Why Public Science Engagement?

This is my input to the Engagival contest launched by Falling Walls. Please read over and let me know what you think!

Speaking at the National Science & Maths Quiz in 2016

We all agree that the knowledge gained from science is power. Indeed science can be a transformational tool when its findings are applied for the greater good. This is often not the case in many parts of the world. It is certainly not always the case in any country. Some times the best evidence does not always inform decision making. A case in point is how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled by some governments. Beyond this, there appeared to be gaps in communication in many countries, especially in terms of how some interventions were arrived at, in the early stages of the pandemic. And let's not forget about challenges with dealing with the climate crisis!

How can scientists and those in charge best exchange information with the community? When engagement is done right, societies access valid knowledge for everyday decision making, and scientists and policymakers better understand the contexts of their lived experience. This means better policies and programmes.

I am concerned about the disparities in access to information among people of different backgrounds - between those in the so-called developed world and the rest of us in the emerging economies, between people in urban and those in rural areas in all countries, and between people of high socio-economic status and those of low socio-economic status in cities. Clearly, the knowledge gap is not only a geographic gap, but an economic gap too. It is an education gap. It is a health gap. It is an aspiration gap. 

Engaging different audiences with science means that we have an opportunity to change the culture. I imagine science embedded in the everyday life of communities would lead to many positive changes for the people. They will learn. They will make better choices. They will solve problems. They will harness opportunties. They will engage the powers that be on stronger terms. This changes the game as the gaps between research, policy, and practice will be closed. The walls to enable science for development will be brought down. This is why I engage.

#WhyWeEngage