WorldWideScience

Sample records for social scientists interested

  1. Frontier Scientists' project probes audience science interests with website, social media, TV broadcast, game, and pop-up book

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell, E. A.

    2017-12-01

    The Frontier Scientists National Science Foundation project titled Science in Alaska: Using Multimedia to Support Science Education produced research products in several formats: videos short and long, blogs, social media, a computer game, and a pop-up book. These formats reached distinctly different audiences. Internet users, public TV viewers, gamers, schools, and parents & young children were drawn to Frontier Scientists' research in direct and indirect ways. The analytics (our big data) derived from this media broadcast has given us insight into what works, what doesn't, next steps. We have evidence for what is needed to present science as an interesting, vital, and a necessary component for the general public's daily information diet and as an important tool for scientists to publicize research and to thrive in their careers. Collaborations with scientists at several Universities, USGS, Native organizations, tourism organizations, and Alaska Museums promoted accuracy of videos and increased viewing. For example, Erin Marbarger, at Anchorage Museum, edited, and provided Spark!Lab to test parents & child's interest in the pop-up book titled: The Adventures of Apun the Arctic Fox. Without a marketing budget Frontier Scientist's minimum publicity, during the three year project, still drew an audience. Frontier Scientists was awarded Best Website 2016 by the Alaska Press Club, and won a number of awards for short videos and TV programs.

  2. 7 CFR 91.18 - Financial interest of a scientist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Financial interest of a scientist. 91.18 Section 91.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... SERVICES AND GENERAL INFORMATION Laboratory Service § 91.18 Financial interest of a scientist. No scientist...

  3. A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Katie; Blackman, Deborah

    2014-10-01

    Natural scientists are increasingly interested in social research because they recognize that conservation problems are commonly social problems. Interpreting social research, however, requires at least a basic understanding of the philosophical principles and theoretical assumptions of the discipline, which are embedded in the design of social research. Natural scientists who engage in social science but are unfamiliar with these principles and assumptions can misinterpret their results. We developed a guide to assist natural scientists in understanding the philosophical basis of social science to support the meaningful interpretation of social research outcomes. The 3 fundamental elements of research are ontology, what exists in the human world that researchers can acquire knowledge about; epistemology, how knowledge is created; and philosophical perspective, the philosophical orientation of the researcher that guides her or his action. Many elements of the guide also apply to the natural sciences. Natural scientists can use the guide to assist them in interpreting social science research to determine how the ontological position of the researcher can influence the nature of the research; how the epistemological position can be used to support the legitimacy of different types of knowledge; and how philosophical perspective can shape the researcher's choice of methods and affect interpretation, communication, and application of results. The use of this guide can also support and promote the effective integration of the natural and social sciences to generate more insightful and relevant conservation research outcomes. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

  4. Evolution and the American social sciences: An evolutionary social scientist's view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thayer, Bradley A

    2004-03-01

    American social scientists rarely ever use evolutionary concepts to explain behavior, despite the potential of such concepts to elucidate major social problems. I argue that this observation can be understood as the product of three influences: an ideologically narrowed political liberalism; a fear of ''Social Darwinism'' as a scientific idea, rather than a scientific apostasy; and a widely believed criticism of evolutionary thinking as deterministic, reductionistic, and Panglossian. I ask what is to be done to encourage social scientists to learn and to apply evolutionary lessons. I answer with four solutions. First, evolutionary social scientists should more effectively educate their non-evolutionary students and colleagues. Second, they should publicize, even popularize, accessible refutations of perennially misleading criticisms. Third, they should more credibly assure skeptics that evolutionary theory not only keeps the ''social'' in social science but better explains social behavior than can any individual-level theory, such as rational-choice theory. Fourth, they should recall that biology took generations to become Darwinian, and they must understand that the social sciences may take as long to become evolutionary.

  5. Social scientists in public health: a fuzzy approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Luporini do Nascimento

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to describe and analyze the presence of social scientists, anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists in the field of public health. A survey by the Lattes Curriculum and sites of Medical Colleges, Institutes of Health Research Collective, seeking professionals who work in healthcare and have done some stage of their training in the areas of social sciences. In confluence with Norbert Elias' concepts of social networks and configuration of interdependence it was used fuzzy logic, and the tool free statistical software R version 2.12.0 which enabled a graphic representation of social scientists interdependence in the field of social sciences-health-social sciences. A total of 238 professionals were ready in 6 distinct clusters according to the distance or closer of each professional in relation to public health and social sciences. The work was shown with great analytical and graphical representation possibilities for social sciences of health, in using this innovative quantitative methodology.

  6. Caring for nanotechnology? Being an integrated social scientist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viseu, Ana

    2015-10-01

    One of the most significant shifts in science policy of the past three decades is a concern with extending scientific practice to include a role for 'society'. Recently, this has led to legislative calls for the integration of the social sciences and humanities in publicly funded research and development initiatives. In nanotechnology--integration's primary field site--this policy has institutionalized the practice of hiring social scientists in technical facilities. Increasingly mainstream, the workings and results of this integration mechanism remain understudied. In this article, I build upon my three-year experience as the in-house social scientist at the Cornell NanoScale Facility and the United States' National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network to engage empirically and conceptually with this mode of governance in nanotechnology. From the vantage point of the integrated social scientist, I argue that in its current enactment, integration emerges as a particular kind of care work, with social scientists being fashioned as the main caretakers. Examining integration as a type of care practice and as a 'matter of care' allows me to highlight the often invisible, existential, epistemic, and affective costs of care as governance. Illuminating a framework where social scientists are called upon to observe but not disturb, to reify boundaries rather than blur them, this article serves as a word of caution against integration as a novel mode of governance that seemingly privileges situatedness, care, and entanglement, moving us toward an analytically skeptical (but not dismissive) perspective on integration.

  7. A Guide for Scientists Interested in Researching Student Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, Sanlyn R.; Anbar, Ariel; Semken, Steve; Mead, Chris; Horodyskyj, Lev; Perera, Viranga; Bruce, Geoffrey; Schönstein, David

    2015-11-01

    Scientists spend years training in their scientific discipline and are well versed the literature, methods, and innovations in their own field. Many scientists also take on teaching responsibilities with little formal training in how to implement their courses or assess their students. There is a growing body of literature of what students know in space science courses and the types of innovations that can work to increase student learning but scientists rarely have exposure to this body of literature. For scientists who are interested in more effectively understanding what their students know or investigating the impact their courses have on students, there is little guidance. Undertaking a more formal study of students poses more complexities including finding robust instruments and employing appropriate data analysis. Additionally, formal research with students involves issues of privacy and human subjects concerns, both regulated by federal laws.This poster details the important decisions and issues to consider for both course evaluation and more formal research using a course developed, facilitated, evaluated and researched by a hybrid team of scientists and science education researchers. HabWorlds, designed and implemented by a team of scientists and faculty at Arizona State University, has been using student data to continually improve the course as well as conduct formal research on students’ knowledge and attitudes in science. This ongoing project has had external funding sources to allow robust assessment not available to most instructors. This is a case study for discussing issues that are applicable to designing and assessing all science courses. Over the course of several years, instructors have refined course outcomes and learning objectives that are shared with students as a roadmap of instruction. The team has searched for appropriate tools for assessing student learning and attitudes, tested them and decided which have worked, or not, for

  8. How Are Scientists Using Social Media in the Workplace?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberley Collins

    Full Text Available Social media has created networked communication channels that facilitate interactions and allow information to proliferate within professional academic communities as well as in informal social circumstances. A significant contemporary discussion in the field of science communication is how scientists are using (or might use social media to communicate their research. This includes the role of social media in facilitating the exchange of knowledge internally within and among scientific communities, as well as externally for outreach to engage the public. This study investigates how a surveyed sample of 587 scientists from a variety of academic disciplines, but predominantly the academic life sciences, use social media to communicate internally and externally. Our results demonstrate that while social media usage has yet to be widely adopted, scientists in a variety of disciplines use these platforms to exchange scientific knowledge, generally via either Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or blogs. Despite the low frequency of use, our work evidences that scientists perceive numerous potential advantages to using social media in the workplace. Our data provides a baseline from which to assess future trends in social media use within the science academy.

  9. How Are Scientists Using Social Media in the Workplace?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Kimberley; Shiffman, David; Rock, Jenny

    2016-01-01

    Social media has created networked communication channels that facilitate interactions and allow information to proliferate within professional academic communities as well as in informal social circumstances. A significant contemporary discussion in the field of science communication is how scientists are using (or might use) social media to communicate their research. This includes the role of social media in facilitating the exchange of knowledge internally within and among scientific communities, as well as externally for outreach to engage the public. This study investigates how a surveyed sample of 587 scientists from a variety of academic disciplines, but predominantly the academic life sciences, use social media to communicate internally and externally. Our results demonstrate that while social media usage has yet to be widely adopted, scientists in a variety of disciplines use these platforms to exchange scientific knowledge, generally via either Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or blogs. Despite the low frequency of use, our work evidences that scientists perceive numerous potential advantages to using social media in the workplace. Our data provides a baseline from which to assess future trends in social media use within the science academy.

  10. Visual analytics for multimodal social network analysis: a design study with social scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghani, Sohaib; Kwon, Bum Chul; Lee, Seungyoon; Yi, Ji Soo; Elmqvist, Niklas

    2013-12-01

    Social network analysis (SNA) is becoming increasingly concerned not only with actors and their relations, but also with distinguishing between different types of such entities. For example, social scientists may want to investigate asymmetric relations in organizations with strict chains of command, or incorporate non-actors such as conferences and projects when analyzing coauthorship patterns. Multimodal social networks are those where actors and relations belong to different types, or modes, and multimodal social network analysis (mSNA) is accordingly SNA for such networks. In this paper, we present a design study that we conducted with several social scientist collaborators on how to support mSNA using visual analytics tools. Based on an openended, formative design process, we devised a visual representation called parallel node-link bands (PNLBs) that splits modes into separate bands and renders connections between adjacent ones, similar to the list view in Jigsaw. We then used the tool in a qualitative evaluation involving five social scientists whose feedback informed a second design phase that incorporated additional network metrics. Finally, we conducted a second qualitative evaluation with our social scientist collaborators that provided further insights on the utility of the PNLBs representation and the potential of visual analytics for mSNA.

  11. Economists, social scientists root for basic income in India | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2017-08-06

    Aug 6, 2017 ... Economists and social scientists made a strong pitch for reducing expenditures on ... Economists, social scientists root for basic income in India ... in terms of competing development priorities and limited availability of funds.

  12. Scientists' Ethical Obligations and Social Responsibility for Nanotechnology Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corley, Elizabeth A; Kim, Youngjae; Scheufele, Dietram A

    2016-02-01

    Scientists' sense of social responsibility is particularly relevant for emerging technologies. Since a regulatory vacuum can sometimes occur in the early stages of these technologies, individual scientists' social responsibility might be one of the most significant checks on the risks and negative consequences of this scientific research. In this article, we analyze data from a 2011 mail survey of leading U.S. nanoscientists to explore their perceptions the regarding social and ethical responsibilities for their nanotechnology research. Our analyses show that leading U.S. nanoscientists express a moderate level of social responsibility about their research. Yet, they have a strong sense of ethical obligation to protect laboratory workers (in both universities and industry) from unhealthy exposure to nanomaterials. We also find that there are significant differences in scientists' sense of social and ethical responsibility depending on their demographic characteristics, job affiliation, attention to media content, risk perceptions and benefit perceptions. We conclude with some implications for future research.

  13. Study of Citizen Scientist Motivations and Effectiveness of Social Media Campaigns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gugliucci, Nicole E.; Gay, P. L.; Bracey, G.; Lehan, C.; Lewis, S.; Moore, J.; Rhea, J.

    2013-01-01

    CosmoQuest is an online citizen science and astronomy education portal that invites users to explore the universe. Since its launch in January 2012, several thousand citizen scientists have participated in mapping and discovery projects involving the Moon, the Kuiper Belt, and asteroid Vesta. Since our goal is to support community building as well as involving users with citizen science tasks, we are interested in what motivates users to join the site, participate in the science, participate in the forums, and come back to the site over a period of time. We would also like to efficiently target our social media interactions towards activities that are more likely to bring new and existing users to the site. With those goals in mind, we analyze site usage statistics and correlate them with specific, targeted social media campaigns to highlight events or projects that CosmoQuest has hosted in its first year. We also survey our users to get a more detailed look at citizen scientist motivations and the efficacy of our community building activities.

  14. Intra-professional dynamics in translational health research: the perspective of social scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currie, Graeme; El Enany, Nellie; Lockett, Andy

    2014-08-01

    In contrast to previous studies, which focus upon the professional dynamics of translational health research between clinician scientists and social scientists (inter-professional contestation), we focus upon contestation within social science (intra-professional contestation). Drawing on the empirical context of Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) in England, we highlight that although social scientists accept subordination to clinician scientists, health services researchers attempt to enhance their position in translational health research vis-à-vis organisation scientists, whom they perceive as relative newcomers to the research domain. Health services researchers do so through privileging the practical impact of their research, compared to organisation scientists' orientation towards development of theory, which health services researchers argue is decoupled from any concern with healthcare improvement. The concern of health services researchers lies with maintaining existing patterns of resource allocation to support their research endeavours, working alongside clinician scientists, in translational health research. The response of organisation scientists is one that might be considered ambivalent, since, unlike health services researchers, they do not rely upon a close relationship with clinician scientists to carry out research, or more generally, garner resource. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Freedom to Tweet? Opportunities and Barriers for Federal Scientists on Social Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldman, G. T.; Bailin, D.; Rogerson, P.; Renaud, A.; Halpern, M.; Grifo, F.

    2013-12-01

    The recent explosion of social media represents a fundamental shift in how scientists can share their work with the world, and federal scientists are taking advantage of these new tools. A 2009 report by the Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council--an interagency forum on federal information-technology management convened under the E-Government Act of 2002--recommends that all federal agencies develop a social media policy to address security concerns and provide guidance to employees on how they should identify themselves in these venues. In response to this report, and to the changing media landscape in general, many federal agencies have since developed polices to clarify how their employees may engage in social media. But how effective are such policies for federal scientists? Past analysis has looked at agency social media policies with an eye on performance metrics or on security and privacy of government information. Here, we assess the policies from a different angle: Do they provide sufficient guidance to government scientists and other technical experts? Do they adequately guide employees in a way that promotes responsible use while also affording them the freedom to use these tools to share their work? And how do different agencies compare? We analyzed policies, conducted a survey of federal scientists, and utilized Freedom of Information Act requests to assess how well federal policies and practices provide guidance and freedom for federal scientists using social media at 17 federal agencies. We found that some agencies have very thorough policies and practices that clearly guide and encourage their employees' use of social media outlets; while others provide minimal to no guidance to their scientists or discourage use of these tools. From this analysis, we identify opportunities for communication of federal science on social media, as well as barriers currently inhibiting federal scientists from using these tools. Finally, we offer recommendations for

  16. Scientists in a Changed Institutional Environment: Subjective Adaptation and Social Responsibility Norms in Russia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerber, T P; Ball, D Y

    2008-06-05

    How do scientists react when the institutional setting in which they conduct their work changes radically? How do long-standing norms regarding the social responsibility of scientists fare? What factors influence whether scientists embrace or reject the new institutions and norms? We examine these questions using data from a unique survey of 602 scientists in Russia, whose science system experienced a sustained crisis and sweeping changes in science institutions following the collapse of the Soviet Union. We develop measures of how respondents view financing based on grants and other institutional changes in the Russian science system, as well as measures of two norms regarding scientists social responsibility. We find that the majority of scientists have adapted, in the sense that they hold positive views of the new institutions, but a diversity of orientations remains. Social responsibility norms are common among Russian scientists, but far from universal. The main correlates of adaptation are age and current success at negotiating the new institutions, though prospective success, work context, and ethnicity have some of the hypothesized associations. As for social responsibility norms, the main source of variation is age: younger scientists are more likely to embrace individualistic rather than socially-oriented norms.

  17. A critical evaluation of science outreach via social media: its role and impact on scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClain, Craig; Neeley, Liz

    2014-01-01

    The role of scientists in social media and its impact on their careers are not fully explored.  While policies and best practices are still fluid, it is concerning that discourse is often based on little to no data, and some arguments directly contradict the available data.  Here, we consider the relevant but subjective questions about science outreach via social media (SOSM), specifically: (1) Does a public relations nightmare exist for science?; (2) Why (or why aren't) scientists engaging in social media?; (3) Are scientists using social media well?; and (4) Will social media benefit a scientist's career? We call for the scientific community to create tangible plans that value, measure, and help manage scientists' social media engagement.

  18. Development Of The Social Interest Index

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greever, K. B.; And Others

    1973-01-01

    A Social Interest Index was developed to measure the level of social interest an individual has attained. Social interest was viewed as the willingness to contribute and cooperate within the areas of four life tasks (works, friendship, love, and self-significance). Findings relate the level of social interest to the variables of sex, socioeconomic…

  19. The effects of social identity threat and social identity affirmation on laypersons' perception of scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nauroth, Peter; Gollwitzer, Mario; Kozuchowski, Henrik; Bender, Jens; Rothmund, Tobias

    2017-10-01

    Public debates about socio-scientific issues (e.g. climate change or violent video games) are often accompanied by attacks on the reputation of the involved scientists. Drawing on the social identity approach, we report a minimal group experiment investigating the conditions under which scientists are perceived as non-prototypical, non-reputable, and incompetent. Results show that in-group affirming and threatening scientific findings (compared to a control condition) both alter laypersons' evaluations of the study: in-group affirming findings lead to more positive and in-group threatening findings to more negative evaluations. However, only in-group threatening findings alter laypersons' perceptions of the scientists who published the study: scientists were perceived as less prototypical, less reputable, and less competent when their research results imply a threat to participants' social identity compared to a non-threat condition. Our findings add to the literature on science reception research and have implications for understanding the public engagement with science.

  20. Social Scientists and Public Administration in the Lula Silva Government

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Celina D’Araujo

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available We focus here on a new theme among studies on the Social Sciences in Brazil, namely, the presence of social scientists in high-level office in the federal government, whether as directors or advisers. In general, studies on the social sciences in Brazil are devoted to examining the academic profile of their founders, the contents prioritized in the disciplines, processes of institutionalization and methodologies adopted, among other aspects. However, there has never been an examination of the place of the social scientist in the division of labour of the state bureaucracy, in the market and close to those in power. By means of empirical research, we have ascertained that individuals with this academic background have a notable presence in the Lula da Silva government (2003-2006; 2007- . Our hypothesis is that this presence cannot be explained chiefly by the specificity of the knowledge produced by this set of disciplines. Instead, one has to look at other variables, especially social scientists’ link with the public service.

  1. Nuclear waste management in Sweden: a challenge also for the social scientist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundqvist, G.; Soederberg, O.

    1991-01-01

    SKN (The National Board for Spent Nuclear Fuel) has since 1983 supported research in the social sciences in connection with the nuclear waste issue. The studies have among other things focused on: - public perception and public knowledge of the nuclear waste. - how risks in a long term perspective are perceived. - how the mass media has paid attention to the nuclear waste issue during the 1980s. These studies have been made by political scientists and psychologists. This paper includes an account for some of the more interesting results form this research. However, the paper starts with a discussion of the motives behind the decisions to support and use social science research in connection with the nuclear waste issue. In brief: Why is social science important? This question is relevant not only to the nuclear waste issue but also to many other questions which are dependent on research and technical skill, attract public concern, are politically controversial and require social regulations. Examples of this kind of questions which grow in importance in our modern technical society are: nuclear power, biotechniques, chemicals; computerization and many environmental problems. (au)

  2. Scientists, government, and nuclear power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katz, J.E.

    1982-01-01

    Scientists in less-developed countries (LDCs) that undertake nuclear programs become involved in political decisions on manpower and resource allocations that will preclude other options. Controversy over the adoption of sophisticated technology has put those who see science as the servant of society in conflict with those who see the pursuit of science as a social service. The role model which LDC scientists present in this issue has given them increasing power, which can be either in accord with or in conflict with the perceived national interest. 29 references

  3. Scientists in the public sphere: Interactions of scientists and journalists in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massarani, Luisa; Peters, Hans P

    2016-06-07

    In order to map scientists' views on media channels and explore their experiences interacting with journalists, the authors conducted a survey of about 1,000 Brazilian scientists. Results indicate that scientists have clear and high expectations about how journalists should act in reporting scientific information in the media, but such expectations, in their opinion, do not always seem to be met. Nonetheless, the results show that surveyed scientists rate their relation with the media positively: 67% say that having their research covered by media has a positive impact on their colleagues. One quarter of the respondents expressed that talking to the media can facilitate acquisition of more funds for research. Moreover, 38% of the total respondents believe that writing about an interesting topic for release on media channels can also facilitate research publication in a scientific journal. However, 15% of the respondents outright agree that research reported in the media beforehand can threaten acceptance for publication by a scientific journal. We hope that these results can foster some initiatives for improving awareness of the two cultures, scientists and journalists; increasing the access of journalists to Brazilian scientific endeavors; stimulating scientists to communicate with the public via social networks.

