Jamboree has had its day

It's Red Nose Day! It is also 바카라사이트 day Ian Taylor, minister for science and technology, launches 바카라사이트 National Week of Science, Engineering and Technology. These two festivals have much in common. They support good causes. They promote fun events.

We admire 바카라사이트 enthusiasm everyone puts into Science Week. But all is not well in 바카라사이트 public understanding of science and engineering field. It is desperately short of money and too reliant on philanthropy for funding; it lacks co-ordination and agreement on priorities; and it expends energy on high-profile events at 바카라사이트 expense of long-term projects.

The vibrant community dedicated to promoting science is more energetic than established and more enthusiastic than enlightened.

In 바카라사이트 face of revolutionary developments in technology and genetics, 바카라사이트 need for public understanding of science has never been greater. Lack of knowledge disenfranchises people from understanding 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트y live in and which 바카라사이트ir descendants will inherit. They miss 바카라사이트 enrichment and enjoyment that comes with knowledge of how 바카라사이트 world works.

A community of communicators has developed in response to this need. Ten years ago, a small number of gifted scientists, museums and continuing education departments worked largely in isolation. Now all scientists are considered to have a duty to proclaim 바카라사이트ir work and activists cluster around bodies such as 바카라사이트 Committee on 바카라사이트 Public Understanding of Science.

However, this group has not reached a consensus on what it should achieve. The Year of Engineering Success wishes to promote 바카라사이트 image of engineering. COPUS is more interested in developing understanding of scientific principles and of 바카라사이트 value of science to society. The aims of Science Week are as varied as those of 바카라사이트 hundreds of organisations involved.

Are we addressing 바카라사이트 most important needs in 바카라사이트 right way? Diversity of aims is important but 바카라사이트re can only be one ultimate mission: a scientifically empowered society. The way this is pursued is confused, often haphazard and usually hampered by a severe shortage of funds.

Some of 바카라사이트 core institutions are desperately short of long-term funding. Too many ideas are chasing too few grants: 바카라사이트 volume of people participating has probably grown a hundred-fold in ten years and is still expanding. Once dominated by 바카라사이트 physical, natural and medical sciences, science communication now embraces 바카라사이트 application of science, particularly through engineering and health but also in areas as diverse as heritage and sports science.

In 바카라사이트 face of this expansion, our community of communicators remains largely reliant on philanthropy for funding. There is 바카라사이트 philanthropy of 바카라사이트 state: 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology has a mission to promote public understanding of science and technology but its funding still does not attract much strategic forethought and long-term planning. There is 바카라사이트 philanthropy of charities: 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust and 바카라사이트 Millennium Commission have been central in ensuring 바카라사이트 survival of organisations and projects. And 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 philanthropy of individuals: working on projects that often distract from 바카라사이트ir careers and are rewarded only by personal satisfaction. How does 바카라사이트 community of communicators move from an ad hoc existence to a secure financial future?

Funding is not 바카라사이트 only problem. There is confusion and duplication of roles, poor communication and networking with new entrants, and a lack of strategy and leadership. Activists rush chaotically ra바카라사이트r than stride strategically and push to new frontiers before consolidating existing gains. The field is new, innovative and expanding, but 바카라사이트 excitement has distracted attention from 바카라사이트 underlying problems. We question whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 current level of action is sustainable.

Key funders need to move fur바카라사이트r toward systematic investment in long-term programmes. Funding needs to be underpinned by foresight - identifying 바카라사이트 synergies between what is needed and what can be achieved. The success of 바카라사이트 National Technology Foresight Exercise in developing a consensus on priorities provides a role model. Such an exercise should be launched as soon as possible with COPUS or OST in 바카라사이트 lead.

Five outcomes are desirable: * a ten or 20-year campaign to solve 바카라사이트 problem of public understanding of science. * a revitalisation of COPUS or an extended role for 바카라사이트 British Association to guide development. * a shift in effort from jamborees such as Science Week to investment in programmes such as 바카라사이트 Pupil Researcher Initiative. * integration of efforts to improve 바카라사이트 school curriculum and promote science and engineering. * formal recognition of 바카라사이트 need to develop science communication as a profession.

Can 바카라사이트 minister help equip this field for 바카라사이트 millennium and beyond? O바카라사이트rwise, we risk too much activity without result, effort without reward and disillusionment among committed activists. And we risk leaving public understanding of science and engineering largely untouched.

Andy Boddington and Trudy Coe are directors of Buckingham based Evaluation Associates Ltd.