Strategic Importance of Communicating (in) Science
prof. dr. Žiga Turk, Univ. of Ljubljana, Slovenia
@ SciCom 2008, Vienna, November 2008
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.
A.D. 500, Istanbul: A.D. 500, Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, 31mHagia Sophia, 31m
31m
A.D., Istanbul: A.D., Istanbul: Süleymaniye, 26mSüleymaniye, 26m
26m
A.D. 1600, Rome:A.D. 1600, Rome:St. Peters, 42 m St. Peters, 42 m
42m
parchment parchment available to few, available to few, then …then …
cheap paper (guns, cheap paper (guns, gunpowder, gunpowder, spagettii, ice spagettii, ice cream, ipods) from cream, ipods) from ChinaChina
paper available for paper available for anything …anything …
… … even for even for engineering engineering drawings …drawings …
… … and scientific and scientific communicationcommunication
Paper enables the Paper enables the renaissance …renaissance …
… … and provides and provides a basis for a basis for scientific, scientific, technological, technological, military, military, political, political, economic … economic … dominance of dominance of the Westthe West
But the storyBut the storycontinues …continues …electronicelectroniccommunicationcommunication!!
… … at first available at first available for some special for some special needs.needs.
well … not perhaps well … not perhaps not quite so specialnot quite so special
until the second until the second communication communication revolutionrevolution
dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Internet je najprej enosmeren …
… … becomesbecomestwo waytwo way
anyone can anyone can communicate …communicate …
about anything ;-)about anything ;-)
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
dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Democratisation of creativity …
year500 1000 1500 2000
num
ber
of
creati
ve p
eople
communication revolution 1.0
communication revolution 1.0
communication revolution 2.0
communication revolution 2.0
0
dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
… leads to a longer tail
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ible
…
Sh
ake
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, Goeth
e,
Dicke
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Scie
nce
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atu
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be, Flickr,
MyScp
ace
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no-one is published everyone is published
Impact on politics
oral …oral …
democratic paperdemocratic paper
exclusive exclusive electronicelectronic
Democratic Democratic electronicelectronic
Paralles with communicating science
closed circles of closed circles of scientistsscientists
paper based collaboration; books, paper based collaboration; books, journalsjournals
discovery channel, discovery channel, national national geographic,geographic,CSI,CSI,dr. Housedr. House……
open access open access journalsjournalswikipediawikipediabut also blogs:but also blogs:real climate,real climate,greenie watchgreenie watchPlanet GorePlanet Gore
Impact on scientific communication
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
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
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
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
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 …
But it is not all that rosy
I can use a laptop,I can use a laptop,and Internet …and Internet …I can publish too …I can publish too …
… … about science!about science!
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 …
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.
"You have to take "You have to take the road"the road"
Political messages
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.
dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisbon Strategy onCreativity
"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.
dr. Žiga Turk, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisbon Strategy onOpen innovation
In order to become a truly modern andcompetitive 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
…
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