  4. Living with Internationalization: The Changing Face of the Academic Life of Chinese Social Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Meng

    2018-01-01

    Internationalization is an integral part of the strategies of leading Chinese universities to strive for world-class standing. It has left its marks on the academic life of China's social scientists. This article explores the impact of internationalization on the academic life of Chinese social scientists using Tsinghua University as an example.…

  5. Interests diffusion in social networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Agostino, Gregorio; D'Antonio, Fulvio; De Nicola, Antonio; Tucci, Salvatore

    2015-10-01

    We provide a model for diffusion of interests in Social Networks (SNs). We demonstrate that the topology of the SN plays a crucial role in the dynamics of the individual interests. Understanding cultural phenomena on SNs and exploiting the implicit knowledge about their members is attracting the interest of different research communities both from the academic and the business side. The community of complexity science is devoting significant efforts to define laws, models, and theories, which, based on acquired knowledge, are able to predict future observations (e.g. success of a product). In the mean time, the semantic web community aims at engineering a new generation of advanced services by defining constructs, models and methods, adding a semantic layer to SNs. In this context, a leapfrog is expected to come from a hybrid approach merging the disciplines above. Along this line, this work focuses on the propagation of individual interests in social networks. The proposed framework consists of the following main components: a method to gather information about the members of the social networks; methods to perform some semantic analysis of the Domain of Interest; a procedure to infer members' interests; and an interests evolution theory to predict how the interests propagate in the network. As a result, one achieves an analytic tool to measure individual features, such as members' susceptibilities and authorities. Although the approach applies to any type of social network, here it is has been tested against the computer science research community. The DBLP (Digital Bibliography and Library Project) database has been elected as test-case since it provides the most comprehensive list of scientific production in this field.

  6. Moving beyond the Lone Scientist: Helping 1st-Grade Students Appreciate the Social Context of Scientific Work Using Stories about Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharkawy, Azza

    2009-01-01

    While several studies have documented young children's (K-2) stereotypic views of scientists and scientific work, few have examined students' views of the social nature of scientific work and the strategies effective in broadening these views. The purpose of this study is to examine how stories about scientists influence 1st-grade students' views…

  7. Do Perceptions of Gifted Intelligence and Normal Intelligence Participants Differ about Social Science and Social Scientists?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selvi, Sezgin; Demir, Selçuk Besir

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study was conducted to compare the perceptions of students with gifted intelligence and students with those of normal intelligence about social science and social scientists. The data obtained from 23 gifted intelligent and 23 normal participants within the same age group was analysed using content analysis and results were…

  8. Social Scientists' Failure of Analytical Nerve: 'Africa Rising' from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-06-08

    Jun 8, 2014 ... 'human capital' accounting and the pricing of nature – as Payments for ... Burawoy (Figure 1) is not how most social scientists are being told to .... enough, if the new is made to look like the old, it gains the reassuring quality of being ..... modicum of internal domestic demand flawed by artificial characteristics.

  9. Search, access and dissemination of scientific information from scientists, social scientists and humanists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando César Lima Leite

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents results of study on the characteristics of search activities, access to and use of information, and dissemination habits of researchers from scientific research institutes. From the methodological point of view, it is a mixed methods study which adopted the concurrent triangulation strategy. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and checklist, and then submitted to statistical and text analysis. The research sphere was consisted of researchers linked to the research units of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the sample basis were the researchers of the Brazilian Centre for Physics Research (CBPF and Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (MAST. Among other aspects, the findings shows that the safeguarded their disciplinary differences, search, access and communication activities, regardless of the knowledge area, occurring mainly in the digital environment; communication habits are stimulated by motives common to scientists and social scientists and humanists, share knowledge and visibility are the main reasons for the dissemination of research results, physicists are naturally within the open access context.

  10. Scientists: Engage the Public!

    OpenAIRE

    Shugart, Erika C.; Racaniello, Vincent R.

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Scientists must communicate about science with public audiences to promote an understanding of complex issues that we face in our technologically advanced society. Some scientists may be concerned about a social stigma or ?Sagan effect? associated with participating in public communication. Recent research in the social sciences indicates that public communication by scientists is not a niche activity but is widely done and can be beneficial to a scientist?s career. There are a varie...

  11. Scientists as communicators: A randomized experiment to assess public reactions to scientists' social media communication along the science-advocacy continuum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotcher, J.; Vraga, E.; Myers, T.; Stenhouse, N.; Roser-Renouf, C.; Maibach, E.

    2014-12-01

    The question of what type of role scientists, or experts more generally, should play in policy debates is a perennial point of discussion within the scientific community. It is often thought that communication containing some form of policy advocacy is likely to compromise the perceived credibility of the individual scientist engaged in such behavior, with the possibility that it may also harm the credibility of the scientific community more broadly. Rather than evaluating statements in a binary fashion as representing either pure objectivity or pure advocacy, one recent model proposes that public communication by scientists should instead be thought of as falling along a continuum based upon the extent of normative judgment implicit in a statement. This approach predicts that as the extent of normative judgment increases, it poses a relatively greater risk to a scientist's perceived credibility. Though such a model is conceptually useful, little empirical social science research has systematically explored how individuals form judgments about different types of advocacy to examine common assumptions about the relative risks associated with such behaviors. In this presentation, we will report results from a national online experiment (N=1200) that examines audience responses to fictional social media posts written by either a climate scientist or a television weathercaster. Following the above model, the posts represent differing degrees of advocacy defined by the extent of normative judgment implicit in each statement. In instances where a specific policy is advocated, we examine whether participants' reactions are shaped by the extent to which the policy mentioned is congruent with one's political ideology. We hope this study will serve as an exemplar of applied science communication research that can begin to help inform scientists and other experts about the potential implications of different communication options they may choose from in deciding how to engage

  12. [Almost an autobiography: a study of social scientists in health based on the Lattes Curriculum].

    Science.gov (United States)

    do Nascimento, Juliana Luporini; Nunes, Everardo Duarte

    2014-04-01

    Among the various ways of adopting the biographical approach, we used the curriculum vitaes (CVs) of Brazilian researchers who work as social scientists in health as our research material. These CVs are part of the Lattes Platform of CNPq - the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, which includes Research and Institutional Directories. We analyzed 238 CVs for this study. The CVs contain, among other things, the following information: professional qualifications, activities and projects, academic production, participation in panels for the evaluation of theses and dissertations, research centers and laboratories and a summarized autobiography. In this work there is a brief review of the importance of autobiography for the social sciences, emphasizing the CV as a form of "autobiographical practice." We highlight some results, such as it being a group consisting predominantly of women, graduates in social sciences, anthropology, sociology or political science, with postgraduate degrees. The highest concentration of social scientists is located in Brazil's southern and southeastern regions. In some institutions the main activities of social scientists are as teachers and researchers with great thematic diversity in research.

  13. Communication Ambassadors-an Australian Social Media Initiative to Develop Communication Skills in Early Career Scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jack T H; Power, Cheryl J; Kahler, Charlene M; Lyras, Dena; Young, Paul R; Iredell, Jonathan; Robins-Browne, Roy

    2018-01-01

    Science communication is a skill set to be developed through ongoing interactions with different stakeholders across a variety of platforms. Opportunities to engage the general public are typically reserved for senior scientists, but the use of social media in science communication allows all scientists to instantaneously disseminate their findings and interact with online users. The Communication Ambassador program is a social media initiative launched by the Australian Society for Microbiology to expand the online presence and science communication portfolios of early-career scientists. Through their participation in the program, a rotating roster of Australian microbiologists have broadened the online reach of the Society's social media channels as well as their own professional networks by attending and live-tweeting microbiology events throughout the year. We present the Communication Ambassador program as a case study of coordinated social media activity in science communication to the general public, and describe the potential for its applications in science education and training.

  14. Brain network: social media and the cognitive scientist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stafford, Tom; Bell, Vaughan

    2012-10-01

    Cognitive scientists are increasingly using online social media, such as blogging and Twitter, to gather information and disseminate opinion, while linking to primary articles and data. Because of this, internet tools are driving a change in the scientific process, where communication is characterised by rapid scientific discussion, wider access to specialist debates, and increased cross-disciplinary interaction. This article serves as an introduction to and overview of this transformation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Introduction to applied Bayesian statistics and estimation for social scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Lynch, Scott M

    2007-01-01

    ""Introduction to Applied Bayesian Statistics and Estimation for Social Scientists"" covers the complete process of Bayesian statistical analysis in great detail from the development of a model through the process of making statistical inference. The key feature of this book is that it covers models that are most commonly used in social science research - including the linear regression model, generalized linear models, hierarchical models, and multivariate regression models - and it thoroughly develops each real-data example in painstaking detail.The first part of the book provides a detailed

  16. Using questions sent to an Ask-A-Scientist site to identify children's interests in science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet; Sethi, Ricky J.; Bry, Lynn; Yarden, Anat

    2006-11-01

    Interest is a powerful motivator; nonetheless, science educators often lack the necessary information to make use of the power of student-specific interests in the reform process of science curricula. This study suggests a novel methodology, which might be helpful in identifying such interests - using children's self-generated questions as an indication of their scientific interests. In this research, children's interests were measured by analyzing 1555 science-related questions submitted to an international Ask-A-Scientist Internet site. The analysis indicated that the popularity of certain topics varies with age and gender. Significant differences were found between children's spontaneous (intrinsically motivated) and school-related (extrinsically motivated) interests. Surprisingly, girls contributed most of the questions to the sample; however, the number of American girls dropped upon entering senior high school. We also found significant differences between girls' and boys' interests, with girls generally preferring biological topics. The two genders kept to their stereotypic fields of interest, in both their school-related and spontaneous questions. Children's science interests, as inferred from questions to Web sites, could ultimately inform classroom science teaching. This methodology extends the context in which children's interests can be investigated.

  17. To the Top. Micropolitics of Career Planning of Social Scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jo Reichertz

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Science is a peculiar field of profession—with changing features depending on changing values and the role of media. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the current development in the field of German social scientists concerning the new conception of raising German higher education and science to the international standard. The introduction of associate professorship (Junior Professor, the standardization of departments at universities and the new way of distributing resources include only a few of the important factors that contribute in changing the values in science. As a result promising young scientists need to put much more scientific effort and much more micropolitics to work their way up and to get to the top. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0402165

  18. Facebook and Edublogs and Twitter, Oh My! Using Social Media to Connect Scientists to the Public

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobabe-Ammann, E.; Stockman, S. A.; Wood, E. L.

    2008-12-01

    Social media is changing the way that the public receives and responds to news and information. By integrating technology, social interaction and the construction of words and pictures, social media creates multidirectional communication pathways that allow people to directly interact with the purveyors of information. Social media forums (e.g., Edublogs, Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter) are increasingly used by scientists and science programs to directly connect with the public, eliminating the "filter" of the news media. This creates both opportunities and challenges for scientists wanting to make sure that accurate information is reaching their audience. Here we talk about how NASA missions and programs have been using social media as an outreach tool and how social media can be used to bring authentic science to the public.

  19. What do computer scientists tweet? Analyzing the link-sharing practice on Twitter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Schmitt

    Full Text Available Twitter communication has permeated every sphere of society. To highlight and share small pieces of information with possibly vast audiences or small circles of the interested has some value in almost any aspect of social life. But what is the value exactly for a scientific field? We perform a comprehensive study of computer scientists using Twitter and their tweeting behavior concerning the sharing of web links. Discerning the domains, hosts and individual web pages being tweeted and the differences between computer scientists and a Twitter sample enables us to look in depth at the Twitter-based information sharing practices of a scientific community. Additionally, we aim at providing a deeper understanding of the role and impact of altmetrics in computer science and give a glance at the publications mentioned on Twitter that are most relevant for the computer science community. Our results show a link sharing culture that concentrates more heavily on public and professional quality information than the Twitter sample does. The results also show a broad variety in linked sources and especially in linked publications with some publications clearly related to community-specific interests of computer scientists, while others with a strong relation to attention mechanisms in social media. This refers to the observation that Twitter is a hybrid form of social media between an information service and a social network service. Overall the computer scientists' style of usage seems to be more on the information-oriented side and to some degree also on professional usage. Therefore, altmetrics are of considerable use in analyzing computer science.

  20. What do computer scientists tweet? Analyzing the link-sharing practice on Twitter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, Marco; Jäschke, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Twitter communication has permeated every sphere of society. To highlight and share small pieces of information with possibly vast audiences or small circles of the interested has some value in almost any aspect of social life. But what is the value exactly for a scientific field? We perform a comprehensive study of computer scientists using Twitter and their tweeting behavior concerning the sharing of web links. Discerning the domains, hosts and individual web pages being tweeted and the differences between computer scientists and a Twitter sample enables us to look in depth at the Twitter-based information sharing practices of a scientific community. Additionally, we aim at providing a deeper understanding of the role and impact of altmetrics in computer science and give a glance at the publications mentioned on Twitter that are most relevant for the computer science community. Our results show a link sharing culture that concentrates more heavily on public and professional quality information than the Twitter sample does. The results also show a broad variety in linked sources and especially in linked publications with some publications clearly related to community-specific interests of computer scientists, while others with a strong relation to attention mechanisms in social media. This refers to the observation that Twitter is a hybrid form of social media between an information service and a social network service. Overall the computer scientists' style of usage seems to be more on the information-oriented side and to some degree also on professional usage. Therefore, altmetrics are of considerable use in analyzing computer science.

  1. Exploring intentions of physician-scientist trainees: factors influencing MD and MD/PhD interest in research careers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwan, Jennifer M; Daye, Dania; Schmidt, Mary Lou; Conlon, Claudia Morrissey; Kim, Hajwa; Gaonkar, Bilwaj; Payne, Aimee S; Riddle, Megan; Madera, Sharline; Adami, Alexander J; Winter, Kate Quinn

    2017-07-11

    Prior studies have described the career paths of physician-scientist candidates after graduation, but the factors that influence career choices at the candidate stage remain unclear. Additionally, previous work has focused on MD/PhDs, despite many physician-scientists being MDs. This study sought to identify career sector intentions, important factors in career selection, and experienced and predicted obstacles to career success that influence the career choices of MD candidates, MD candidates with research-intense career intentions (MD-RI), and MD/PhD candidates. A 70-question survey was administered to students at 5 academic medical centers with Medical Scientist Training Programs (MSTPs) and Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) from the NIH. Data were analyzed using bivariate or multivariate analyses. More MD/PhD and MD-RI candidates anticipated or had experienced obstacles related to balancing academic and family responsibilities and to balancing clinical, research, and education responsibilities, whereas more MD candidates indicated experienced and predicted obstacles related to loan repayment. MD/PhD candidates expressed higher interest in basic and translational research compared to MD-RI candidates, who indicated more interest in clinical research. Overall, MD-RI candidates displayed a profile distinct from both MD/PhD and MD candidates. MD/PhD and MD-RI candidates experience obstacles that influence their intentions to pursue academic medical careers from the earliest training stage, obstacles which differ from those of their MD peers. The differences between the aspirations of and challenges facing MD, MD-RI and MD/PhD candidates present opportunities for training programs to target curricula and support services to ensure the career development of successful physician-scientists.

  2. Characterizing a scientific elite: the social characteristics of the most highly cited scientists in environmental science and ecology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, John N; Lortie, Christopher; Allesina, Stefano

    2010-10-01

    In science, a relatively small pool of researchers garners a disproportionally large number of citations. Still, very little is known about the social characteristics of highly cited scientists. This is unfortunate as these researchers wield a disproportional impact on their fields, and the study of highly cited scientists can enhance our understanding of the conditions which foster highly cited work, the systematic social inequalities which exist in science, and scientific careers more generally. This study provides information on this understudied subject by examining the social characteristics and opinions of the 0.1% most cited environmental scientists and ecologists. Overall, the social characteristics of these researchers tend to reflect broader patterns of inequality in the global scientific community. However, while the social characteristics of these researchers mirror those of other scientific elites in important ways, they differ in others, revealing findings which are both novel and surprising, perhaps indicating multiple pathways to becoming highly cited.

  3. The Internet: A productive research environment for social scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tulbure, B.T.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the first web-studies in 1995, scientists have investigated the major issues regarding the new Internet based research methods, study designs and on-line data collection techniques. New software programs and manuals make it easy for newcomers to implement simple experimental procedures in cyberspace. Despite their limits, most researchers consider the advantages of Internet research as greater comparing with their disadvantages. The Internet has changed the major aspects of social sciences – from how researchers communicate to how they publish their studies.

  4. Scientists not Sponges: STEM Interest and Inquiry in Early Childhood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jipson, J. L.; Callanan, M. A.; Schultz, G.; Hurst, A.

    2014-07-01

    Young children are fascinated by the natural world. They explore endlessly, with both a sense of wonder and determination, usually in self-directed investigations or informal interactions with peers and adults. Capitalizing on this early period of spontaneous interest and inquiry is critical to efforts to promote lifelong STEM literacy. To inform education and public outreach efforts, it is important to consider common assumptions about how children of this age learn and consider how such assumptions influence the ways we support children's learning. Four metaphors for children learning are investigated in this paper: the young child as sponge, the young child as unlit match, the young child as scientist, and the young child as apprentice. As we critically evaluate these views on learning, we share research findings from developmental psychology that demonstrate that children's engagement with STEM begins well before kindergarten, that children between three and five years of age develop surprisingly sophisticated scientific reasoning capacities and conceptual knowledge, and that parents play an important role in structuring and supporting preschool children's learning.

  5. Social Workers’ Interest in Building Individuals’ Financial Capabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gina A. N. Chowa

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Social workers have many opportunities to integrate a focus on personal finance into their practice with mostly lower-income and vulnerable client populations. However, little is known about social workers’ interest in personal finance. Results of a survey of social workers (N = 56 interested in integrating personal finance content into their practice are reported in this paper. Ways in which social workers might further develop knowledge and skills in personal finance are discussed. Professional perspectives that social workers may lend to inform financial education and counseling and the emerging field of financial therapy are also explored. Social workers can offer an understanding of the environmental risks that affect the financial health of low-income individuals and families and resources that can help build financial capability.

  6. SHMF: Interest Prediction Model with Social Hub Matrix Factorization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaoyuan Cui

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available With the development of social networks, microblog has become the major social communication tool. There is a lot of valuable information such as personal preference, public opinion, and marketing in microblog. Consequently, research on user interest prediction in microblog has a positive practical significance. In fact, how to extract information associated with user interest orientation from the constantly updated blog posts is not so easy. Existing prediction approaches based on probabilistic factor analysis use blog posts published by user to predict user interest. However, these methods are not very effective for the users who post less but browse more. In this paper, we propose a new prediction model, which is called SHMF, using social hub matrix factorization. SHMF constructs the interest prediction model by combining the information of blogs posts published by both user and direct neighbors in user’s social hub. Our proposed model predicts user interest by integrating user’s historical behavior and temporal factor as well as user’s friendships, thus achieving accurate forecasts of user’s future interests. The experimental results on Sina Weibo show the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed model.

  7. More appropriate information systems and services for the social scientist: time to put our findings to work

    OpenAIRE

    Hunsucker, R.L.

    2007-01-01

    A review of: Line, Maurice B. "The Information Uses and Needs of Social Scientists: An Overview of INFROSS." Aslib Proceedings 23.8 (1971): 412-34. Rpt. in Lines of Thought: Selected Papers. Ed. L.J. Anthony. London: Bingley, 1988. 45-66. Objective - The study reported in this article was conceived in order to answer a question of very large scope: What are the information systems and services requirements of social scientists? Inherent in this question was the correlative question: How do so...

  8. The Next Generation of Scientists: Examining the Experiences of Graduate Students in Network-Level Social-Ecological Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Romolini

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available By integrating the research and resources of hundreds of scientists from dozens of institutions, network-level science is fast becoming one scientific model of choice to address complex problems. In the pursuit to confront pressing environmental issues such as climate change, many scientists, practitioners, policy makers, and institutions are promoting network-level research that integrates the social and ecological sciences. To understand how this scientific trend is unfolding among rising scientists, we examined how graduate students experienced one such emergent social-ecological research initiative, Integrated Science for Society and Environment, within the large-scale, geographically distributed Long Term Ecological Research (LTER Network. Through workshops, surveys, and interviews, we found that graduate students faced challenges in how they conceptualized and practiced social-ecological research within the LTER Network. We have presented these conceptual challenges at three scales: the individual/project, the LTER site, and the LTER Network. The level of student engagement with and knowledge of the LTER Network was varied, and students faced different institutional, cultural, and logistic barriers to practicing social-ecological research. These types of challenges are unlikely to be unique to LTER graduate students; thus, our findings are relevant to other scientific networks implementing new social-ecological research initiatives.

