Science communication is essential for an informed public debate

Members of the Junge Akademie are formulating guiding principles, practical tips, and a utopia of science communication

The acute crisis situation of the Covid 19 pandemic has recently demonstrated the importance of well-founded science communication. But well-founded, up-to-date knowledge from various scientific disciplines is also necessary for social discussions about efficient measures to combat climate change or questions of social justice.

To ensure that communication between science, society and the media is as successful as possible, the Junge Akademie project group 'Wissen kommunizieren' (communicating knowledge) has developed five guiding principles for science communication after discussions with numerous experts. These guiding principles advocate a clear distinction between the factual basis, the state of knowledge and evaluation. They promote a realistic classification of extreme values in the debate and aim to encourage communicators to trust the public with more complexity. In this way, public discourse can be conducted objectively.

“The harsh public debates during the Covid 19 pandemic have shown that it is precisely the calm and reserved scientists who often do not want to express themselves publicly,” says Viola Priesemann, a member of the Junge Akademie's executive committee and the ‘Communicating Knowledge’ project group. ”I can understand that: science communication can be a lot of fun. But in a crisis situation like the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also be an immense burden.”

The guide also outlines ideas for what ‘ideal’ science communication could look like in the future. Keeping such a utopia in mind is particularly important to the authors. For Viola Priesemann, too, one thing is clear: ”Only by formulating our goals can we achieve them: We would like to see a slow and careful communication process with more time, resources and recognition for everyone involved.”
The guidelines ‘Communicating Knowledge: Key Points from the Junge Akademie are available for download here(only in German).

The authors of the guidelines are:

• Viola Priesemann, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Georg August University of Göttingen, and member of the Junge Akademie
• Charlotte Bartels, German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) and member of the Junge Akademie
• Johanna Gereke, Mannheim Center for European Social Research at the University of Mannheim and member of the Junge Akademie
• Fabian Hruschka, TU Dortmund University, and Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
• Birgit Nemec, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and member of the Junge Akademie
• Doris Segets, University of Duisburg-Essen and member of the Junge Akademie
• Leonie Wenz, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and member of the Junge Akademie