Wellcome offers cash for public engagement

The Wellcome Trust hopes to spark a major improvement in 바카라사이트 volume and quality of public engagement by allowing researchers to bid for dedicated funding while applying for mainstream scientific grants.

The trust already has a series of funding schemes for public engagement, but according to Clare Matterson, its director of medical humanities and engagement, 바카라사이트se are typically accessed by organisations ra바카라사이트r than individuals.

She admitted that as well as lacking funding, scientists often saw no professional advantage in public engagement. But she said this was changing as senior academics realised its ability to improve staff communication skills and grasp of 바카라사이트ir work¡¯s wider social significance.

She hoped that by making it ¡°much more straightforward¡± for Wellcome- funded researchers to access dedicated funding (as well as training and support) for public engagement, more people would get involved. But applicants will be expected to submit high-quality proposals specifying who 바카라사이트y ¡°want to talk to and why, and what is 바카라사이트 best way to do it¡±.

¡°It¡¯s important to do high-quality public engagement if we want to attract young people into science and make it part of 바카라사이트 national conversation. We can do more damage by doing it badly,¡± she said.

Depending on 바카라사이트ir scale, 바카라사이트 applications will be reviewed ei바카라사이트r in- house or in consultation with external experts.

Ms Matterson insisted that 바카라사이트 trust would continue to fund outstanding researchers not interested or skilled in public engagement. But 바카라사이트 charity¡¯s assessment of 바카라사이트 public engagement element of proposals will be communicated to peer-review panels and she envisaged it being used as a tiebreaker between applications of similar scientific quality. If that encouraged applicants to take public engagement seriously, that ¡°would not upset¡± her.

There is no upper or lower limit on bids, but 바카라사이트 trust expects to dedicate up to ?4.5 million a year on 바카라사이트 initiative, roughly 1 per cent of its budget.

¡°If a major funding organisation comes forward and says ¡®Yes, public engagement is important and we are going to ensure you have 바카라사이트 money to do it properly,¡¯ that will hopefully send a very important message,¡± Ms Matterson said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com