  9. Preschool Children's Interest, Social-Emotional Skills, and Emergent Mathematics Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doctoroff, Greta L.; Fisher, Paige H.; Burrows, Bethany M.; Edman, Maria Tsepilovan

    2016-01-01

    This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between interest, social-emotional skills, and early math skills in preschool children. Math-specific interest and global interest in learning were measured using teacher report and a play-based observation task. Math skills were assessed with a test of math achievement, and social-emotional…

  10. Correlates of Student Interest in Social Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenske, Robert H.; Carmody, James F.

    This study assessed the degree of intellectual interest or involvement which a national sample of 5,623 seniors in 65 colleges and universities has in eight contemporary social issues. Also examined were the relationships of some commonly studied educational variables to this interest. Questionnaire items pertained to the students' evaluation of…

  11. When do scientists become entrepreneurs? The social structural antecedents of commercial activity in the academic life sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuart, Toby E; Ding, Waverly W

    2006-07-01

    The authors examine the conditions prompting university-employed life scientists to become entrepreneurs, defined to occur when a scientist (1) founds a biotechnology company, or (2) joins the scientific advisory board of a new biotechnology firm. This study draws on theories of social influence, socialization, and status dynamics to examine how proximity to colleagues in commercial science influences individuals' propensity to transition to entrepreneurship. To expose the mechanisms at work, this study also assesses how proximity effects change over time as for-profit science diffuses through the academy. Using adjusted proportional hazards models to analyze case-cohort data, the authors find evidence that the orientation toward commercial science of individuals' colleagues and coauthors, as well as a number of other workplace attributes, significantly influences scientists' hazards of transitioning to for-profit science.

  12. A Factor Analysis of The Social Interest Index--Revised.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarski, John J.; And Others

    1983-01-01

    Factor analyzed the Social Interest Index-Revised (SII-R), which measures levels of social interest attained in each of four life task areas. Four factors (N=308) were defined, i.e., a self-significance factor, a love factor, a friendship factor, and a work factor. Results support the empirical validity of the scale. (Author/PAS)

  13. Science and Its Images--Promise and Threat: From Classic Literature to Contemporary Students' Images of Science and "The Scientist"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koren, Pazit; Bar, Varda

    2009-01-01

    The physical and social image of the scientist among school children, student teachers, and teachers over the last 50 years was investigated. Interest has also been shown in the perception of the personality behind the physical stereotype. Nevertheless, the value judgments of science and scientists and the positive and negative mind-sets attaching…

  14. Visualising Migration and Social Division: Insights From Social Sciences and the Visual Arts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Ball

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available In recent years a growing number of social scientists have taken an interest in "the visual". These scholars have utilised and developed a wide range of different visual methodologies. The number of social scientists employing visual methodologies has grown to a point where there are now critical masses of scholars working on particular topics. Alongside this a number of practitioners working in visual arts have taken an interest in the issue of migration. This FQS special issue is devoted to the use of visual methodologies to explore the particular topic of migration and social division. In this introductory article the editors provide a brief introduction to research on "the visual" and research on migration and social division. We then go on to explore what the use of visual methodologies might contribute to research on migration and social division. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1002265

  15. What sparks interest in science? A naturalistic inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Julie Kay Cropper

    This study examined how career scientists became interested in science. Eight practicing scientists were asked a focus question, "What sparked your interest in science?" Their responses recorded during personal interviews and reported in correspondence frame this qualitative study. Analysis of the data revealed a variety of influences. The influences were coded, arranged into lists, and grouped by theme. A total of 18 themes emerged from the data. Five of the emerging themes were common across all of the participants. They were the influence of a family member, the influence of a teacher, being naturally curious, being interested in science, and reading books, magazines, and/or encyclopedias. Five themes were common among 5 to 7 participants. These themes included visiting museums, having broad exposure, enjoyment of mathematics, enjoying being outside, and freedom to play and explore. Eight themes were common among 2 to 4 of the participants. They were financial incentive, influence of religion, participation in science fairs, influence of the manned space program, having a scientist in the family, having the opportunity to teach others, not seeing self as a scientist, and first generation college graduate. The emerging themes were compared and contrasted with historical and contemporary literature. Vocational psychology's leading career choice and development literature was also aligned with the emerging themes. Data from this study supports tenets of Trait and Factor Theory, Developmental Theory, and Social Learning Theory. Reported data also supports the proposed movement toward a unified theory of career choice and development. A combination of personality traits, developmental stages, self-efficacy, and learning experiences influenced the vocational decisions of the scientists who participated in this study. The study concludes with suggestions for sparking and sustaining interest in science that people responsible for preparing future scientists may find

  16. Understanding Social Cohesion Differences in Common Interest Housing Developments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dam, van R.I.; Eshuis, J.; Twist, van M.J.W.; Anquetil, V.

    2014-01-01

    The worldwide upsurge of common interest housing developments (CIDs) has stirred up debates regarding community development and social cohesion. Critics have argued that CIDs lack social cohesion because people regulate the community via rules and contracts rather than through social relationships

  17. Emotional Intelligence and Social Interest : are they related constructs?

    OpenAIRE

    Chamarro Lusar, Andrés

    2012-01-01

    In the last 15 years, a new psychological construct has emerged in the field of psychology: Emotional Intelligence. Some models of Emotional Intelligence bear ressemblence with aspects of one of the core constructs of Adlerian Psychology: Social Interest. The authors investigated, if both constructs are also empirically related and which is their capacity to predict psychiatric symptoms and antisocial behavior. Results indicate that Social Interest and Emotional Intelligence are empirically d...

  18. Developing "Emancipatory Interest": Learning to Create Social Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caspersz, Donella; Olaru, Doina

    2014-01-01

    Developing an emancipatory interest enables individuals to free themselves from the intersubjective or commonly held meanings that dominate their understanding of their current world, and subsequently change their practices. We argue that developing an emancipatory interest is critical in learning to create social change, that is, wanting to…

  19. Impact of a Scientist-Teacher Collaborative Model on Students, Teachers, and Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shein, Paichi Pat; Tsai, Chun-Yen

    2015-09-01

    Collaborations between the K-12 teachers and higher education or professional scientists have become a widespread approach to science education reform. Educational funding and efforts have been invested to establish these cross-institutional collaborations in many countries. Since 2006, Taiwan initiated the High Scope Program, a high school science curriculum reform to promote scientific innovation and inquiry through an integration of advanced science and technology in high school science curricula through partnership between high school teachers and higher education scientists and science educators. This study, as part of this governmental effort, a scientist-teacher collaborative model (STCM) was constructed by 8 scientists and 4 teachers to drive an 18-week high school science curriculum reform on environmental education in a public high school. Partnerships between scientists and teachers offer opportunities to strengthen the elements of effective science teaching identified by Shulman and ultimately affect students' learning. Mixed methods research was used for this study. Qualitative methods of interviews were used to understand the impact on the teachers' and scientists' science teaching. A quasi-experimental design was used to understand the impact on students' scientific competency and scientific interest. The findings in this study suggest that the use of the STCM had a medium effect on students' scientific competency and a large effect on students' scientific individual and situational interests. In the interviews, the teachers indicated how the STCM allowed them to improve their content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and the scientists indicated an increased knowledge of learners, knowledge of curriculum, and PCK.

  20. Confined to a tokenistic status: Social scientists in leadership roles in a national health research funding agency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, Mathieu; Laberge, Suzanne

    2017-07-01

    The idea of interdisciplinarity has been taken up by academic and governmental organisations around the world and enacted through science policies, funding programs and higher education institutions. In Canada, interdisciplinarity led to a major transformation in health research funding. In 2000, the federal government closed the Medical Research Council (MRC) and created the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). From the outset, CIHR's vision and goals were innovative, as it sought to include the social sciences within its purview alongside more traditional health research sectors. The extent to which it has been successful in this endeavour, however, remains unknown. The aim of our study was to examine how CIHR's intentions to foster inclusiveness and cooperation across disciplines were implemented in the agency's own organisational structure. We focused on social scientists' representation on committees and among decision-makers between 2000 and 2015, one of the key mandates of CIHR being to include the social sciences within its remit and support research in this area. We examined the composition of the Governing Council, the Institute Scientific Directors, the Chairs of the College of Reviewers, and two International Review Panels invited by CIHR. We targeted these committees and decision-makers since they hold the power to influence the field of Canadian health research through the decisions they make. Our findings show that, while CIHR was created with the mandate to support the entire spectrum of health-related research-including the social sciences-this call for inclusiveness has not yet been materialized in the agency's organisational structure. Social scientists, as well as researchers from neighbouring disciplines such as social epidemiology, health promotion and the humanities, are still confined to low levels of representation within CIHR's highest echelons. This imbalance limits social scientists' input into health research in Canada and

  1. A systematic identification and analysis of scientists on Twitter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Ke

    Full Text Available Metrics derived from Twitter and other social media-often referred to as altmetrics-are increasingly used to estimate the broader social impacts of scholarship. Such efforts, however, may produce highly misleading results, as the entities that participate in conversations about science on these platforms are largely unknown. For instance, if altmetric activities are generated mainly by scientists, does it really capture broader social impacts of science? Here we present a systematic approach to identifying and analyzing scientists on Twitter. Our method can identify scientists across many disciplines, without relying on external bibliographic data, and be easily adapted to identify other stakeholder groups in science. We investigate the demographics, sharing behaviors, and interconnectivity of the identified scientists. We find that Twitter has been employed by scholars across the disciplinary spectrum, with an over-representation of social and computer and information scientists; under-representation of mathematical, physical, and life scientists; and a better representation of women compared to scholarly publishing. Analysis of the sharing of URLs reveals a distinct imprint of scholarly sites, yet only a small fraction of shared URLs are science-related. We find an assortative mixing with respect to disciplines in the networks between scientists, suggesting the maintenance of disciplinary walls in social media. Our work contributes to the literature both methodologically and conceptually-we provide new methods for disambiguating and identifying particular actors on social media and describing the behaviors of scientists, thus providing foundational information for the construction and use of indicators on the basis of social media metrics.

  2. A systematic identification and analysis of scientists on Twitter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ke, Qing; Ahn, Yong-Yeol; Sugimoto, Cassidy R.

    2017-01-01

    Metrics derived from Twitter and other social media—often referred to as altmetrics—are increasingly used to estimate the broader social impacts of scholarship. Such efforts, however, may produce highly misleading results, as the entities that participate in conversations about science on these platforms are largely unknown. For instance, if altmetric activities are generated mainly by scientists, does it really capture broader social impacts of science? Here we present a systematic approach to identifying and analyzing scientists on Twitter. Our method can identify scientists across many disciplines, without relying on external bibliographic data, and be easily adapted to identify other stakeholder groups in science. We investigate the demographics, sharing behaviors, and interconnectivity of the identified scientists. We find that Twitter has been employed by scholars across the disciplinary spectrum, with an over-representation of social and computer and information scientists; under-representation of mathematical, physical, and life scientists; and a better representation of women compared to scholarly publishing. Analysis of the sharing of URLs reveals a distinct imprint of scholarly sites, yet only a small fraction of shared URLs are science-related. We find an assortative mixing with respect to disciplines in the networks between scientists, suggesting the maintenance of disciplinary walls in social media. Our work contributes to the literature both methodologically and conceptually—we provide new methods for disambiguating and identifying particular actors on social media and describing the behaviors of scientists, thus providing foundational information for the construction and use of indicators on the basis of social media metrics. PMID:28399145

  3. `Hard science': a career option for socially and societally interested students? Grade 12 students' vocational interest gap explored

    Science.gov (United States)

    Struyf, Annemie; Boeve-de Pauw, Jelle; Van Petegem, Peter

    2017-11-01

    A key theme in science education research concerns the decline in young peoples' interest in science and the need for professionals in hard science. Goal Congruity Theory posits that an important aspect of the decision whether to pursue hard science for study or as a career is the perception that hard science careers do not fulfil social (working with people) and societal (serving or helping others) interests. In this qualitative study, we explore grade 12 students' perceptions about the social and societal orientation of hard science careers. Furthermore, we investigate the variation in students' social and societal interests. Six focus groups were conducted with 58 grade 12 students in Flanders. Our results indicate that a number of students hold stereotypical views about hard science careers' social orientation, while others believe cooperation with others is an important aspect of hard science careers nowadays. Furthermore, our results show that students believe hard science careers can be societally oriented in the sense that they often associate them with innovation or societal progress. Finally, our results indicate that students may differentiate direct versus indirect societal orientation. These findings contribute to literature regarding social and societal interests and students' perceptions of hard science careers.

  4. Profile Building, Research Sharing and Data Proliferation using Social Media Tools for Scientists (RTI presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Many of us nowadays invest significant amounts of time in sharing our activities and opinions with friends and family via social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter or other related websites. However, despite the availability of many platforms for scientists to connect and...

  5. Robust Scientists

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gorm Hansen, Birgitte

    their core i nterests, 2) developing a selfsupply of industry interests by becoming entrepreneurs and thus creating their own compliant industry partner and 3) balancing resources within a larger collective of researchers, thus countering changes in the influx of funding caused by shifts in political...... knowledge", Danish research policy seems to have helped develop politically and economically "robust scientists". Scientific robustness is acquired by way of three strategies: 1) tasting and discriminating between resources so as to avoid funding that erodes academic profiles and push scientists away from...

  6. Media and the making of scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keeffe, Moira

    This dissertation explores how scientists and science students respond to fictional, visual media about science. I consider how scientists think about images of science in relation to their own career paths from childhood onwards. I am especially interested in the possibility that entertainment media can inspire young people to learn about science. Such inspiration is badly needed, as schools are failing to provide it. Science education in the United States is in a state of crisis. Studies repeatedly find low levels of science literacy in the U.S. This bleak situation exists during a boom in the popularity of science-oriented television shows and science fiction movies. How might entertainment media play a role in helping young people engage with science? To grapple with these questions, I interviewed a total of fifty scientists and students interested in science careers, representing a variety of scientific fields and demographic backgrounds, and with varying levels of interest in science fiction. Most respondents described becoming attracted to the sciences at a young age, and many were able to identify specific sources for this interest. The fact that interest in the sciences begins early in life, demonstrates a potentially important role for fictional media in the process of inspiration, perhaps especially for children without access to real-life scientists. One key aspect to the appeal of fiction about science is how scientists are portrayed as characters. Scientists from groups traditionally under-represented in the sciences often sought out fictional characters with whom they could identify, and viewers from all backgrounds preferred well-rounded characters to the extreme stereotypes of mad or dorky scientists. Genre is another aspect of appeal. Some respondents identified a specific role for science fiction: conveying a sense of wonder. Visual media introduce viewers to the beauty of science. Special effects, in particular, allow viewers to explore the

  7. Helping Young People Engage with Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leggett, Maggie; Sykes, Kathy

    2014-01-01

    There can be multiple benefits of scientists engaging with young people, including motivation and inspiration for all involved. But there are risks, particularly if scientists do not consider the interests and needs of young people or listen to what they have to say. We argue that "dialogue" between scientists, young people and teachers…

  8. Rumor Diffusion in an Interests-Based Dynamic Social Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingsheng Tang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available To research rumor diffusion in social friend network, based on interests, a dynamic friend network is proposed, which has the characteristics of clustering and community, and a diffusion model is also proposed. With this friend network and rumor diffusion model, based on the zombie-city model, some simulation experiments to analyze the characteristics of rumor diffusion in social friend networks have been conducted. The results show some interesting observations: (1 positive information may evolve to become a rumor through the diffusion process that people may modify the information by word of mouth; (2 with the same average degree, a random social network has a smaller clustering coefficient and is more beneficial for rumor diffusion than the dynamic friend network; (3 a rumor is spread more widely in a social network with a smaller global clustering coefficient than in a social network with a larger global clustering coefficient; and (4 a network with a smaller clustering coefficient has a larger efficiency.

  9. Reflections on the social responsibility of scientists: Before and after the Russell-Einstein Manifesto

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toyoda, Toshiyuki

    1997-01-01

    A series of actions undertaken by scientists concerned with their social responsibilities in the field of nuclear research and development are cited. Sadly, despite extraordinary efforts of those who tried to enlighten the general public, the world moved inexorably towards the fierce nuclear arms race. As a conclusion of the attitude of japanese scientists, the statement of the Kyoto Conference of Scientists issued in 1962 is cited: 'As the country which has experienced the disastrous effects of nuclear weapons, and which openly renounced war in its constitution, Japanese in a position to make a special contribution to word peace. We are convinced today, when the danger of the destruction of the human race by nuclear warfare is growing ever more serious, Article 9 of the japanese Constitution has a new significance, even greater than when the Constitution was first adopted. At the same time, we wish to emphasize once again our own responsibility for the maintenance of peace'

  10. Scientist's Perceptions of Uncertainty During Discussions of Global Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanello, S.; Fortner, R.; Dervin, B.

    2003-04-01

    This research examines the nature of disagreements between natural and social scientists during discussions of global climate change. In particular, it explores whether the disagreements between natural and social scientists are related to the ontological, epistemological, or methodological nature of the uncertainty of global climate change during these discussions. A purposeful sample of 30 natural and social scientists recognized as experts in global climate change by the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and National Academies Committee on Global Change were interviewed to elicit their perceptions of disagreements during their three most troublesome discussions on global climate change. A mixed-method (qualitative plus quantitative research) approach with three independent variables was used to explore nature of uncertainty as a mediating variable in the relationships between academic training, level of sureness, level of knowledge, and position on global climate change, and the nature of disagreements and bridging strategies of natural and social scientists (Patton, 1997; Frechtling et al., 1997). This dissertation posits that it is the differences in the nature of uncertainty communicated by natural and social scientists and not sureness, knowledge, and position on global climate change that causes disagreements between the groups. By describing the nature of disagreements between natural and social scientists and illuminating bridging techniques scientists use during these disagreements, it is hoped that information collected from this research will create a better dialogue between the scientists studying global climate change by providing communication strategies which will allow those versed in one particular area to speak to non-experts whether they be other scientists, media officials, or the public. These tangible strategies can then be used by government agencies to create better communications and education plans, which can

  11. Adler's Concept of Social Interest: Theory, Measurement, and Implications for Adjustment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crandall, James E.

    1980-01-01

    Describes the development and validation of a new, short measure of social interest and examines its relations to a variety of measures of adjustment and psychological well-being. Also summarizes the meaning of Adler's concept of social interest and his theorizing concerning its influence on adjustment. (Author/SS)

  12. Inequality in the Scientific Community: The Effects of Cumulative Advantage among Social Scientists and Humanities Scholars in Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Keuntae; Kim, Jong-Kil

    2017-01-01

    The primary goal of this paper is to provide a balanced perspective for understanding inequality in research productivity among Korean scholars in humanities and social sciences. Specifically, we examine cumulative advantage over the careers of a sample of Korean social scientists and humanities scholars (N = 8933). Descriptive analyses indicated…

  13. Listening to postdoctoral scientists narratives of mobility, gender and social life

    CERN Document Server

    Schmidt, Sabine Lorenz

    2013-01-01

    This report focusses on the experiences of postdoctoral scientists at ESS Lund/Sweden. Gender relations, academic mobility, professional identity, social life and a question on suggestions for organisational improvement of their work environment and gender equality were among the themes approached with the informants. Postdocs are at a decisive career juncture having completed a long academic training period and having been introduced to the work culture and the unspoken rules of their discipline. The sciences are a male dominated work culture and still struggle with a gender imbalance. In this report we are especially focusing on gender aspects.

  14. Human uniqueness-self-interest and social cooperation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okada, Daijiro; Bingham, Paul M

    2008-07-21

    Humans are unique among all species of terrestrial history in both ecological dominance and individual properties. Many, or perhaps all, of the unique elements of this nonpareil status can be plausibly interpreted as evolutionary and strategic elements and consequences of the unprecedented intensity and scale of our social cooperation. Convincing explanation of this unique human social adaptation remains a central, unmet challenge to the scientific enterprise. We develop a hypothesis for the ancestral origin of expanded cooperative social behavior. Specifically, we present a game theoretic analysis demonstrating that a specific pattern of expanded social cooperation between conspecific individuals with conflicts of interest (including non-kin) can be strategically viable, but only in animals that possess a highly unusual capacity for conspecific violence (credible threat) having very specific properties that dramatically reduce the costs of coercive violence. The resulting reduced costs allow preemptive or compensated coercion to be an instantaneously self-interested behavior under diverse circumstances rather than in rare, idiosyncratic circumstances as in actors (animals) who do not have access to inexpensive coercive threat. Humans are apparently unique among terrestrial organisms in having evolved conspecific coercive capabilities that fulfill these stringent requirements. Thus, our results support the proposal that access to a novel capacity for projection of coercive threat might represent the essential initiating event for the evolution of a human-like pattern of social cooperation and the subsequent evolution of the diverse features of human uniqueness. Empirical evidence indicates that these constraints were, in fact, met only in our evolutionary lineage. The logic for the emergence of uniquely human cooperation suggested by our analysis apparently accounts simply for the human fossil record.

