Science Shops as Science – Society interfaces CUexpo, Victoria 4 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

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 ’

From the 70’s to 2007 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 Science Shop - Wetenschapswinkel - Boutique de Science - Videnskabsbutiken - Wissenschaftsladen - Bazar de las Ciencias - InterMediu

University - Society i nterfaces Transfer bureau ( Science Shop ) SMEs NGOs Local authorities Research departments  c ontracts Industry National authorities Science Shop  student projects Civil society Small NGOs L ectures, events, press releases General public Facility/ Interface Target group

SMEs

NGOs

Local authorities

Industry

National authorities

Civil society

Small NGOs

General public

Actors and factors SOCIO-POLITICAL SCIENTIFIC CULTURAL POLICY-MAKERS FUNDERS HOSTS SUPPLY DEMAND STAFF

Science shop models Where : D, AT, E, USA, CA, KR, I Where : NL, DK, D, UK, B, RO, CA, USA, AU, N, E, GR, F Funding : CBR projects other activities (local) government Funding : fully university university/charity/projects Position : central/faculty/research dept. Non-university based University based

Funding :

CBR projects

other activities

(local) government

Funding :

fully university

university/charity/projects

Position :

central/faculty/research dept.

Criteria for projects Scientific element Broad public interest Use of results Public results No commercial means No (full) financial means

Scientific element

Broad public interest

Use of results

Public results

No commercial means

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)

Local community groups

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

Local/regional authorities

Trade unions

Museums

SMEs

Schools/pupils

Individuals (conditional)

Mediation process Receive/solicit clients and new questions Map the real problem (articulation) Preliminary research: refuse, refer, advice or formulate (scientific) research question (incl. funds if required) Find (co-)supervisor Find student / researcher Maintain communication and process Facilitate usable presentation / publication of results Support implementation results and follow-up actions Make inventory of follow-up research/themes Evaluation

Receive/solicit clients and new questions

Map the real problem (articulation)

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

Find (co-)supervisor

Find student / researcher

Maintain communication and process

Facilitate usable presentation / publication of results

Support implementation results and follow-up actions

Make inventory of follow-up research/themes

Evaluation

Science Shop Basics Demand driven Listening and asking: articulation Equal p artnership s Quality and understanding Feedback to science system Interactive Science Communication

Demand driven

Listening and asking: articulation

Equal p artnership s

Quality and understanding

Feedback to science system

Science Shop impact s 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

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

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 Service to society “… and they transfer knowledge on behalf of society ” (Dutch Law on Higher Education and Research, a rt 1.3.1, 1992) Education Research University based Science Shops combine all three university missions

Service to society

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

Education

Research

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

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