The document discusses how communication revolutions have impacted scientific communication and creativity. It argues that the invention of paper and printing enabled the flourishing of science in Europe by democratizing information. Similarly, the internet revolution offers opportunities for open scientific communication but also challenges like spreading pseudoscience. The document also examines the Lisbon Strategy, the EU's plan to promote innovation, creativity, and open access to knowledge through policies like facilitating knowledge transfer from public research.

1. Strategic Importance of
Communicating (in) Science
prof. dr. Žiga Turk, Univ. of Ljubljana, Slovenia
@ SciCom 2008, Vienna, November 2008

2. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
 Innovation and creativity, science and technology are believed to be the key
competitive advantages of nations in a globlized world and a key strategic
asset of nations, states and individuals.
 The author believes that it was the innovation in communication that was
instrumental for the flourishing of Europe in the past 500 years. The start
of the dominance of Europe in science, technology and later in economy
and politics coincides with a breakthrough in communication - with the
invention of paper and print.
 Today were are witnessing another communication revolution - related to
the internet and the Web. It offers immense opportunities for scientific
communication, for communicating about science, as well as dangers and
challenges.
 To some extent this is reflected in in the key European strategic document -
the Lisbon strategy but more is required in order to capitalize on the
potential of human resources in Europe.

3. A.D. 500, Istanbul:A.D. 500, Istanbul:
Hagia Sophia, 31mHagia Sophia, 31m
31m

4. A.D., Istanbul:A.D., Istanbul:
Süleymaniye, 26mSüleymaniye, 26m
26m

5. A.D. 1600, Rome:A.D. 1600, Rome:
St. Peters, 42 mSt. Peters, 42 m
42m

6. parchment available toparchment available to
few, then …few, then …

7. cheap paper (guns,cheap paper (guns,
gunpowder, spagettii,gunpowder, spagettii,
ice cream, ipods) fromice cream, ipods) from
ChinaChina

8. paper available forpaper available for
anything …anything …

9. …… even for engineeringeven for engineering
drawings …drawings …

10. …… and scientificand scientific
communicationcommunication

11. Paper enables thePaper enables the
renaissance …renaissance …

12. …… and provides aand provides a
basis forbasis for
scientific,scientific,
technological,technological,
military, political,military, political,
economic …economic …
dominance of thedominance of the
WestWest

13. But the storyBut the story
continues …continues …
electronicelectronic
communication!communication!

14. …… at first available forat first available for
some special needs.some special needs.

15. well … not perhaps notwell … not perhaps not
quite so specialquite so special

16. until the seconduntil the second
communicationcommunication
revolutionrevolution

17. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Internet je najprej enosmeren …

18. …… becomesbecomes
two waytwo way

19. anyone cananyone can
communicate …communicate …

20. about anything ;-)about anything ;-)

21. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Media for communication through history
 Harold Innis
 time binding media
 space binding media
 Ž.T.
 oral communication
 paper based communication
 exclusive
 democratic
 electronic communication
 exclusive
 democratic

22. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Democratisation of creativity …
year500 1000 1500 2000
numberofcreativepeople
communication
revolution 1.0
communication
revolution 1.0
communication
revolution 2.0
communication
revolution 2.0
0

23. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
… leads to a longer tailAristotle,Plato,TheBible…
Shakespeare,Goethe,
Dickens…Science,
Nature
YouTube,Flickr,
MyScpace,Blogger
no-one is published everyone is published

24. Impact on politics

25. oral …oral …

26. democratic paperdemocratic paper

27. exclusive electronicexclusive electronic

28. Democratic electronicDemocratic electronic

29. Paralles with communicating
science

30. closed circles ofclosed circles of
scientistsscientists

31. paper based collaboration; books, journalspaper based collaboration; books, journals

32. discovery channel,discovery channel,
national geographic,national geographic,
CSI,CSI,
dr. Housedr. House
……

33. open access journalsopen access journals
wikipediawikipedia
but also blogs:but also blogs:
real climate,real climate,
greenie watchgreenie watch
Planet GorePlanet Gore