  15. Scientists in an alternative vision of a globalized world

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erzan, Ayse

    2008-03-01

    Why should ``increasing the visibility of scientists in emergent countries'' be of interest? Can increasing the relevance and connectedness of scientific output, both to technological applications at home and cutting edge basic research abroad contribute to the general welfare in such countries? For this to happen, governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations must provide incentives for the local industry to help fund and actively engage in the creation of new technologies, rather than settling for the solution of well understood engineering problems under the rubric of collaboration between scientists and industry. However, the trajectory of the highly industrialized countries cannot be retraced. Globalization facilitates closer interaction and collaboration between scientists but also deepens the contrasts between the center and the periphery, both world wide and within national borders; as it is understood today, it can lead to the redundancy of local technology oriented research, as the idea of a ``local industry'' is rapidly made obsolete. Scientists from all over the world are sucked into the vortex as both the economic and the cultural world increasingly revolve around a single axis. The challenge is to redefine our terms of reference under these rapidly changing boundary conditions and help bring human needs, human security and human happiness to the fore in elaborating and forging alternative visions of a globalized world. Both natural scientists and social scientists will be indispensable in such an endeavor.

  16. Social Cognitive Predictors of Interest in Research Among Life Sciences Academics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawitri, Dian R.; Nurtjahjanti, Harlina; Prasetyo, Anggun R.

    2018-02-01

    Research interest is the degree to which an individual is interested in conducting research-related activities. Nowadays, Indonesian higher education academics are expected to be research productive, especially those in life sciences. However, what predicts interest in research among life sciences academics is rarely known. We surveyed 240 life sciences academics (64.6% female, mean age = 31.91 years) from several higher degree institutions in Indonesia, using interest in research, research self-efficacy, and research outcome expectations questionnaires. We used social cognitive career theory which proposes that individual’s interests are the results of the interaction between one’s self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations overtime. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that research self-efficacy was directly and indirectly associated with interest in research via research outcome expectations. Understanding the social cognitive predictors of interest in research contributes to an understanding of the associations between research self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest in research. Recommendations for life sciences academics, faculties, and higher education institutions are discussed.

  17. Political Socialization and Political Interest: The Role of School Reassessed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koskimaa, Vesa; Rapeli, Lauri

    2015-01-01

    There is a growing concern about the lack of political interest and engagement among Western youth. This has led to a revival of political socialization studies. One recent finding is that (late) adolescence is key to understanding the development of interest for politics. This study builds on this finding by examining political interest among…

  18. Frontier Scientists use Modern Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'connell, E. A.

    2013-12-01

    Engaging Americans and the international community in the excitement and value of Alaskan Arctic discovery is the goal of Frontier Scientists. With a changing climate, resources of polar regions are being eyed by many nations. Frontier Scientists brings the stories of field scientists in the Far North to the public. With a website, an app, short videos, and social media channels; FS is a model for making connections between the public and field scientists. FS will demonstrate how academia, web content, online communities, evaluation and marketing are brought together in a 21st century multi-media platform, how scientists can maintain their integrity while engaging in outreach, and how new forms of media such as short videos can entertain as well as inspire.

  19. Scientists must speak

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Walters, D. Eric; Walters, Gale Climenson

    2011-01-01

    .... This can be a stressful experience for many. For scientists, the experience may be further complicated by the specialist nature of the data and the fact that most self-help books are aimed at business or social situations...

  20. Climate Action and Activism: Scientists as Citizens and Communicators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, M. B.; Peacock, K.

    2015-12-01

    Humans are not particularly good at being rational, either individually or socially; in the case of climate change, our concerns are chiefly social. The denial of climate change and its costs (ranging from denial of basic principles to using high discount rates to reduce the current value of future losses, and supported by fossil fuel companies and their many political allies) has delayed an effective response to a problem that gets worse and more costly the longer action is delayed. The central role of fossil fuels in our economies and of fossil fuel interests in our politics leads many to worry about the costs of change while denying or ignoring the costs of business as usual. Rational decision makers would not be so selective, either about the evidence or about the costs and benefits that hang in the balance. Effective communication can help call attention to the evidence and to the costs and benefits that have been neglected. Our society has no formal rules requiring scientists to become activists, even when the results of their work provide sound reasons for taking action. But ideals of citizenship and humanitarianism provide strong justification for those who choose to engage with the issues. A reticent scientist might feel that her job is done once the results of her research are published. The rest is arguably the responsibility of others—of politicians, journalists and citizens in general, to learn the relevant facts (now available as part of the published literature) and to bring those facts to bear in decisions ranging from the personal to the political and economic. But I urge scientists who feel this way to reconsider—not because their view of where the real responsibility lies is wrong, but because they are in a position to make a difference. In situations like these, where powerful interests are threatened by inconvenient facts, scientists can be very effective communicators: they have high credibility with the public (as deniers' repeated claims

  1. Social Interest in The Polish Doctrine of Monument Preservation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoszczyszyn, Marek

    2017-10-01

    The paper discusses a controversy surrounding the latest amendment to the text of the Polish Parliament Act Conservation and the Care of Monuments (2015). It is a common dictum that any edifice cannot exist without good foundations. In this particular case of the mentioned above Act, definition of monument appears to be such a basis. A social interest is one of the constituent elements of the definition mentioned above. In the first part of the paper the notion of the social interest expression has been discussed, particularly from national and international points of view. The second part of the paper comprises some examples from the Polish monument preservation experience with the use of comparison method supported by case study. Only three big Polish cities: Warsaw, Wroclaw and Szczecin are involved in the presented case study but it must be emphasized that many other places on Polish territory experienced the same. Basing on the faith of these cities, the results and discussion chapter proves fundamental discrepancy in social interest notion between national and international scopes using some analytical methods. Finally, in the discussion chapter some proposals for the future amendment of monument definition in the Act of Conservation and the Care of Monuments have been provided.

  2. The Oratorical Scientist: A Guide for Speechcraft and Presentation for Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, G. E.

    2015-12-01

    Public speaking organizations are highly valuable for individuals seeking to improve their skills in speech development and delivery. The methodology of such groups usually focuses on repetitive, guided practice. Toastmasters International, for instance, uses a curriculum based on topical manuals that guide their members through some number of prepared speeches with specific goals for each speech. I have similarly developed a public speaking manual for scientists with the intention of guiding scientists through the development and presentation of speeches that will help them hone their abilities as public speakers. I call this guide The Oratorical Scientist. The Oratorical Scientist will be a free, digital publication that is meant to guide scientists through five specific types of speech that the scientist may be called upon to deliver during their career. These five speeches are: The Coffee Talk, The Educational Talk, Research Talks for General Science Audiences, Research Talks for Specific Subdiscipline Audiences, and Taking the Big Stage (talks for public engagement). Each section of the manual focuses on speech development, rehearsal, and presentation for each of these specific types of speech. The curriculum was developed primarily from my personal experiences in public engagement. Individuals who use the manual may deliver their prepared speeches to groups of their peers (e.g. within their research group) or through video sharing websites like Youtube and Vimeo. Speeches that are broadcast online can then be followed and shared through social media networks (e.g. #OratoricalScientist), allowing a larger audience to evaluate the speech and to provide criticism. I will present The Oratorical Scientist, a guide for scientists to become better public speakers. The process of guided repetitive practice of scientific talks will improve the speaking capabilities of scientists, in turn benefitting science communication and public engagement.

  3. Pro-Social Behaviours: Between Altruism and Self-interest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula-Elena Diacon

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A widely discussed attribute in the economic literature is the prevalence of self-interest. In this article we seek to analyze the concept of altruism from the economic perspective and from the general perspective of human action. We endeavour to clarify the relative confusion around it and to analyze its relation with charity and volunteering. Then, we go further and analyse what is causing such actions. Based on this, we attempt to find out whether the pro-social actions can be considered an effect of self-interest, or, conversely, of altruism.

  4. Development and Field Test of the Modified Draw-a-Scientist Test and the Draw-a-Scientist Rubric

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farland-Smith, Donna

    2012-01-01

    Even long before children are able to verbalize which careers may be interesting to them, they collect and store ideas about scientists. For these reasons, asking children to draw a scientist has become an accepted method to provide a glimpse into how children represent and identify with those in the science fields. Years later, these…

  5. Learning, teaching and researching on the internet a practical guide for social scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Stein, S D

    2014-01-01

    Learning, Teaching and Researching on the Internet: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists is directed at students and academic staff who want to be able to access Internet resources quickly and efficiently without needing to become IT experts. The emphasis throughout is on the harnessing of the large volume of potentially useful Internet resources to everyday requirements, whether these be focused on learning, teaching or research. The Internet is a significantly rich information, communication and research resource for all those involved in higher education, whether they be students, academ

  6. Scientists feature their work in Arctic-focused short videos by FrontierScientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, L.; O'Connell, E.

    2013-12-01

    Whether they're guiding an unmanned aerial vehicle into a volcanic plume to sample aerosols, or documenting core drilling at a frozen lake in Siberia formed 3.6 million years ago by a massive meteorite impact, Arctic scientists are using video to enhance and expand their science and science outreach. FrontierScientists (FS), a forum for showcasing scientific work, produces and promotes radically different video blogs featuring Arctic scientists. Three- to seven- minute multimedia vlogs help deconstruct researcher's efforts and disseminate stories, communicating scientific discoveries to our increasingly connected world. The videos cover a wide range of current field work being performed in the Arctic. All videos are freely available to view or download from the FrontierScientists.com website, accessible via any internet browser or via the FrontierScientists app. FS' filming process fosters a close collaboration between the scientist and the media maker. Film creation helps scientists reach out to the public, communicate the relevance of their scientific findings, and craft a discussion. Videos keep audience tuned in; combining field footage, pictures, audio, and graphics with a verbal explanation helps illustrate ideas, allowing one video to reach people with different learning strategies. The scientists' stories are highlighted through social media platforms online. Vlogs grant scientists a voice, letting them illustrate their own work while ensuring accuracy. Each scientific topic on FS has its own project page where easy-to-navigate videos are featured prominently. Video sets focus on different aspects of a researcher's work or follow one of their projects into the field. We help the scientist slip the answers to their five most-asked questions into the casual script in layman's terms in order to free the viewers' minds to focus on new concepts. Videos are accompanied by written blogs intended to systematically demystify related facts so the scientists can focus

  7. Pathways for impact: scientists' different perspectives on agricultural innovation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Röling, N.G.

    2009-01-01

    This paper takes the viewpoint of a social scientist and looks at agricultural scientists' pathways for science impact. Awareness of these pathways is increasingly becoming part and parcel of the professionalism of the agricultural scientist, now that the pressure is on to mobilize smallholders and

  8. What Matters for Excellence in PhD Programs? Latent Constructs of Doctoral Program Quality Used by Early Career Social Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Emory; Rudd, Elizabeth; Zumeta, William; Nerad, Maresi

    2011-01-01

    This paper unpacks how social science doctorate-holders come to evaluate overall excellence in their PhD training programs based on their domain-specific assessments of aspects of their programs. Latent class analysis reveals that social scientists 6-10 years beyond their PhD evaluate the quality of their doctoral program with one of two…

  9. Scientists Shaping the Discussion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, J. A.; Weymann, R.; Mandia, S. A.; Ashley, M.

    2011-12-01

    Scientific studies which directly impact the larger society require an engagement between the scientists and the larger public. With respect to research on climate change, many third-party groups report on scientific findings and thereby serve as an intermediary between the scientist and the public. In many cases, the third-party reporting misinterprets the findings and conveys inaccurate information to the media and the public. To remedy this, many scientists are now taking a more active role in conveying their work directly to interested parties. In addition, some scientists are taking the further step of engaging with the general public to answer basic questions related to climate change - even on sub-topics which are unrelated to scientists' own research. Nevertheless, many scientists are reluctant to engage the general public or the media. The reasons for scientific reticence are varied but most commonly are related to fear of public engagement, concern about the time required to properly engage the public, or concerns about the impact to their professional reputations. However, for those scientists who are successful, these engagement activities provide many benefits. Scientists can increase the impact of their work, and they can help society make informed choices on significant issues, such as mitigating global warming. Here we provide some concrete steps that scientists can take to ensure that their public engagement is successful. These steps include: (1) cultivating relationships with reporters, (2) crafting clear, easy to understand messages that summarize their work, (3) relating science to everyday experiences, and (4) constructing arguments which appeal to a wide-ranging audience. With these steps, we show that scientists can efficiently deal with concerns that would otherwise inhibit their public engagement. Various resources will be provided that allow scientists to continue work on these key steps.

  10. More appropriate information systems and services for the social scientist: time to put our findings to work

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hunsucker, R.L.

    2007-01-01

    A review of: Line, Maurice B. "The Information Uses and Needs of Social Scientists: An Overview of INFROSS." Aslib Proceedings 23.8 (1971): 412-34. Rpt. in Lines of Thought: Selected Papers. Ed. L.J. Anthony. London: Bingley, 1988. 45-66. Objective - The study reported in this article was conceived

  11. Responsability of scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Harigel, G G

    1997-01-01

    This seminar is intended to give some practical help for CERN guides,who are confronted with questions from visitors concerning the purpose of research in general and - in paticular - of the work in our laboratory, its possible application and benefits.The dual use of scientific results will be emphasised by examples across natural sciences. Many investigations were neutral,others aimed at peaceful and beneficial use for humanity, a few were made for destructive purposes. Researchers have no or very little influence on the application of their results. The interplay between natural scientists ,social scientists,politicians,and their dependence on economic factors will be discussed.

  12. Relations of children's proactive and reactive assertiveness to peer acceptance: moderating effects of social interest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Han-Jong

    2014-06-01

    Previous studies on the social outcome of assertiveness reported mixed findings, failing to support the assumption that assertiveness promotes peer acceptance. In an attempt to provide explanations for the inconsistencies in prior findings, this study proposed making a distinction between proactive and reactive assertiveness and examined the moderating effects of social interest. A total of 441 fifth and sixth graders (232 boys, 209 girls; M age = 10.6 yr., SD = 0.6) participated in the study. Results indicated that proactive assertiveness was positively related to peer acceptance regardless of social interest. By contrast, reactive assertiveness was positively related to peer acceptance but only when social interest is high. When social interest is low, it was negatively associated with peer acceptance.

  13. Like on Different Planets? Lebanese Social Scientists in Their Scientific Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Kriener

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Social sciences and humanities at Arab universities are often described as suffering from a lack of academic freedom. However, institutional autonomy and the individual academic’s opportunities and constraints seem to differ considerably among Arab institutions and individuals conducting social sciences and humanities under different configurations of local, regional and international influences from the state, the market and the civil society. One problem evident from existing research literature about Arab social sciences is the comparably weak networking capacity of its academic publishing and library systems. It suggests over-dependence upon international systems, a lack of direct communication amongst local and regional scientific communities, and intellectual bigotry. This article sheds light on the question how Arab institutions and individuals cope with this particular trait of their academic system. It focuses on correlations between institutional and individual autonomy as measured by the modes of decision making and funding, and between an institution’s autonomy and its interconnectedness as measured by its library services and by references in the dissertations of its faculty. Data stem from interviews with faculty, surveys among students, and visits to libraries of two different universities in Lebanon, which are analyzed in comparison. Moreover, several networking initiatives are characterized by which social scientists in the region tackle this problem. With private initiative, they seem to recover regional coherence based on Arab language and experience and international quality standards to an extent that governmental and inter-governmental institutions never remotely succeeded to establish by ways of their cultural policies.

  14. Navigating the massive world of reddit: using backbone networks to map user interests in social media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randal S. Olson

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In the massive online worlds of social media, users frequently rely on organizing themselves around specific topics of interest to find and engage with like-minded people. However, navigating these massive worlds and finding topics of specific interest often proves difficult because the worlds are mostly organized haphazardly, leaving users to find relevant interests by word of mouth or using a basic search feature. Here, we report on a method using the backbone of a network to create a map of the primary topics of interest in any social network. To demonstrate the method, we build an interest map for the social news web site reddit and show how such a map could be used to navigate a social media world. Moreover, we analyze the network properties of the reddit social network and find that it has a scale-free, small-world, and modular community structure, much like other online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. We suggest that the integration of interest maps into popular social media platforms will assist users in organizing themselves into more specific interest groups, which will help alleviate the overcrowding effect often observed in large online communities.

  15. Integrating cues of social interest and voice pitch in men's preferences for women's voices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Benedict C; Feinberg, David R; Debruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C; Vukovic, Jovana

    2008-04-23

    Most previous studies of vocal attractiveness have focused on preferences for physical characteristics of voices such as pitch. Here we examine the content of vocalizations in interaction with such physical traits, finding that vocal cues of social interest modulate the strength of men's preferences for raised pitch in women's voices. Men showed stronger preferences for raised pitch when judging the voices of women who appeared interested in the listener than when judging the voices of women who appeared relatively disinterested in the listener. These findings show that voice preferences are not determined solely by physical properties of voices and that men integrate information about voice pitch and the degree of social interest expressed by women when forming voice preferences. Women's preferences for raised pitch in women's voices were not modulated by cues of social interest, suggesting that the integration of cues of social interest and voice pitch when men judge the attractiveness of women's voices may reflect adaptations that promote efficient allocation of men's mating effort.

  16. Social Problems in Athletics; Essays in the Sociology of Sport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landers, Daniel M., Ed.

    This book is an outgrowth of a conference on "Sport and Social Deviance," attended by people interested in the newly emerging interdisciplinary area concerned with the social scientific analysis of sport, play, and games. This anthology, which has contributions from many different authors, is intended to provide social scientists, physical…

  17. Student Pugwash Conference Probes Scientists' Individual Responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seltzer, Richard J.

    1985-01-01

    Students from 25 nations and senior scientists examined ethical and social dimensions of decision making about science and technology during the 1985 Student Pugwash Conference on scientists' individual responsibilities. Working groups focused on toxic wastes, military uses of space, energy and poverty, genetic engineering, and individual rights.…

  18. Perceptions of Fairness: Gender and Attitudes about Opportunity among Scientists in Germany and the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Sandra L.; Kennelly, Ivy; Fuchs, Stefan

    How do scientists account for their success? In this research, we investigate women scientists' attitudes about getting ahead using data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) for former East Germany, West Germany, and the United States in 1987, 1992, and 1999. The three samples provide an interesting contrast given the different contexts within which science structures have developed in these countries. Our findings suggest that both gender and country of residence (and their interactions) have powerful influences on scientists' attitudes. Scientists from former East Germany tend to be the most likely to see the role of structures in opportunity systems, and scientists from the United States tend to be the most likely to see the role of individual effort and ability in opportunity systems. However, women scientists in these three countries often report attitudes that are inconsistent with their male colleagues. On some measures, women from different countries are more similar to each other than they are to male colleagues from the same country. To some degree, women scientists ascribe to both structural and individual views on opportunity. This combination of belief systems is most likely a result of the extra effort required by women scientists in the male domain of science.

  19. An Earth System Scientist Network for Student and Scientist Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledley, T. S.

    2001-05-01

    Successful student and scientist partnerships require that there is a mutual benefit from the partnership. This means that the scientist needs to be able to see the advantage of having students work on his/her project, and the students and teachers need to see that the students contribute to the project and develop the skills in inquiry and the content knowledge in the geosciences that are desired. Through the Earth System Scientist Network (ESSN) for Student and Scientist Partnerships project we are working toward developing scientific research projects for the participation of high school students. When these research projects are developed they will be posted on the ESSN web site that will appear in the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). In DLESE teachers and students who are interested in participating in a research program will be able to examine the criteria for each project and select the one that matches their needs and situation. In this paper we will report on how the various ESSN research projects are currently being developed to assure that both the scientist and the students benefit from the partnership. The ESSN scientists are working with a team of scientists and educators to 1) completely define the research question that the students will be addressing, 2) determine what role the students will have in the project, 3) identify the data that the students and teachers will work with, 4) map out the scientific protocols that the students will follow, and 5) determine the background and support materials needed to facilitate students successfully participating in the project. Other issues that the team is addressing include 1) identifying the selection criteria for the schools, 2) identifying rewards and recognition for the students and teacher by the scientist, and 3) identifying issues in Earth system science, relevant to the scientists data, that the students and teachers could use as a guide help develop students investigative

  20. Science, the public, and social elites: how the general public, scientists, top politicians and managers perceive science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prpić, Katarina

    2011-11-01

    This paper finds that the Croatian public's and the social elites' perceptions of science are a mixture of scientific and technological optimism, of the tendency to absolve science of social responsibility, of skepticism about the social effects of science, and of cognitive optimism and skepticism. However, perceptions differ significantly according to the different social roles and the wider value system of the observed groups. The survey data show some key similarities, as well as certain specificities in the configuration of the types of views of the four groups--the public, scientists, politicians and managers. The results suggest that the well-known typology of the four cultures reveals some of the ideologies of the key actors of scientific and technological policy. The greatest social, primarily educational and socio-spatial, differentiation of the perceptions of science was found in the general public.

