enough to be meaningful