34. Impact on scientific communication

35. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Paper based model
 scientists do the research, write the paper
 review the paper, edit the journal
 publisher gets the copyright, prints a journal
 scientists subscribe to it
 because paper is precious
 because reader's time is precious
 closed model of publishing

36. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Questions: Costs related to scientific
publishing
 by buying scientific
publications one does not
 pay for the innovation
described in the work
 cover the cost of innovation
 this is a crucial difference to
all other forms of
publishing
0
200000
400000
600000
800000
1000000
1200000
1400000
1600000
Life-cycle phase
Research
Drafting
Review
Publication
Retrieval
(Bjork, 2002)
IPR questionsanaliza

37. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Alternative - open access
 Process reengineering of scientific publishing
 It must be remembered that there is nothing
more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success,
nor more dangerous to manage than the
creation of a new system. For the initiator has
the enmity of all who would profit by the
preservation of the old institutions and merely
lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by
the new one. - Nicolo Machiavelli

38. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Maciavellian analysis of open publishing
enmity lukewarm support “impact factor”
publishers defend monopoly new small innovative
publishers like biomed
high
libraries handling paper reason for
their existence
some very supportive low
scientists and researchers seniors with CVs full of
paper based references
the internet generation low, unless organized
r&d institutions save money? promote
institution
medium
learned societies some endorsing/editing
paper based journals
they have nothing to loose potentially very high
funding agencies they love “objective” SCI
and related journals
don’t care much about
efficiency
very high
general public, taxpayer has no access anyway is not aware very low because not
aware
Turk, 2004

39. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Open Access …
 is a bridge between
publishing in science
and about science
 is a transition towards
other types of
scientific
communication
 blog
 wiki
 …

40. But it is not all that rosy

41. I can use a laptop,I can use a laptop,
and Internet …and Internet …
I can publish too …I can publish too …

42. …… about science!about science!

43. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Henri Broch, physics professor
 director of the Center for the Study of
Paranormal Phenomena at the University of
Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France.
 "In France, paranormal beliefs are thriving and
the situation is becoming alarming,"
 One source of Broch's alarm was the discovery
that seven out of 10 students accepted mind-
induced spoon bending as scientific fact …

44. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Simon Blackburn:
Truth, A Guide for the Perplexed
 Relativism chips away the right to dissaprove of
what anybody says. Its central message is that
there are no asymmetries of reason and
knowledge, objectivity and truth ...
 We must not believe that anything goes ... that
there is not truth to prevail.
 Without defenses against postmodern irony and
cynicism, multiculturalism and relativism, we will
all go to hell in a handbasket.

45. "You have to take the"You have to take the
road"road"

46. Political messages

47. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisbon strategy:
The top level strategy
 the European strategy for tackling
globalization, for growth and jobs
 timeline
 1.0 Original Lisbon Strategy y2000
 2.0 Renewed Lisbon Strategy 2005
 2.1 Updated Lisbon Strategy 2008
 making Europe more dynamic,
creative, entrepreneurial, market
economy that cares for people and
nature.
 spring European Council March
2008.

48. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisbon Strategy on
Creativity
 "A key factor for future growth is the full
development of the potential for innovation and
creativity of European citizens built on European
culture and excellence in science.
 "At the same time further efforts must be made,
including in the private sector, with a view to investing
more, and more effectively, in research, creativity,
innovation and higher education
 "Providing high-quality education and investing more
and more effectively in human capital and creativity
throughout people's lives are crucial conditions for
Europe's success in a globalised world.

49. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisbon Strategy on
Open innovation
 In order to become a truly modern and
competitive economy, and building on the work carried
out on the future of science and technology and on the
modernisation of universities, Member States and the
EU must remove barriers to the free movement of
knowledge by creating a "fifth freedom" based on:
 …
 facilitating and promoting the optimal use of intellectual
property created in public research organisations so as to
increase knowledge transfer to industry …
 encouraging open access to knowledge and open innovation
 …

50. dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Conclusions
 communication revolutions are
 broadening the creative and intellectual base
 destroying old monopolies
 they must be harnessed by all, not just by the new
entrants to the market
 think YouTube vs. BBC
 think blogs on pseudo science vs. Science & Nature
 open access publishing is a bridge to other types of
scientific communication and communicating about
science