  1. The transformative experiences of a scientist-professor with teacher candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lashley, Terry Lee Hester

    This case study documented the pedagogical and philosophical change experiences of a senior research scientist-professor at a large Research I University as he implemented an open inquiry immersion course with secondary science teacher candidates. The 4-semester hour graduate-level credit course (Botany 531) is titled "Knowing and Teaching Science: Just Do-It!" The students were 5th-year education students who possessed an undergraduate degree in the biological sciences. The premise for the course is that to teach science effectively, one must be able to DO science. Students were provided with extensive opportunities to design and carry out experiments and communicate the results both orally and in a written format. The focus of this dissertation was on changes in the pedagogical philosophy and practice of the scientist-professor as he taught this course over a 4-year period, 1997--2000. The data used in this study include the scientist-professor's reflective journals (1997--2000), the students' journals (1997--2000), and interviews with the scientist-professor (2001--2002). HyperRESEARCH 2.03 software was used to code and analyze the reflective journals and transcribed interviews. Data were reviewed and then placed into original codes. The codes were then grouped into themes for analysis. Identified themes included (1) Reflective Practice, (2) Social Construction of Knowledge, (3) Legitimate Peripheral Participation, and (4) the Zone of Proximal Development. There is clear evidence that the scientist-professor experienced transformative changes in his philosophy and practice over the 4-year period. This is shown by (1) differences in learning outcomes and expectations for Do-It! course students and traditional course students, (2) documentation of the scientist-professor's movement through the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) Stages of Concern, (3) increased collaboration and support from the college of education, (4) development and delivery of two other

  2. The Effect Social Interest Trainingon lifestyle in Bullying and Victim Adolescences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Reza Poorseyed

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to The Effect Social Interest Training on lifestyle in Bullying and Victim Adolescences. The research design was quasi-experimental with pretest posttest, two month Follow-up and two control groups.In this study statistical population was second and third high school grades bullying and victim boy students in Abarkooh in the academic year 2015-2016.Implement research after applying sociometry and running the Olweus Bulling/ victimization revised questionnaire, of  among the students who based on the analysis of the results of sociometry and achieved scores in the Bulling/victimization revised questionnaire were classified as bullying and victimization adolescents, 40 students were randomly selected as bullying group and 40 students were selected as victimization group. Then each group was randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control. Then they were completed Kern lifestyles questionnaire in pre-test. Experimental groups participated in Social Interest Training for 12 sessions (two sessions per week separately. Control group were placed on a waiting list to receive training. At the end of the sessions, both groups of experimental and control were reassessed via reappraisal. Mixed intra-between group Multivariate Variance analysis and pairwise comparisons results indicated that Social Interest Therapy could amelioration lifestyle in experimental groups than in post-test and follow-up. The results showed that Increasing Social Interest is certainly a beginning toward positive movement and caused the individual will create a lifestyle based on empathy, responsibility, cooperation goals that will increase the probability of successfully solving the life task.

  3. Perspectives of Academic Social Scientists on Knowledge Transfer and Research Collaborations: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Australian Academics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherney, Adrian; Head, Brian; Boreham, Paul; Povey, Jenny; Ferguson, Michele

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports results from a survey of academic social scientists in Australian universities on their research engagement experience with industry and government partners and end-users of research. The results highlight that while academics report a range of benefits arising from research collaborations, there are also significant impediments…

  4. The biography of scientists as a means of communicating science: analogies concerning a hermeneutic or empirical problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Francisca Carneiro

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Sometimes scientists live real dramas or undergo social and psychological conflicts which have a positive or negative influence on the development and recognition of their research, discoveries and inventions in society, including the way they are recorded in history. This being so, the question is: to what extent can science be communicated to the public at large by the use of scientists' biographies as a motivational strategy? The controversy arises from the fact that usual (classical science has traditionally argued for the separation (or de-linking of the research (the object from the researcher (the subject.Thus, if the above-mentioned motivational strategy is used in scientific communication, it could break a dominant methodological trend and consequently lead to a questioning of the myth of axiological neutrality in science. The communication of science by means of scientists' biographies could be useful for reaching a specific public, more directed towards emotional aspects, thereby awakening its interest in science, even amid cultural differences and in environments where interest in science and its utility is lacking. It could also reveal human aspects of the everyday life of scientists, bringing them closer to the public at large, which would contribute to the dissemination of science and knowledge.

  5. Opportunities and Resources for Scientist Participation in Education and Public Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; CoBabe-Ammann, E.; Shipp, S.; Hsu, B.

    2012-10-01

    Active engagement of scientists in Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities results in benefits for both the audience and scientists. Most scientists are trained in research but have little formal training in education. The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum helps the Science Mission Directorate support scientists currently involved in E/PO and to help scientists who are interested in becoming involved in E/PO efforts find ways to do so through a variety of avenues. We will present current and future opportunities and resources for scientists to become engaged in education and public outreach. These include upcoming NASA SMD E/PO funding opportunities, professional development resources for writing NASA SMD E/PO proposals (webinars and other online tools), toolkits for scientists interested in best practices in E/PO (online guides for K-12 education and public outreach), EarthSpace (a community web space where instructors can find and share about teaching space and earth sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials news and funding opportunities, and the latest education research), thematic resources for teaching about the solar system (archived resources from Year of the Solar System), and an online database of scientists interested in connecting with education programs. Learn more about the Forum and find resources at http://smdepo.org/.

  6. Current Crisis in Science Education? Women in Science and Problems for the Behavioral Scientists. Some Perspectives of a Physicist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dresselhaus, Mildred S.

    A number of problems exist in society which require the cooperation of physical and social scientists. One of these problems is the current crisis in science education. There are several aspects to this problem, including the declining interest of students in math and science at a time when functioning in our society requires more, not less,…

  7. Agency-communion and interest in prosocial behavior: social motives for assimilation and contrast explain sociocultural inconsistencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebauer, Jochen E; Sedikides, Constantine; Lüdtke, Oliver; Neberich, Wiebke

    2014-10-01

    Identifying the "prosocial personality" is a classic project in personality psychology. However, personality traits have been elusive predictors of prosocial behavior, with personality-prosociality relations varying widely across sociocultural contexts. We propose the social motives perspective to account for such sociocultural inconsistencies. According to this perspective, a focal quality of agency (e.g., competence, independence, openness) is the motive to swim against the social tide-agentic social contrast. Conversely, a focal quality of communion (e.g., warmth, interdependence, agreeableness) is the motive to swim with the social tide-communal social assimilation. We report two cross-sectional studies. Study 1 (N = 131,562) defined social context at the country level (11 European countries), whereas Study 2 (N = 56,395) defined it at the country level (11 European countries) and the city level (296 cities within these countries). Communion predicted interest in prosocial behavior comparatively strongly in sociocultural contexts where such interest was common and comparatively weakly where such interest was uncommon. Agency predicted interest in prosocial behavior comparatively strongly in sociocultural contexts where such interest was uncommon and comparatively weakly where such interest was common. The results supported the social motives perspective. Also, the findings help to reestablish the importance of personality for understanding prosociality. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Not going it alone: scientists and their work featured online at FrontierScientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell, E. A.; Nielsen, L.

    2015-12-01

    Science outreach demystifies science, and outreach media gives scientists a voice to engage the public. Today scientists are expected to communicate effectively not only with peers but also with a braod public audience, yet training incentiives are sometimes scarce. Media creation training is even less emphasized. Editing video to modern standards takes practice; arrangling light and framing shots isn't intuitive. While great tutorials exist, learning videography, story boarding, editing and sharing techniques will always require a commitment of time and effort. Yet ideally sharing science should be low-hanging fruit. FrontierScientists, a science-sharing website funded by the NSF, seeks to let scientists display their breakthroughs and share their excitement for their work with the public by working closely yet non-exhaustively with a professional media team. A director and videographer join scientists to film first-person accounts in the field or lab. Pictures and footage with field site explanations give media creators raw material. Scientists communicate efficiently and retain editorial control over the project, but a small team of media creators craft the public aimed content. A series of engaging short videos with narrow focuses illuminate the science. Written articles support with explanations. Social media campaigns spread the word, link content, welcome comments and keep abreast of changing web requirements. All FrontierScientists featured projects are aggregated to one mobile-friendly site available online or via an App. There groupings of Arctic-focused science provide a wealth of topics and content to explore. Scientists describe why their science is important, what drew them to it, and why the average American should care. When scientists share their work it's wonderful; a team approach is a schedule-friendly way that lets them serve as science communicators without taking up a handful of extra careers.

  9. Mining Conversational Social Video

    OpenAIRE

    Biel, Joan-Isaac

    2013-01-01

    The ubiquity of social media in our daily life, the intense user participation, and the explo- sion of multimedia content have generated an extraordinary interest from computer and social scientists to investigate the traces left by users to understand human behavior online. From this perspective, YouTube can be seen as the largest collection of audiovisual human behavioral data, among which conversational video blogs (vlogs) are one of the basic formats. Conversational vlogs have evolved fro...

  10. Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignments Shift Students’ Stereotypes of Scientists and Enhance Science Identity in a Diverse Introductory Science Class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinske, Jeffrey N.; Perkins, Heather; Snyder, Amanda; Wyer, Mary

    2016-01-01

    Research into science identity, stereotype threat, and possible selves suggests a lack of diverse representations of scientists could impede traditionally underserved students from persisting and succeeding in science. We evaluated a series of metacognitive homework assignments (“Scientist Spotlights”) that featured counterstereotypical examples of scientists in an introductory biology class at a diverse community college. Scientist Spotlights additionally served as tools for content coverage, as scientists were selected to match topics covered each week. We analyzed beginning- and end-of-course essays completed by students during each of five courses with Scientist Spotlights and two courses with equivalent homework assignments that lacked connections to the stories of diverse scientists. Students completing Scientist Spotlights shifted toward counterstereotypical descriptions of scientists and conveyed an enhanced ability to personally relate to scientists following the intervention. Longitudinal data suggested these shifts were maintained 6 months after the completion of the course. Analyses further uncovered correlations between these shifts, interest in science, and course grades. As Scientist Spotlights require very little class time and complement existing curricula, they represent a promising tool for enhancing science identity, shifting stereotypes, and connecting content to issues of equity and diversity in a broad range of STEM classrooms. PMID:27587856

  11. Scientists + Artists: An Introduction to Mutually Beneficial Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparks, A.

    2017-12-01

    As world leaders, climate and energy scientists, and others examine our future climate, new ways of collaborating and communicating across different social sectors are becoming more crucial. What images and stories are evoked when you think about the future of the planet? Storytelling and images are basic tools for artists, and are increasingly recognized as critical tools for scientists, educators, and people interested in communicating science to broader public audiences. Science/arts collaborations have numerous benefits and can be challenging when partners have different lexicons for making sense of the world. This participatory session will explore the benefits and role of science/arts partnerships when communicating and engaging with stakeholders from varying backgrounds. Attendees will develop shared vocabulary and examine collaborative tools that can help both non-artists and non-scientists better communicate about climate change, energy policies, and other topics. For newcomers, this will be a 101 primer to community engagement and using the arts and/or collaborating with artists to reach broader audiences with your work. Experienced attendees will examine their own previous partnerships to reflect on the successes and learn from the challenges. Topics to be covered include: 1) understanding shared values between artists/scientists; 2) clarifying target audiences; and 3) identifying factors and components critical for healthy partnerships across sectors. Theater director and engagement strategist Ashley Sparks leads this interactive session and reflects on learnings from her partnership with the Energy Foundation, the Network for Energy, Water, and Health in Affordable Buildings, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In partnership with engineers and technical experts she has been leading efforts to create a story bank focused on increasing energy efficiency in affordable multifamily housing.

  12. Social behavior in the "Age of Empathy"?-A social scientist's perspective on current trends in the behavioral sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matusall, Svenja

    2013-01-01

    Recently, several behavioral sciences became increasingly interested in investigating biological and evolutionary foundations of (human) social behavior. In this light, prosocial behavior is seen as a core element of human nature. A central role within this perspective plays the "social brain" that is not only able to communicate with the environment but rather to interact directly with other brains via neuronal mind reading capacities such as empathy. From the perspective of a sociologist, this paper investigates what "social" means in contemporary behavioral and particularly brain sciences. It will be discussed what "social" means in the light of social neuroscience and a glance into the history of social psychology and the brain sciences will show that two thought traditions come together in social neuroscience, combining an individualistic and an evolutionary notion of the "social." The paper concludes by situating current research on prosocial behavior in broader social discourses about sociality and society, suggesting that to naturalize prosocial aspects in human life is a current trend in today's behavioral sciences and beyond.

  13. Biomedical Science Ph.D. Career Interest Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Gender.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth D Gibbs

    Full Text Available Increasing biomedical workforce diversity remains a persistent challenge. Recent reports have shown that biomedical sciences (BMS graduate students become less interested in faculty careers as training progresses; however, it is unclear whether or how the career preferences of women and underrepresented minority (URM scientists change in manners distinct from their better-represented peers. We report results from a survey of 1500 recent American BMS Ph.D. graduates (including 276 URMs that examined career preferences over the course of their graduate training experiences. On average, scientists from all social backgrounds showed significantly decreased interest in faculty careers at research universities, and significantly increased interest in non-research careers at Ph.D. completion relative to entry. However, group differences emerged in overall levels of interest (at Ph.D. entry and completion, and the magnitude of change in interest in these careers. Multiple logistic regression showed that when controlling for career pathway interest at Ph.D. entry, first-author publication rate, faculty support, research self-efficacy, and graduate training experiences, differences in career pathway interest between social identity groups persisted. All groups were less likely than men from well-represented (WR racial/ethnic backgrounds to report high interest in faculty careers at research-intensive universities (URM men: OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-0.98, p = 0.04; WR women: OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47-0.89, p = 0.008; URM women: OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.71, p<0.001, and URM women were more likely than all other groups to report high interest in non-research careers (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.28-2.90, p = 0.002. The persistence of disparities in the career interests of Ph.D. recipients suggests that a supply-side (or "pipeline" framing of biomedical workforce diversity challenges may limit the effectiveness of efforts to attract and retain the best and most

  14. Preschoolers' Social Interest toward a Child with ASD and Their Theory of Mind Abilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakai-Mashiach, Mati; Ziv, Margalit; Dromi, Esther

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities of typically developing preschoolers in three age groups: three- to four-, four- to five- and five- to six-years-old (n = 110), who differed in their spontaneous social interest toward included children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Social interest was assessed by administering a…

  15. Role of the oxytocin system in amygdala subregions in the regulation of social interest in male and female rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumais, Kelly M; Alonso, Andrea G; Bredewold, Remco; Veenema, Alexa H

    2016-08-25

    We previously found that oxytocin (OT) receptor (OTR) binding density in the medial amygdala (MeA) correlated positively with social interest (i.e., the motivation to investigate a conspecific) in male rats, while OTR binding density in the central amygdala (CeA) correlated negatively with social interest in female rats. Here, we determined the causal involvement of OTR in the MeA and CeA in the sex-specific regulation of social interest in adult rats by injecting an OTR antagonist (5ng/0.5μl/side) or OT (100pg/0.5μl/side) before the social interest test (4-min same-sex juvenile exposure). OTR blockade in the CeA decreased social interest in males but not females, while all other treatments had no behavioral effect. To further explore the sex-specific involvement of the OT system in the CeA in social interest, we used in vivo microdialysis to determine possible sex differences in endogenous OT release in the CeA during social interest. Interestingly, males and females showed similar levels of extracellular OT release at baseline and during social interest, suggesting that factors other than local OT release mediate the sex-specific role of CeA-OTR in social interest. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between CeA-OT release and social investigation time in females. This was further reflected by reduced CeA-OT release during social interest in females that expressed low compared to high social interest. We discuss the possibility that this reduction in OT release may be a consequence, rather than a cause, of exposure to a social stimulus. Overall, our findings show for the first time that extracellular OT release in the CeA is similar between males and females and that OTR in the CeA plays a causal role in the regulation of social interest toward juvenile conspecifics in males. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. The character of scientists in the Nobel Prize speeches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condit, Celeste M

    2018-05-01

    This essay describes the ethos (i.e. the character projected to specific audiences) of the 25 Nobel Lectures in Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology or Medicine given in 2013-2015 and the 15 Presentation Speeches given at the Nobel Banquets between 2011 and 2015. A thematically focused qualitative analysis grounded in theories of epideictic discourse indicates the Nobel speakers demonstrated a range of strategies for and degrees of success in negotiating the tensions created by the implicit demands of ceremonial speeches, the scientific emphasis on didactic style and research content, and the different potential audiences (scientific experts and interested publics). Relatively few speeches explicitly displayed goodwill toward humanity instead of primarily toward the scientific community. Some speakers emphasized qualities of goodness in line with social values shared by broad audiences, but some reinforced stereotypes of scientists as anti-social. Speakers were variable in their ability to bridge the substantial gaps in resources for shared good sense.

  17. The Effect Social Interest Training on Lifestyle in Bullying and Victim Adolescences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ezatolah ghadampour

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to determine the effect of social interest training on lifestyle of bullying and victim adolescences. The research design was quasi-experimental with pretest posttest, two month Follow-up, and experimental and control groups. The population of the study consisted of bullying and victim male high school students in second and third grades in Abarkooh in the academic year 2015-2016. After administering sociometry and the Olweus Bulling/victimization Revised Questionnaire, on the basis of the results of sociometry those students who were classified as bully and victim were selected. 40 bullying students were assigned to bullying group and 40 students were assigned to victimization group. Then each group was randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. All groups were asked to complete Kern Lifestyle Questionnaire as the pre-test. The experimental groups participated in social interest training for 12 sessions (two sessions per week separately. The control groups were placed on a waiting list to receive training. At the end of the sessions, all groups were reassessed via reappraisal. Mixed intra-between group multivariate variance analysis and pairwise comparisons results indicated that social interest training improve the lifestyles in the experimental groups as compared to the control groups both in the post- and follow-up tests. The results showed that increasing social interest is certainly a beginning toward positive direction and would encourage the individual to create a lifestyle based on empathy, responsibility, cooperation goals as these would increase the probability of successfully solving the life task problems.

  18. Intersecting Interests: Qualitative Research Synthesis on Art in the Social Work Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wehbi, Samantha; Cowell, Amanda; Perreault-Laird, Jordyn; El-Lahib, Yahya; Straka, Silvia

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on a qualitative research synthesis that explored the intersections between art and social work. The scholarship notes a rise in interest in integrating creative arts practices in social work classrooms from assignment design to classroom activities. Also highlighted are the potential contributions of these artsinformed…

  19. Methods & Strategies: Sculpt-a-Scientist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Julie; Rich, Ann

    2014-01-01

    Elementary science experiences help develop students' views of science and scientific interests. As a result, teachers have been charged with the task of inspiring, cultivating, recruiting, and training the scientists needed to create tomorrow's innovations and solve future problems (Business Roundtable 2005). Who will these future…

  20. CosmoAcademy Training and Certification for Scientists and Engineers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noel-Storr, Jacob; Buxner, Sanlyn; Grier, Jennifer A.; Gay, Pamela L.; CosmoQuest Team

    2016-10-01

    CosmoQuest is a virtual research facility bringing together scientists, citizens, and learners of all ages. CosmoQuest offers classes, training, and learning opportunities online through CosmoAcademy, offering opportunities for all kinds of learners to become more connected to the science of the Universe. In this poster we describe CosmoAcademy opportunities for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), scientists and engineers who are interested in broadening their impact of their work by providing learning opportunities for those outside of the scientific community. CosmoAcademy offers SME programs at a variety of levels and across a variety of topics in formal and informal education and outreach -- ranging from sharing the results of your work on social media, through delivering an online class series, to partnering with teachers and schools. SMEs may combine sequences of training to earn certification at various levels for their participation in the CosmoAcademy programs. SMEs who have been trained may also apply to teach CosmoAcademy classes for the community on subjects of their expertise to build a rich and engaging learning resource for members of society who wish to understand more about the Universe.

  1. Helping students make meaning of authentic investigations: findings from a student–teacher–scientist partnership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolan, Erin

    2013-01-01

    As student–teacher–scientist partnerships become more widespread, there is a need for research to understand the roles assumed by scientists and teachers as they interact with students in general and in inquiry learning environments in particular. Although teacher roles during inquiry learning have been studied, there is a paucity of research about the roles that scientists assume in their interactions with students. Socio-cultural perspectives on learning emphasize social interaction as a means for students to make meaning of scientific ideas. Thus, this naturalistic study of classroom discourse aims to explore the ways scientists and teachers help high school students make meaning during authentic inquiry investigations. Conversational analysis is conducted of video recordings of discussions between students and teachers and students and scientists from two instances of a student–teacher–scientist partnership program. A social semiotic analytic framework is used to interpret the actions of scientists and teachers. The results indicate a range of common and distinct roles for scientists and teachers with respect to the conceptual, social, pedagogical, and epistemological aspects of meaning making. While scientists provided conceptual and epistemological support related to their scientific expertise, such as explaining scientific phenomena or aspects of the nature of science, teachers played a critical role in ensuring students' access to this knowledge. The results have implications for managing the division of labor between scientists and teachers in partnership programs. PMID:23828722

  2. A Systematic Identification of Scientists on Twitter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ke, Q.; Ahn, Y.Y.; Sugimoto, C.R.

    2016-07-01

    There is an increasing use of Twitter and other social media to estimate the broader social impacts of scholarship. However, without systematic understanding of the entities that participate in conversations about science, efforts to translate altmetrics into impact indicators may produce highly misleading results. Here we present a systematic approach to identifying scientists on Twitter. (Author)

  3. Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignments Shift Students' Stereotypes of Scientists and Enhance Science Identity in a Diverse Introductory Science Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinske, Jeffrey N; Perkins, Heather; Snyder, Amanda; Wyer, Mary

    2016-01-01

    Research into science identity, stereotype threat, and possible selves suggests a lack of diverse representations of scientists could impede traditionally underserved students from persisting and succeeding in science. We evaluated a series of metacognitive homework assignments ("Scientist Spotlights") that featured counterstereotypical examples of scientists in an introductory biology class at a diverse community college. Scientist Spotlights additionally served as tools for content coverage, as scientists were selected to match topics covered each week. We analyzed beginning- and end-of-course essays completed by students during each of five courses with Scientist Spotlights and two courses with equivalent homework assignments that lacked connections to the stories of diverse scientists. Students completing Scientist Spotlights shifted toward counterstereotypical descriptions of scientists and conveyed an enhanced ability to personally relate to scientists following the intervention. Longitudinal data suggested these shifts were maintained 6 months after the completion of the course. Analyses further uncovered correlations between these shifts, interest in science, and course grades. As Scientist Spotlights require very little class time and complement existing curricula, they represent a promising tool for enhancing science identity, shifting stereotypes, and connecting content to issues of equity and diversity in a broad range of STEM classrooms. © 2016 J. N. Schinske et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  4. How a professional interest of scientists for music has helped to develop geoethics and cross-cultural differences exchange

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, Josef; Ohska, Tokio; Nemec, Vaclav

    2014-05-01

    Let us start with a story of the conservatory in Prague where a Czech student Jan Snitil met a Japanese girl Masako Nakajima. Their marriage helped to initiate a cultural exchange between their countries of birth. Later Jan Snitil as the conductor of the Opera house in Opava with the help of a NPO group under his wife had a considerable success in introducing the Czech opera Dalibor (from Bedrich Smetana; stage director Josef Novak) in Japan and by realizing the first performance of the Japanese opera "Juzuru" (stage director T. Ohska) in Opava. This brought together both respective stage directors. The intensifying interest of T. Ohska for the operas of Smetana inspired J. Novak to arrange in Prague his meeting with Vaclav Nemec well known for his promotion work of the great Czech composer. In his professional career Vaclav Nemec is the internationally known Earth scientist specialized since early 1960's in the field of mathematical geology (later also in tectonics) and since 1991 respected as the "Father of Geoethics". At the meeting Nemec recognized Ohska as a Physics Professor specialized in nuclear physic and attracted him for an active participation in the field of geoethics. Prof. Ohska prepared valuable presentations for the international session on geoethics at Pribram (2011) and especially for the International Geological Congress in Brisbane (2012). At Pribram in the course of a social party Lidmila Nemcova (co-convenor of the meeting) introduced Prof. Ohska to Waclaw Demecki, Chancellor of the Higher School of Management in Legnica (Poland). Demecki has been inviting Ohska for special lectures on science as well as on cultural heritage of Japan. Professor Ohska arranges his visits to Poland through Prague where he can meet with Novak and Nemec to discuss the staging of the last opera of Smetana "Devil's Wall". Nemec in his research had finally deciphered (2012, i.e. 130 years after the first performance) the "mystery" of this opera: the composer put

  5. The PACA Project: When Amateur Astronomers Become Citizen Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.

    2014-12-01

    The Pro-Am Collaborative Astronomy (PACA) project evolved from the observational campaign of C/2012 S1 or C/ISON in 2013. Following the success of the professional-amateur astronomer collaboration in scientific research via social media, it is now implemented in other comet observing campaigns. While PACA identifies a consistent collaborative approach to pro-am collaborations, given the volume of data generated for each campaign, new ways of rapid data analysis, mining access and storage are needed. Several interesting results emerged from the synergistic inclusion of both social media and amateur astronomers: (1) the establishment of a network of astronomers and related professionals, that can be galvanized into action on short notice to support observing campaigns; (2) assist in various science investigations pertinent to the campaign; (3) provide an alert-sounding mechanism should the need arise; (4) immediate outreach and dissemination of results via our media/blogger members; (5) provide a forum for discussions between the imagers and modelers to help strategize the observing campaign for maximum benefit. In 2014, two new comet observing campaigns involving pro-am collaborations have been initiated: (1) C/2013 A1 (C/SidingSpring) and (2) 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (CG), target for ESA/Rosetta mission. The evolving need for individual customized observing campaigns has been incorporated into the evolution of PACA portal that currently is focused on comets: from supporting observing campaigns of current comets, legacy data, historical comets; interconnected with social media and a set of shareable documents addressing observational strategies; consistent standards for data; data access, use, and storage, to align with the needs of professional observers. The integration of science, observations by professional and amateur astronomers, and various social media provides a dynamic and evolving collaborative partnership between professional and amateur astronomers

  6. What Do I Want to Be with My PhD? The Roles of Personal Values and Structural Dynamics in Shaping the Career Interests of Recent Biomedical Science PhD Graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs, Kenneth D., Jr.; Griffin, Kimberly A.

    2013-01-01

    Interest in faculty careers decreases as graduate training progresses; however, the process underlying career-interest formation remains poorly defined. To better understand this process and whether/how it differs across social identity (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender), we conducted focus groups with 38 biomedical scientists who received PhDs…

  7. Human dynamic model co-driven by interest and social identity in the MicroBlog community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Qiang; Yi, Lanli; Wu, Lianren

    2012-02-01

    This paper analyzes the behavior of releasing messages in the MicroBlog community and presents a human dynamic model co-driven by interest and social identity. According to the empirical analysis and simulation results, the messaging interval distribution follows a power law, which is mainly influenced by the degree of users' interests. Meanwhile, social identity plays a significant role regarding the change of interests and may slow down the decline of the latter. A positive correlation between social identity and numbers of comments or forwarding of messages is illustrated. Besides, the analysis of data for each 24 h reveals obvious differences between micro-blogging and website visits, email, instant communication, and the use of mobile phones, reflecting how people use small amounts of time via mobile Internet technology.

  8. Social Cognitive Predictors of Academic Interests and Goals in South Korean Engineering Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min Sun; Seo, Young Seok

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) in a cross-cultural setting by examining the relationships between the social cognitive variables of South Korean engineering students and their engineering interests and major choice goals across university type and gender. Participants (N =…

  9. Research in the real world: Social context and its effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Adeline G; Levine, Murray

    2014-03-01

    Although scientists are supposedly concerned only with the pursuit of scientific truth, it was recognized early on that they have personal and professional agendas and are subject to human fallibilities. Openness allowing the scientific community to oversee each member's work depends a great deal upon publication of scientific work. Research reports are cultural artifacts shaped by social forces. In most instances of theoretically oriented work, the roles making up the social context, the researchers, funding agencies, journal editors, publishers, critics, and consumers of research all tend to be scientists sharing common interests and assumptions. There are many actors in addition to scientists in the social context of evaluative research. The actors-sometimes called stakeholders-include people whose lives may change, politicians, government agencies, private foundations, businesspersons, taxpayers, the mass media, and advocates. These actors have varied interests in the research enterprise, are embedded in varied reference groups, and bring different assumptions and values to the task. Their interactions shape the research product at every step. In this genre of research, the contexts are diverse. To illustrate the generality of the influence of social context, the authors draw on three diverse examples spanning a century: the Love Canal industrial disaster of the late 1970s, the ultimately failed attempt in the early 1900s to transplant the Gary, Indiana, progressive school system to New York City (NYC); and some recent studies of charter school students' academic performance.

  10. International Scientist Mobility and the Locus of Knowledge and Technology Transfer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Edler, Jakob; Fier, Hedie; Grimpe, Christoph

    2011-01-01

    Despite the growing interest of scholars and policymakers to better understand the determinants for researchers in public science to transfer knowledge and technology to firms, little is known how temporary international mobility of scientists affects both their propensity to engage in knowledge ...... circulation”. The article contributes to the growing strand of the literature on scientist mobility and on the determinants of industry–science linkages at the individual level.Scientist......Despite the growing interest of scholars and policymakers to better understand the determinants for researchers in public science to transfer knowledge and technology to firms, little is known how temporary international mobility of scientists affects both their propensity to engage in knowledge...... and technology transfer (KTT) as well as the locus of such transfer. Based on a sample of more than 950 German academics from science and engineering faculties, we investigate how the duration and the frequency of scientists’ visits at research institutions outside their home country affect KTT activities. We...

  11. Tools You Can Use! E/PO Resources for Scientists and Faculty to Use and Contribute To: EarthSpace and the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Shupla, C.; CoBabe-Ammann, E.; Dalton, H.; Shipp, S.

    2013-10-01

    The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum has helped to create two tools that are designed to help scientists and higher-education science faculty make stronger connections with their audiences: EarthSpace, an education clearinghouse for the undergraduate classroom; and NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau, an online portal to help bring science - and scientists - to the public. Are you looking for Earth and space science higher education resources and materials? Come explore EarthSpace, a searchable database of undergraduate classroom materials for faculty teaching Earth and space sciences at both the introductory and upper division levels! In addition to classroom materials, EarthSpace provides news and information about educational research, best practices, and funding opportunities. All materials submitted to EarthSpace are peer reviewed, ensuring that the quality of the EarthSpace materials is high and also providing important feedback to authors. Your submission is a reviewed publication! Learn more, search for resources, join the listserv, sign up to review materials, and submit your own at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace. Join the new NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau, an online portal to connect scientists interested in getting involved in E/PO projects (e.g., giving public talks, classroom visits, and virtual connections) with audiences! The Scientist Speaker’s Bureau helps educators and institutions connect with NASA scientists who are interested in giving presentations, based upon the topic, logistics, and audience. The information input into the database will be used to help match scientists (you!) with the requests being placed by educators. All Earth and space scientists funded by NASA - and/or engaged in active research using NASA’s science - are invited to become part of the Scientist Speaker’s Bureau. Submit your information into the short form at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/speaker.

  12. Social responsibility of scientists. Report on working group ten

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    Three topics were discussed: the impact of Science and technology on the fate of mankind, the role of scientists in a nuclear age, and the establishment of an international Ethics Commission. Conclusions and recommendations are given to the Pugwash Conference

  13. How Exemplar Counselor Advocates Develop Social Justice Interest: A Qualitative Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swartz, Melissa Robinson; Limberg, Dodie; Gold, Joshua

    2018-01-01

    The authors examined the experiences of 10 peer-nominated exemplar counselor advocates using grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, [Strauss, A., 1998]). Analysis by the authors yielded a model of how exemplar counselor advocates develop a social justice interest and provided key insights on how counselor educators can enhance social…

  14. Changing Social Work Students' Perceptions of the Role of Government in a Policy Class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granruth, Laura Brierton; Kindle, Peter A.; Burford, Michael L.; Delavega, Elena; Johnson, David H.; Peterson, Susan; Caplan, Mary A.

    2018-01-01

    Understanding student political attitudes--feelings about government and perceptions of its role--has long been of interest to social scientists. One factor that may influence political attitudes is belief in a just world, a complex psychological construct well established in the literature. Our study explores changes in social work students'…

  15. Disparate foundations of scientists' policy positions on contentious biomedical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edelmann, Achim; Moody, James; Light, Ryan

    2017-06-13

    What drives scientists' position taking on matters where empirical answers are unavailable or contradictory? We examined the contentious debate on whether to limit experiments involving the creation of potentially pandemic pathogens. Hundreds of scientists, including Nobel laureates, have signed petitions on the debate, providing unique insights into how scientists take a public stand on important scientific policies. Using 19,257 papers published by participants, we reconstructed their collaboration networks and research specializations. Although we found significant peer associations overall, those opposing "gain-of-function" research are more sensitive to peers than are proponents. Conversely, specializing in fields directly related to gain-of-function research (immunology, virology) predicts public support better than specializing in fields related to potential pathogenic risks (such as public health) predicts opposition. These findings suggest that different social processes might drive support compared with opposition. Supporters are embedded in a tight-knit scholarly community that is likely both more familiar with and trusting of the relevant risk mitigation practices. Opponents, on the other hand, are embedded in a looser federation of widely varying academic specializations with cognate knowledge of disease and epidemics that seems to draw more heavily on peers. Understanding how scientists' social embeddedness shapes the policy actions they take is important for helping sides interpret each other's position accurately, avoiding echo-chamber effects, and protecting the role of scientific expertise in social policy.

  16. Research interests: their dynamics, structures and applications in unifying search and reasoning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zeng, Y.; Zhou, E.; Wang, Y.; Ren, X.; Qin, Y.; Huang, Z.; Zhong, N.

    2011-01-01

    Most scientific publication information, which may reflects scientists' research interests, is publicly available on the Web. Understanding the characteristics of research interests from previous publications may help to provide better services for scientists in the Web age. In this paper, we

  17. Bridging Social and Semantic Computing - Design and Evaluation of User Interfaces for Hybrid Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bostandjiev, Svetlin Alex I.

    2012-01-01

    The evolution of the Web brought new interesting problems to computer scientists that we loosely classify in the fields of social and semantic computing. Social computing is related to two major paradigms: computations carried out by a large amount of people in a collective intelligence fashion (i.e. wikis), and performing computations on social…

  18. Interest Aware Location-Based Recommender System Using Geo-Tagged Social Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Basma AlBanna

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Advances in location acquisition and mobile technologies led to the addition of the location dimension to Social Networks (SNs and to the emergence of a newer class called Location-Based Social Networks (LBSNs. While LBSNs are richer in their model and functions than SNs, they fail so far to attract as many users as SNs. On the other hand, SNs have large amounts of geo-tagged media that are under-utilized. In this paper, we propose an Interest-Aware Location-Based Recommender system (IALBR, which combines the advantages of both LBSNs and SNs, in order to provide interest-aware location-based recommendations. This recommender system is proposed as an extension to LBSNs. It is novel in: (1 utilizing the geo-content in both LBSNs and SNs; (2 ranking the recommendations based on a novel scoring method that maps to the user interests. It also works for passive users who are not active content contributors to the LBSN. This feature is critical to increase the number of LBSN users. Moreover, it helps with reducing the cold start problem, which is a common problem facing the new users of recommender systems who get random unsatisfying recommendations. This is due to the lack of user interest awareness, which is reliant on user history in most of the recommenders. We evaluated our system with a large-scale real dataset collected from foursquare with respect to precision, recall and the f-measure. We also compared the results with a ground truth system using metrics like the normalized discounted cumulative gain and the mean absolute error. The results confirm that the proposed IALBR generates more efficient recommendations than baselines in terms of interest awareness.

  19. Using Author Bylines and Concept Maps to Illustrate the Connectedness of Scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Ken Liao

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Incorporating reading and discussing primary articles in undergraduate courses has been shown to enhance students’ learning, stimulate their interests in science, and retain them as science majors.  While instructors diligently coach students to scrutinize every section in an article thoroughly and critically, the author byline is often overlooked.  In this study, the author bylines of primary articles were used to illustrate the connectedness of scientists and the collaborative nature of science.  First year college students first learned how to construct a concept map and used concept maps to connect 14 scientists with 14 primary articles that these scientists authored.  In doing so, students visualized and understood science as human activity and science progresses as a community effort.  Pre- and post-activity questionnaires were used to evaluate whether the activity objectives were met.  Students further examined the structure and organization of a primary article after the activity and they were engaged in discussions such as how research ideas developed and evolved, the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative research, the ethics of authorships, graduate schools, and careers in science. Hopefully, perceiving the authors of primary articles as real people in a social network and science as the collaborative efforts may help students see themselves being a part of the scientific advancement and inspire them to pursue careers in science.

  20. Social Interest and the Core Conditions: Could It Be that Adler Influenced Rogers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Richard E.

    1996-01-01

    Presents primary source documentation highlighting the similarities between Alfred Adler's social interest construct and the counselor-oriented core conditions of Carl Rogers. Implications of the similarities are discussed. (Author)

  1. SOCIAL TRUST – DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricea Elena BERTEA

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Social trust or the belief that others will not harm us or will look after us, if possible, is a concept of interest for many scientists coming from different areas. It can be important for economists, for sociologists, for psychologists or health researchers. Differences in social trust can predict differences in economic development as well. The present study aims to compare the levels of social trust from Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland. To do that, we will use data from the European Social Survey, the 2008 round.

  2. Risk perception in an interest group context: an examination of the TMI restart issue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soderstrom, E.J.; Sorensen, J.H.; Copenhaver, E.D.; Carnes, S.A.

    1984-01-01

    Human response to environmental hazards and risks has been the subject of considerable research by social scientists. Work has traditionally focused on either individual response to the risks of an ongoing or future threat (hazards research), or group and organizational response to a specific disaster event (disaster research). As part of a larger investigation of the restart of the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island (TMI), the response of interest groups active in the restart issue to the continued threat of TMI and to future risks due to restart was examined. After reviewing the restart issue in general, the local dimensions of the restart issue from interest group perspectives are discussed. A method for defining appropriate issues at the community level is reviewed. Differences in the perceived local impacts of alternative decisions, and systems of beliefs associated with differing perceptions are discussed. Finally, the implications of interest group versus individual perceptions of local issues for decision making about TMI, in particular, and about technological hazards management, in general, are discussed. Associated implications for determining socially acceptable risk levels are identified

  3. An Investigation of Media Influences on Elementary Students Representations of Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farland-Smith, Donna; Finson, Kevin; Boone, William J.; Yale, Melissa

    2014-01-01

    Even long before children are able to verbalize which careers may be interesting to them, they collect and store ideas about scientists. For these reasons, asking children to Draw-A-Scientist has become an accepted method to provide a glimpse into how children represent and identify with those in the science fields. Years later these…

  4. Conflict of interests and social stability in the field of labour relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jovanović Predrag

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Labour relations are characterized by strong (existential conflict of interest between the employee and the employer. Therefore, labour relations must represent a legal term of the balance of interest of its entities, in order to be stable and have perspective. In other words, there is reciprocity of rights and obligations of the entities in labour relations. However, the employer is a stronger party, both legally and factually. The traditional task of labour law is to mitigate that legal and factual inequality of the employee and the employer to the extent necessary to ensure social security of employees and the employer himself, and social milieu and stability of the society as a whole. To this effect, appropriate limitations of the employer's authority are incorporated into the labour relations and appropriate principles for the operation of the system of labour relations are determined.

  5. Social scientist on board in long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste in Belgium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parotte, C.

    2013-01-01

    In Belgium, the long-term management of radioactive waste is under the exclusive competence of the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (knew as ONDRAF/NIRAS). Unlike low-level waste, no institutional policy has yet been formally approved for the long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste (knew as B and C waste). In this context, ONDRAF/NIRAS considers the public and stakeholders' participation as an essential factor in the formulation of an effective and legitimate policy. This is why it has decided to integrate them in different ways during the elaboration of the Waste Plan (ONDRAF/NIRAS-document containing guidelines to make a principled policy decision about nuclear waste management). To do so, social scientists have been regularly mobilized either as external evaluators, follow-up committee members, or participatory observants. Hence, the Waste Plan is only the first step in a long decision-making process. For a PhD student under contract with ONDRAF/NIRAS, this mandate consists of thinking out a way to construct an inter-organizational innovative communication system that would be participative, transparent and embedded in a long-term perspective, thus integrating all the further legal steps to take throughout the decision-making process. In this regard, two paradoxical constraints must be taken into account: on the one hand, my own influence on the legal decision-making process should remain limited, because of a series of constraints, lock-ins and previous decisions which have to be respected; on the other hand, ONDRAF/NIRAS expects the research conclusions to be policy relevant and useful. In this paper, the purpose is twofold. Firstly, the issues raised by this policy mandate is an opportunity to question the per-formative dimensions of the social scientist in the decision-making process and, more specifically, to have a reflexive view on our position as PhD Student. Secondly, assuming the

  6. Social scientist on board in long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste in Belgium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parotte, C. [Spiral Research Center, Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law, University of Liege (Belgium)

    2013-07-01

    In Belgium, the long-term management of radioactive waste is under the exclusive competence of the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (knew as ONDRAF/NIRAS). Unlike low-level waste, no institutional policy has yet been formally approved for the long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste (knew as B and C waste). In this context, ONDRAF/NIRAS considers the public and stakeholders' participation as an essential factor in the formulation of an effective and legitimate policy. This is why it has decided to integrate them in different ways during the elaboration of the Waste Plan (ONDRAF/NIRAS-document containing guidelines to make a principled policy decision about nuclear waste management). To do so, social scientists have been regularly mobilized either as external evaluators, follow-up committee members, or participatory observants. Hence, the Waste Plan is only the first step in a long decision-making process. For a PhD student under contract with ONDRAF/NIRAS, this mandate consists of thinking out a way to construct an inter-organizational innovative communication system that would be participative, transparent and embedded in a long-term perspective, thus integrating all the further legal steps to take throughout the decision-making process. In this regard, two paradoxical constraints must be taken into account: on the one hand, my own influence on the legal decision-making process should remain limited, because of a series of constraints, lock-ins and previous decisions which have to be respected; on the other hand, ONDRAF/NIRAS expects the research conclusions to be policy relevant and useful. In this paper, the purpose is twofold. Firstly, the issues raised by this policy mandate is an opportunity to question the per-formative dimensions of the social scientist in the decision-making process and, more specifically, to have a reflexive view on our position as PhD Student. Secondly, assuming the

  7. "Hard Science": A Career Option for Socially and Societally Interested Students? Grade 12 Students' Vocational Interest Gap Explored

    Science.gov (United States)

    Struyf, Annemie; Boeve-de Pauw, Jelle; Van Petegem, Peter

    2017-01-01

    A key theme in science education research concerns the decline in young peoples' interest in science and the need for professionals in hard science. Goal Congruity Theory posits that an important aspect of the decision whether to pursue hard science for study or as a career is the perception that hard science careers do not fulfil social (working…

  8. A scientist's life: a basis for an evening talk

    OpenAIRE

    Hamming, R.W.

    1987-01-01

    What could I say that might be of interest to you? It finally came to me that I could talk on what it is to be a scientist, something that you might be interested in and on which I have some knowledge that you may not have. The rule of good writing is to write about what you know.

  9. Financial interest and its disclosure in scientific publications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krimsky, S; Rothenberg, L S

    1998-07-15

    Journal policies and requirements of funding agencies on financial disclosure of authors and grant applicants have divided editors and scientists who disagree on whether such policies can improve the integrity of science or manage conflicts of interest. Those opposed to such disclosure policies argue that financial interest is one of many interests held by scientists, is the least scientifically dangerous, and should not be singled out. Those who favor open reporting of financial interests argue that full disclosure removes the suspicion that something of relevance to objectivity is being hidden and allows readers to form their own opinions on whether a conflict of interest exists and what relevance that has to the study. The authors believe that the scientific community and the public will be best served by open publication of financial disclosures for readers and reviewers to evaluate.

  10. Advances in social simulation 2015

    CERN Document Server

    Verbrugge, Rineke; Flache, Andreas; Roo, Gert; Hoogduin, Lex; Hemelrijk, Charlotte

    2017-01-01

    This book highlights recent developments in the field, presented at the Social Simulation 2015 conference in Groningen, The Netherlands. It covers advances both in applications and methods of social simulation. Societal issues addressed range across complexities in economic systems, opinion dynamics and civil violence, changing mobility patterns, different land-use, transition in the energy system, food production and consumption, ecosystem management and historical processes. Methodological developments cover how to use empirical data in validating models in general, formalization of behavioral theory in agent behavior, construction of artificial populations for experimentation, replication of models, and agent-based models that can be run in a web browser. Social simulation is a rapidly evolving field. Social scientists are increasingly interested in social simulation as a tool to tackle the complex non-linear dynamics of society. Furthermore, the software and hardware tools available for social simulation ...

  11. Exploring the potential of using stories about diverse scientists and reflective activities to enrich primary students' images of scientists and scientific work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharkawy, Azza

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the potential of using stories about diverse scientists to broaden primary students' images of scientists and scientific work. Stories featuring scientists from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds (i.e., physical ability, gender, ethnicity) were presented to 11 grade one students over a 15 -week period. My analysis of pre-and post audio-taped interview transcripts, draw-a-scientist-tests (Chambers 1983), participant observations and student work suggest that the stories about scientists and follow-up reflective activities provided resources for students that helped them: (a) acquire images of scientists from less dominant socio-cultural backgrounds; (b) enrich their views of scientific work from predominantly hands-on/activity-oriented views to ones that includes cognitive and positive affective dimensions. One of the limitations of using stories as a tool to extend students' thinking about science is highlighted in a case study of a student who expresses resistance to some of the counter-stereotypic images presented in the stories. I also present two additional case studies that illustrate how shifts in student' views of the nature of scientific work can change their interest in future participation in scientific work.

  12. Social Cognitive Predictors of Interest in Environmental Science: Recommendations for Environmental Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quimby, Julie L.; Seyala, Nazar D.; Wolfson, Jane L.

    2007-01-01

    The authors examined the influence of social cognitive variables on students' interest in environmental science careers and investigated differences between White and ethnic minority students on several career-related variables. The sample consisted of 161 undergraduate science majors (124 White students, 37 ethnic minority students). Results of…

  13. Gyöngyi Szabó Földesi as Scientist and University Teacher in Hungarian and International Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Földesi Gyöngyi Szabó

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This is the third article of the cycle of portraits of the members of the Editorial Board and Editorial Advisory Board of the journal Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research, who are eminent social scientists researching the issue of sport. Among them, there are many world-class professors, rectors and deans of excellent universities, founders, presidents and secretaries-general of continental and international scientific societies and editors of high-scoring journals related to social sciences focusing on sport. The journal Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research started its activities in 2008 and gathered many readers, distinguished authors and outstanding reviewers. It is worth taking a moment to present the profiles of the individual editors, thanks to whom the journal keeps getting better and better. The journal is increasingly appreciated internationally particular among the scientists from the humanist and social areas of investigations. The rapidly increasing number of its readers and its surprisingly wide reception, indicated by the number of visits and downloads in English-speaking countries, including hundreds of universities (up to 791 were interested in the content of issue 62 of our magazine, research institutes and related libraries, as well as academics, researchers and students, should be celebrated. These data are derived only from one bibliographic data base (EBSCO. It must be noted that the journal is indexed in 41 bases.

  14. Tracking the dynamic variations in a social network formed through shared interests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerold Pedemonte

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available We tracked the dynamics of a social network formed by a shared interest in movies. Users-, movie ratings-, and rental date-data from the Netflix Prize dataset were used to construct a series of date-filtered social networks, wherein viewers were linked when they rented the same movie and gave the same rating. We obtained a nearly constant high clustering coefficient (0.60 – 0.85, and a low average path length (1.4 – 2.3 indicating a static 'small-world' network despite the dynamic behavior of the borrowers.

  15. Spanish High School Students' Interests in Technology: Applying Social Cognitive Career Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inda-Caro, Mercedes; Rodríguez-Menéndez, Carmen; Peña-Calvo, José-Vicente

    2016-01-01

    The authors have examined the relative contribution of personal (emotional state, gender-role attitudes), contextual (perceived social supports and barriers), and cognitive (self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations) variables to technological interests in a sample (N = 2,364) of 10th-grade Spanish students. The results of path analysis…

  16. [Placebo effect: a contribution of social psychology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balez, R; Leroyer, C; Couturaud, F

    2014-10-01

    This article reviews the psychosocial variables, which are of interest in the relationship between the patient and the physician. According to a classical model of social psychology, such a relationship might contribute to the placebo/nocebo effects. We develop herein various relational and contextual variables, taking into account four dimensions (intra-individual, interpersonal, positional and ideological) and their potential effects on therapeutic responses. This applies both in the setting of daily clinical practice and of clinical trials. The placebo effect offers an opportunity for collaboration and dialogue between social scientists and physicians.

  17. Social media mining and visualization for point-of-interest recommendation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Ren Xingyi; Song Meina; E Haihong; Song Junde

    2017-01-01

    With the rapid growth of location-based social networks (LBSNs),point-of-interest (POI) recommendation has become an important research problem.As one of the most representative social media platforms,Twitter provides various real-life information for POI recommendation in real time.Despite that POI recommendation has been actively studied,tweet images have not been well utilized for this research problem.State-of-the-art visual features like convolutional neural network (CNN) features have shown significant performance gains over the traditional bag-of-visual-words in unveiling the image's semantics.Unfortunately,they have not been employed for POI recommendation from social websites.Hence,how to make the most of tweet images to improve the performance of POI recommendation and visualization remains open.In this paper,we thoroughly study the impact of tweet images on POI recommendation for different POI categories using various visual features.A novel topic model called social media Twitter-latent Dirichlet allocation (SM-TwitterLDA) which jointly models five Twitter features,(i.e.,text,image,location,timestamp and hashtag) is designed to discover POIs from the sheer amount of tweets.Moreover,each POI is visualized by representative images selected on three predefined criteria.Extensive experiments have been conducted on a real-life tweet dataset to verify the effectiveness of our method.

  18. Adapting computational text analysis to social science (and vice versa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul DiMaggio

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Social scientists and computer scientist are divided by small differences in perspective and not by any significant disciplinary divide. In the field of text analysis, several such differences are noted: social scientists often use unsupervised models to explore corpora, whereas many computer scientists employ supervised models to train data; social scientists hold to more conventional causal notions than do most computer scientists, and often favor intense exploitation of existing algorithms, whereas computer scientists focus more on developing new models; and computer scientists tend to trust human judgment more than social scientists do. These differences have implications that potentially can improve the practice of social science.

  19. Interest (mis)alignments in representative negotiations: Do pro-social agents fuel or reduce inter-group conflict?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aaldering, H.; Greer, L.L.; van Kleef, G.A.; de Dreu, C.K.W.

    2013-01-01

    In representative negotiations, interests of the representative and the represented constituency are not always aligned. We investigated how interest (mis)alignment and representative’s social value orientation influence representative negotiations. Past theory and research on the principal-agent

  20. Climate Scientists In The Public Arena: Who's Got Our Backs? (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, M. E.

    2010-12-01

    Climate scientists have an important role to play in informing the public discourse on human-caused climate change. Our scientific expertise provides us a unique, informed perspective, and despite recent high profile attacks against climate science, the public still affords climate scientists the greatest trust to deliver an honest, unbiased assessment of the potential threats posed by climate changes. Yet, as with all areas of science where powerful special interests perceive themselves as threatened by the findings of science, scientists enter the public fray at our peril. Our efforts to communicate the science are opposed by a well-funded, highly organized disinformation effort that aims to confuse the public about the nature of our scientific understanding. In recent years, the disinformation campaign has demonstrated a willingness to attack individual, climate scientists as a means of achieving a broader end: discrediting climate science itself. These attacks are rarely fought in legitimate scientific circles such as the peer-reviewed scientific literature or other scholarly venues, but rather through rhetorical efforts delivered by nonscientists, using ideologically aligned media outlets, special interest groups, and politicians. Scientists are massively out-funded and outmanned in this battle, and will lose if leading scientific institutions and organizations remain on the sidelines. I will discuss this dilemma, drawing upon my own experiences in the public arena of climate change.

  1. A simple model for research interest evolution patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Tao; Wang, Dashun; Szymanski, Boleslaw

    Sir Isaac Newton supposedly remarked that in his scientific career he was like ``...a boy playing on the sea-shore ...finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary''. His remarkable modesty and famous understatement motivate us to seek regularities in how scientists shift their research focus as the career develops. Indeed, despite intensive investigations on how microscopic factors, such as incentives and risks, would influence a scientist's choice of research agenda, little is known on the macroscopic patterns in the research interest change undertaken by individual scientists throughout their careers. Here we make use of over 14,000 authors' publication records in physics. By quantifying statistical characteristics in the interest evolution, we model scientific research as a random walk, which reproduces patterns in individuals' careers observed empirically. Despite myriad of factors that shape and influence individual choices of research subjects, we identified regularities in this dynamical process that are well captured by a simple statistical model. The results advance our understanding of scientists' behaviors during their careers and open up avenues for future studies in the science of science.

  2. NASA's SMD Cross-Forum Resources for Supporting Scientist Engagement in Education and Public Outreach Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, S.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Hsu, B. C.; Sharma, M.; Peticolas, L. M.; Schwerin, T. G.; Shipp, S. S.; Smith, D.

    2012-12-01

    Sharing the excitement of ongoing scientific discoveries is an important aspect of scientific activity for researchers. Directly engaging scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities has the benefit of directly connecting the public to those who engage in scientific activities. A shortage of training in education methods, public speaking, and working with various public audiences increases barriers to engaging scientists in these types in E/PO activities. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public forums (astrophysics, earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science) support scientists currently involved in E/PO and who are interested in becoming involved in E/PO through a variety of avenues. Over the past three years, the forums have developed a variety of resources to help engage scientists in education and public outreach. We will showcase the following resources developed through the SMD E/PO cross-forum efforts: Professional development resources for writing NASA SMD E/PO proposals (webinars and other online tools), ongoing professional development at scientific conferences to increase scientist engagement in E/PO activities, toolkits for scientists interested in best practices in E/PO (online guides for K-12 education and public outreach), toolkits to inform scientists of science education resources developed within each scientific thematic community, EarthSpace (a community web space where instructors can find and share about teaching space and earth sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials news and funding opportunities, and the latest education research, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/), thematic resources for teaching about SMD science topics, and an online database of scientists interested in connecting with education programs. Learn more about the Forum and find resources at http://smdepo.org/.

  3. Reproducing cultural identity in negotiating nuclear power: the Union of Concerned Scientists and emergency core cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Downey, G.L.

    1988-01-01

    This paper advances the concept of 'cultural identity' to account for the nexus between structure and practice in technological negotiations. It describes how the formation of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and that group's subsequent discourse and nonverbal actions, both reproduced the established identities of group members and contributed to negotiations that reconstituted those identities. In particular, UCS claims about emergency core-cooling systems in nuclear plants were congruent with the combination of a shared ideology, the social interests of Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty, and established principles of engineering design. The cultural analysis of identity reproduction shows the opposition between cognitive and social phenomena to be a significant distinction framing action in Western culture. The analysis also suggests that new attention be given to the relationship between the constitutive and reproductive functions of discourse and nonverbal action. (author)

  4. Reproducing cultural identity in negotiating nuclear power: the Union of Concerned Scientists and emergency core cooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Downey, G L

    1988-05-01

    This paper advances the concept of 'cultural identity' to account for the nexus between structure and practice in technological negotiations. It describes how the formation of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and that group's subsequent discourse and nonverbal actions, both reproduced the established identities of group members and contributed to negotiations that reconstituted those identities. In particular, UCS claims about emergency core-cooling systems in nuclear plants were congruent with the combination of a shared ideology, the social interests of Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty, and established principles of engineering design. The cultural analysis of identity reproduction shows the opposition between cognitive and social phenomena to be a significant distinction framing action in Western culture. The analysis also suggests that new attention be given to the relationship between the constitutive and reproductive functions of discourse and nonverbal action.

  5. Ask a Scientist: What is Color Blindness?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Search the NEI Website search NEI on Social Media | Search A-Z | en español | Text size S M L About NEI NEI Research Accomplishments Budget and Congress About the NEI Director History of the NEI NEI 50th Anniversary NEI Women Scientists Advisory Committee (WSAC) Board of Scientific Counselors ...

  6. Socials Interests in Football

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raúl Fustes Ross

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The football is the most universal phenomenon, in evidence of it, the IFFA, the governing organization for this sport, has more countries than UNO and unit to Vatican, are considered among the most powerful organizations in the World and the more social members brings together. Its most negative part is the player’s professionalism, them received fabulous payments by her clubs; this clubs considered them like a goods from to transfer –buy –sell. These foot ball players signed the most lucrative contract; they forget the social spirit of this sport activity and at her community or nation.

  7. The Evidence Base for How We Learn: Supporting Students' Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. Consensus Statements of Evidence from the Council of Distinguished Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Stephanie M.; Kahn, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    "The Evidence Base for How We Learn: Supporting Students' Social, Emotional, and Academic Development" articulates the scientific consensus regarding how people learn. The research brief presents a set of consensus statements--developed and unanimously signed onto by the Commission's Council of Distinguished Scientists--that affirm the…

  8. Consumer interest in social sustainability issues of whitefish from capture fisheries in the north-east Atlantic

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veldhuizen, Linda J.L.; Lans, van der Ivo A.; Berentsen, Paul B.M.; Boer, de Imke J.M.; Bokkers, Eddy

    2017-01-01

    Capture fisheries in the north-east Atlantic account for approximately 10% of all fish consumed from capture fisheries globally. The literature shows that consumers show considerable interest in social sustainability of products in general and of fish specifically. This interest, however, has not

  9. Media resource service: Getting scientists and the media together

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jerome, F.

    1990-01-01

    The Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident in 1979 led to the establishment of the Media Resource Service (MRS), which puts journalists in touch with scientists by telephone to help the press meet the public's need to understand science and technology. The Chernobyl nuclear power accident in 1986 underscored that need. The MRS is run by the Scientists' Institute for Public Information (SIPI), a non-profit group in the USA. Similar services have since been set up in Canada and the United Kingdom, and interest has been shown in many other countries

  10. Tools for Engaging Scientists in Education and Public Outreach: Resources from NASA's Science Mission Directorate Forums

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, S.; Grier, J.; Meinke, B. K.; Gross, N. A.; Woroner, M.

    2014-12-01

    The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its E/PO community by enhancing the coherency and efficiency of SMD-funded E/PO programs. The Forums foster collaboration and partnerships between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We will present tools to engage and resources to support scientists' engagement in E/PO efforts. Scientists can get connected to educators and find support materials and links to resources to support their E/PO work through the online SMD E/PO community workspace (http://smdepo.org) The site includes resources for scientists interested in E/PO including one page guides about "How to Get Involved" and "How to Increase Your Impact," as well as the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker's Bureau to connect scientists to audiences across the country. Additionally, there is a set of online clearinghouses that provide ready-made lessons and activities for use by scientists and educators: NASA Wavelength (http://nasawavelength.org/) and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/). The NASA Forums create and partner with organizations to provide resources specifically for undergraduate science instructors including slide sets for Earth and Space Science classes on the current topics in astronomy and planetary science. The Forums also provide professional development opportunities at professional science conferences each year including AGU, LPSC, AAS, and DPS to support higher education faculty who are teaching undergraduate courses. These offerings include best practices in instruction, resources for teaching planetary science and astronomy topics, and other special topics such as working with diverse students and the use of social media in the classroom. We are continually soliciting ways that we can better support scientists' efforts in effectively engaging in E/PO. Please contact Sanlyn Buxner (buxner@psi.edu) or Jennifer Grier (jgrier@psi.edu) to

  11. Face repetition detection and social interest: An ERP study in adults with and without Williams syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Key, Alexandra P; Dykens, Elisabeth M

    2016-12-01

    The present study examined possible neural mechanisms underlying increased social interest in persons with Williams syndrome (WS). Visual event-related potentials (ERPs) during passive viewing were used to compare incidental memory traces for repeated vs. single presentations of previously unfamiliar social (faces) and nonsocial (houses) images in 26 adults with WS and 26 typical adults. Results indicated that participants with WS developed familiarity with the repeated faces and houses (frontal N400 response), but only typical adults evidenced the parietal old/new effect (previously associated with stimulus recollection) for the repeated faces. There was also no evidence of exceptional salience of social information in WS, as ERP markers of memory for repeated faces vs. houses were not significantly different. Thus, while persons with WS exhibit behavioral evidence of increased social interest, their processing of social information in the absence of specific instructions may be relatively superficial. The ERP evidence of face repetition detection in WS was independent of IQ and the earlier perceptual differentiation of social vs. nonsocial stimuli. Large individual differences in ERPs of participants with WS may provide valuable information for understanding the WS phenotype and have relevance for educational and treatment purposes.

  12. More Appropriate Information Systems and Services for the Social Scientist: Time to Put Our Findings to Work. A review of: Line, Maurice B. “The Information Uses and Needs of Social Scientists: An Overview of INFROSS.” Aslib Proceedings 23.8 (1971: 412‐34. Rpt. in Lines of Thought: Selected Papers. Ed. L.J. Anthony. London: Bingley, 1988. 45‐66.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Laval Hunsucker

    2007-12-01

    the appearance of this article.Among informal methods of scholarly communication and information transfer, conferences (to the investigators’ surprise rated remarkably low.Researchers with large personal collections made more use of the library and its services than those with small collections.Social scientists had little interest in non‐English‐language materials. Line speaks of “a serious foreign language problem” (424.The INFROSS study produced an enormous amount of data. Only 384 of the computer tables produced were made available in 4 separate reports to OSTI. Only 3 tables, 2 of which were abbreviated, appeared in this article. The further raw data were available on request.Conclusion – Line himself was exceedingly cautious in drawing explicit positive conclusions from the INFROSS results. Heeven stated that, “No major patterns were detected which could be of use for information system design purposes” (430. He was freer with his negative and provisional assessments. Two years earlier he had written: “It still remains to be established that there is an information problem in the social sciences, or that, if there is, it is of any magnitude” (“Information Requirements” 3. However, it was now clear to Line that information services and systems for the social scientist were indeed quite inadequate, and that (potential users were not satisfied. He was, furthermore, prepared to go out ona limb with the following assertions and inferences: 1 It was a great strength of INFROSS that it had – in marked contrast to previous science user studies – generated “a mass of comparable [his italics] data within a very broad field, so that every finding can berelated to other findings” (430. 2 There are discernable – and exploitable – differences in the information needs and use patterns among the different social science disciplines (which he often also refers to as the different “subjects”. 3 INFROSS had likewise made more evident the

  13. Adulthood Social Class and Union Interest: A First Test of a Theoretical Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellor, Steven

    2016-10-02

    A serial mediation model of union interest was tested. Based on theoretical notes provided by Mellor and Golay (in press), adulthood social class was positioned as a predictor of willingness to join a labor union, with success/failure attributions at work and willingness to share work goals positioned as intervening variables. Data from U.S. nonunion employees (N = 560) suggested full mediation after effects were adjusted for childhood social class. In sequence, adulthood social class predicted success/failure attributions at work, success/failure attributions at work predicted willingness to share work goals, and willingness to share work goals predicted willingness to join. Implications for socioeconomic status (SES) research and union expansion are discussed.

  14. Challenges in translational research: the views of addiction scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostergren, Jenny E; Hammer, Rachel R; Dingel, Molly J; Koenig, Barbara A; McCormick, Jennifer B

    2014-01-01

    To explore scientists' perspectives on the challenges and pressures of translating research findings into clinical practice and public health policy. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 20 leading scientists engaged in genetic research on addiction. We asked participants for their views on how their own research translates, how genetic research addresses addiction as a public health problem and how it may affect the public's view of addiction. Most scientists described a direct translational route for their research, positing that their research will have significant societal benefits, leading to advances in treatment and novel prevention strategies. However, scientists also pointed to the inherent pressures they feel to quickly translate their research findings into actual clinical or public health use. They stressed the importance of allowing the scientific process to play out, voicing ambivalence about the recent push to speed translation. High expectations have been raised that biomedical science will lead to new prevention and treatment modalities, exerting pressure on scientists. Our data suggest that scientists feel caught in the push for immediate applications. This overemphasis on rapid translation can lead to technologies and applications being rushed into use without critical evaluation of ethical, policy, and social implications, and without balancing their value compared to public health policies and interventions currently in place.

  15. Education and training of future wetland scientists and managers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, D.A.

    2008-01-01

    Wetland science emerged as a distinct discipline in the 1980s. In response, courses addressing various aspects of wetland science and management were developed by universities, government agencies, and private firms. Professional certification of wetland scientists began in the mid-1990s to provide confirmation of the quality of education and experience of persons involved in regulatory, management, restoration/construction, and research involving wetland resources. The education requirements for certification and the need for persons with specific wetland training to fill an increasing number of wetland-related positions identified a critical need to develop curriculum guidelines for an undergraduate wetland science and management major for potential accreditation by the Society of Wetland Scientists. That proposed major contains options directed toward either wetland science or management. Both options include required basic courses to meet the general education requirements of many universities, required upper-level specialized courses that address critical aspects of physical and biological sciences applicable to wetlands, and a minimum of four additional upper-level specialized courses that can be used to tailor a degree to students' interests. The program would be administered by an independent review board that would develop guidelines and evaluate university applications for accreditation. Students that complete the required coursework will fulfill the education requirements for professional wetland scientist certification and possess qualifications that make them attractive candidates for graduate school or entry-level positions in wetland science or management. Universities that offer this degree program could gain an advantage in recruiting highly qualified students with an interest in natural resources. Alternative means of educating established wetland scientists are likewise important, especially to provide specialized knowledge and experience or

  16. Facts of Interest | Women in Science | Initiatives | Indian Academy of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Initiatives; Women in Science; Facts of Interest ... A brief technical report on the role of Indian women scientists in the Indian Antartic ... scientists, at a young age of 52, after a valiant battle with cancer, today on 29th March 2016 in Delhi.

  17. Are Scientists Objective? An Investigation of Appraisal Resources in English Popular Science Articles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babaii, Esmat; Atai, Mahmood Reza; Saidi, Mavadat

    2017-01-01

    With the increasingly growing technological advances and their consequences for societies, the public has the right to be engaged in the outcomes of science. On the one hand, the public are interested in acquiring information about the results of scientists' experiments. On the other hand, the scientists are willing to share their feelings about…

  18. Entextualized Humor in the Formation of Scientist Identities among U.S. Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bucholtz, Mary; Skapoulli, Elena; Barnwell, Brendan; Lee, Jung-Eun Janie

    2011-01-01

    Studies of the socialization of novices into scientific cultures typically emphasize official knowledge-making activities. However, scientific socialization is also accomplished informally through humor. As entextualized humor, formulaic jokes enable U.S. undergraduate students in science to claim scientist identities both through a displayed…

  19. Conservation beyond science: scientists as storytellers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diogo Veríssimo

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available As scientists we are often unprepared and unwilling to communicate our passion for what we do to those outside our professional circles. Scientific literature can also be difficult or unattractive to those without a professional interest in research. Storytelling can be a successful approach to enable readers to engage with the challenges faced by scientists. In an effort to convey to the public what it means to be a field biologist, 18 Portuguese biologists came together to write a book titled “BIOgraphies: The lives of those who study life”, in the original Portuguese “BIOgrafias: Vidas de quem estuda a vida”. This book is a collection of 35 field stories that became career landmarks for those who lived them. We discuss the obstacles and opportunities of the publishing process and reflect on the lessons learned for future outreach efforts.

  20. A gender gap in the next generation of physician-scientists: medical student interest and participation in research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guelich, Jill M; Singer, Burton H; Castro, Marcia C; Rosenberg, Leon E

    2002-11-01

    For 2 decades, the number of physician-scientists has not kept pace with the overall growth of the medical research community. Concomitantly, the number of women entering medical schools has increased markedly. We have explored the effect of the changing gender composition of medical schools on the present and future pipeline of young physician-scientists. We analyzed data obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the National Institutes of Health, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute pertaining to the expressed research intentions or research participation of male and female medical students in the United States. A statistically significant decline in the percentage of matriculating and graduating medical students--both men and women-who expressed strong research career intentions occurred during the decade between 1987 and 1997. Moreover, matriculating and graduating women were significantly less likely than men to indicate strong research career intentions. Each of these trends has been observed for medical schools overall and for research-intensive ones. Cohort data obtained by tracking individuals from matriculation to graduation revealed that women who expressed strong research career intentions upon matriculation were more likely than men to decrease their research career intentions during medical school. Medical student participation in research supported the gender gap identified by assessing research intentions. Female medical student participation in the Medical Scientist Training Program and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute/National Institutes of Health-sponsored Cloisters Program has increased but lags far behind the growth in the female population in medical schools. Three worrisome trends in the research career intentions and participation of the nation's medical students (a decade-long decline for both men and women, a large and persistent gender gap, and a negative effect of the medical school experience for women) presage a

  1. Integrating cues of social interest and voice pitch in men's preferences for women's voices

    OpenAIRE

    Jones, Benedict C; Feinberg, David R; DeBruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C; Vukovic, Jovana

    2008-01-01

    Most previous studies of vocal attractiveness have focused on preferences for physical characteristics of voices such as pitch. Here we examine the content of vocalizations in interaction with such physical traits, finding that vocal cues of social interest modulate the strength of men's preferences for raised pitch in women's voices. Men showed stronger preferences for raised pitch when judging the voices of women who appeared interested in the listener than when judging the voices of women ...

  2. The Ethical Challenges of Socially Responsible Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resnik, David B; Elliott, Kevin C

    2016-01-01

    Social responsibility is an essential part of the responsible conduct of research that presents difficult ethical questions for scientists. Recognizing one's social responsibilities as a scientist is an important first step toward exercising social responsibility, but it is only the beginning, since scientists may confront difficult value questions when deciding how to act responsibly. Ethical dilemmas related to socially responsible science fall into at least three basic categories: 1) dilemmas related to problem selection, 2) dilemmas related to publication and data sharing, and 3) dilemmas related to engaging society. In responding to these dilemmas, scientists must decide how to balance their social responsibilities against other professional commitments and how to avoid compromising their objectivity. In this article, we will examine the philosophical and ethical basis of social responsibility in science, discuss some of the ethical dilemmas related to exercising social responsibility, and make five recommendations to help scientists deal with these issues.

  3. The Dynamic Reactance Interaction - How Vested Interests Affect People's Experience, Behavior, and Cognition in Social Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steindl, Christina; Jonas, Eva

    2015-01-01

    In social interactions, individuals may sometimes pursue their own interests at the expense of their interaction partner. Such self-interested behaviors impose a threat to the interaction partner's freedom to act. The current article investigates this threat in the context of interdependence and reactance theory. We explore how vested interests influence reactance process stages of an advisor-client interaction. We aim to explore the interactional process that evolves. In two studies, participants took the perspective of a doctor (advisor) or a patient (client). In both studies we incorporated a vested interest. In Study 1 (N = 82) we found that in response to a vested interest of their interaction partner, patients indicated a stronger experience of reactance, more aggressive behavioral intentions, and more biased cognitions than doctors. A serial multiple mediation revealed that a vested interest engendered mistrust toward the interaction partner and this mistrust led to an emerging reactance process. Study 2 (N = 207) further demonstrated that doctors expressed their reactance in a subtle way: they revealed a classic confirmation bias when searching for additional information on their preliminary decision preference, indicating stronger defense motivation. We discuss how these findings can help us to understand how social interactions develop dynamically.

  4. Energetic transitions by the French engineers and scientists

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiltz, Bruno

    2014-01-01

    The energetic transition concerns the French scientists and engineers very much (1 million) because they are a lot involved in research, innovation, development, exploitation and generally in industry, in a field of fast-changing environment and of vital national interest, which, despite the absence of dominant classical resources, has remarkable potentials. (O.M.)

  5. The scientist's role in the nuclear debate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blackstein, F.P.

    1981-01-01

    Until recently the public had little time for, or interest in, studying scientific developments. Details on topics such as medical research, energy developments and communications advances were left to scientific journals and specialist conferences. For the most part the public had faith in science and science was able to maintain that faith through developments which recognizably improved the lot of mankind. But faith is no longer sufficient; scientists must now interact with people if we are to fulfil our obligations in this new theatre of increased public awareness. Scientists and egineers like myself and my colleagues at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. are communicating with the public as one part of a broad programme of public information. This includes: operation of public information centres, visits to our laboratories, interaction with teachers, distribution of reports and hosting exhibits. Technical people have a lot to learn about communicating with the public, the media and the critics. It is an extremely difficult task, but as concerned scientists it is something we should and must do, openly and constructively

  6. Effect of Heterogeneous Interest Similarity on the Spread of Information in Mobile Social Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Narisa; Sui, Guoqin; Yang, Fan

    2018-06-01

    Mobile social networks (MSNs) are important platforms for spreading news. The fact that individuals usually forward information aligned with their own interests inevitably changes the dynamics of information spread. Thereby, first we present a theoretical model based on the discrete Markov chain and mean field theory to evaluate the effect of interest similarity on the information spread in MSNs. Meanwhile, individuals' interests are heterogeneous and vary with time. These two features result in interest shift behavior, and both features are considered in our model. A leveraging simulation demonstrates the accuracy of our model. Moreover, the basic reproduction number R0 is determined. Further extensive numerical analyses based on the model indicate that interest similarity has a critical impact on information spread at the early spreading stage. Specifically, the information always spreads more quickly and widely if the interest similarity between an individual and the information is higher. Finally, five actual data sets from Sina Weibo illustrate the validity of the model.

  7. Social media use among young rheumatologists and basic scientists: results of an international survey by the Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikiphorou, Elena; Studenic, Paul; Ammitzbøll, Christian Gytz; Canavan, Mary; Jani, Meghna; Ospelt, Caroline; Berenbaum, Francis

    2017-04-01

    To explore perceptions, barriers and patterns of social media (SM) use among rheumatology fellows and basic scientists. An online survey was disseminated via Twitter, Facebook and by email to members of the Emerging European League Against Rheumatism Network. Questions focused on general demographics, frequency and types of SM use, reasons and barriers to SM use. Of 233 respondents (47 countries), 72% were aged 30-39 years, 66% female. 83% were active users of at least one SM platform and 71% were using SM professionally. The majority used SM for communicating with friends/colleagues (79%), news updates (76%), entertainment (69%), clinical (50%) and research (48%) updates. Facebook was the dominant platform used (91%). SM was reported to be used for information (81%); for expanding professional networks (76%); new resources (59%); learning new skills (47%) and establishing a professional online presence (46%). 30% of non-SM users justified not using SM due to lack of knowledge. There was a substantial use of SM by rheumatologists and basic scientists for social and professional reasons. The survey highlights a need for providing learning resources and increasing awareness of the use of SM. This could enhance communication, participation and collaborative work, enabling its more widespread use in a professional manner. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  8. Exploring Natural and Social Scientists' Views of Nature of Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayir, Eylem; Cakici, Yilmaz; Ertas, Ozge

    2014-01-01

    Science education researchers recently turned their attention to exploring views about nature of science (NOS). A large body of research indicates that both students and teachers have many naïve views about the NOS. Unfortunately, less attention has been directed at the issue of exploring the views of the scientists. Also, the little research in…

  9. The story of 'Scientist: The Story of a Word'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, David Philip

    2017-10-01

    This examination of an important paper by Sydney Ross is the first in a projected series of occasional reflections on 'Annals of Science Classic Papers' that have had enduring utility within the field of history of science and beyond. First the messages of the paper are examined, some well known but others, particularly Ross's own contemporary concerns about the use of the word 'scientist', less so. The varied uses made of the paper by scholars are then traced before Ross's biography is examined in order to try to understand how a figure professionally marginal to the field of history of science came to write such a significant piece. Ross's interest in the topic appears to have been informed by a romantically tinged scientific progressivism and a deep concern with the importance of linguistic precision in science and in public affairs. The inspirations of the author and the interests of his audience have been only partially aligned, but the paper's insights remain of broad historical interest and have wider ramifications since the denotation 'scientist' and its proper application are much debated today in contests over the authority of science.

  10. Scientists Involved in K-12 Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robigou, V.

    2004-12-01

    The publication of countless reports documenting the dismal state of science education in the 1980s, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) report (1996) called for a wider involvement of the scientific community in K-12 education and outreach. Improving science education will not happen without the collaboration of educators and scientists working in a coordinated manner and it requires a long-term, continuous effort. To contribute effectively to K-12 education all scientists should refer to the National Science Education Standards, a set of policies that guide the development of curriculum and assessment. Ocean scientists can also specifically refer to the COSEE recommendations (www.cosee.org) that led to the creation of seven regional Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence. Scientists can get involved in K-12 education in a multitude of ways. They should select projects that will accommodate time away from their research and teaching obligations, their talent, and their interest but also contribute to the education reform. A few examples of effective involvement are: 1) collaborating with colleagues in a school of education that can lead to better education of all students and future teachers, 2) acting as a resource for a national program or a local science fair, 3) serving on the advisory board of a program that develops educational material, 4) speaking out at professional meetings about the value of scientists' involvement in education, 5) speaking enthusiastically about the teaching profession. Improving science education in addition to research can seem a large, overwhelming task for scientists. As a result, focusing on projects that will fit the scientist's needs as well as benefit the science reform is of prime importance. It takes an enormous amount of work and financial and personnel resources to start a new program with measurable impact on students. So, finding the right opportunity is a priority, and stepping

  11. It's a wonderful life: a career as an academic scientist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vale, Ronald D

    2010-01-01

    Many years of training are required to obtain a job as an academic scientist. Is this investment of time and effort worthwhile? My answer is a resounding "yes." Academic scientists enjoy tremendous freedom in choosing their research and career path, experience unusual camaraderie in their lab, school, and international community, and can contribute to and enjoy being part of this historical era of biological discovery. In this essay, I further elaborate by listing my top ten reasons why an academic job is a desirable career for young people who are interested in the life sciences.

  12. Human genetics for non-scientists: Practical workshops for policy makers and opinion leaders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-12-31

    These workshops form part of a series of workshops that the Banbury and the DNA Learning Centers of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have held for a number of years, introducing genetics, and the ways in which scientific research is done, to non-scientists. The purpose of the workshops as stated in the grant application was: {open_quotes}Our objective is to foster a better understanding of the societal impact of human genome research by providing basic information on genetics to non-scientists whose professions or special interests interface with genetic technology.... Participants will be chosen for their interest in human genetics and for their roles as opinion leaders in their own communities. Primary care physicians are of particular interest to us for this series of workshops.{close_quotes} Two workshops were held under this grant. The first was held in 21-24 April, 1994 and attended by 20 participants, and the second was held 16-19 November, 1995, and attended by 16 participants. In each case, there was a combination of concept lectures on the foundations of human molecular genetics; lectures by invited specialists; and laboratory experiments to introduce non-scientists to the techniques used in molecular genetics.

  13. Nobelist TD LEE Scientist Cooperation Network and Scientist Innovation Ability Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Qing Fang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Nobelist TD Lee scientist cooperation network (TDLSCN and their innovation ability are studied. It is found that the TDLSCN not only has the common topological properties both of scale-free and small-world for a general scientist cooperation networks, but also appears the creation multiple-peak phenomenon for number of published paper with year evolution, which become Nobelist TD Lee’s significant mark distinguished from other scientists. This new phenomenon has not been revealed in the scientist cooperation networks before. To demonstrate and explain this new finding, we propose a theoretical model for a nature scientist and his/her team innovation ability. The theoretical results are consistent with the empirical studies very well. This research demonstrates that the model has a certain universality and can be extended to estimate innovation ability for any nature scientist and his/her team. It is a better method for evaluating scientist innovation ability and his/her team for the academic profession and is of application potential.

  14. Testing the social cognitive career theory in Thai nurses' interest to become nurse educators: A structural equation modeling analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thungjaroenkul, Petsunee; G Cummings, Greta; Tate, Kaitlyn

    2016-09-01

    A shortage of nurse educators generates a systemic problem in nursing education. A model to develop interventions directed at enhancing graduate nursing student interest in assuming a future faculty role is needed. This study used a social cognitive career theory perspective to examine the effects of past performance in teaching and supervision, social influence, observing others teaching, perceived task demands for nurse educators, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations on Thai graduate nursing students' (n=236) interest to become a nurse educator. Results of structural equation modeling analyses revealed that social influence and past performance in teaching and supervision had significant effects on interest to become a nurse educator when mediated by self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Observing others teaching and perceived task demands for nurse educators did not significantly predict interest in faculty roles. These findings provide new knowledge about factors and their influence on the development of interest to assume faculty roles. Implications for nursing education include the design of feasible graduate curricula that enhance students' abilities in faculty role and increases valuation of teaching careers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Sociophysiology 25 years ago: early perspectives of an emerging discipline now part of social neuroscience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barchas, Patricia R; Barchas, Jack D

    2011-08-01

    Sociophysiology was a term used early in the history of sociology and then again 25 years ago to describe interactions between the "social" and the "biological" worlds. Social scientists had largely viewed biology and the brain as a "black box" that was not an active aspect of their work or theories. A landmark, unpublished conference in 1986 brought together social scientists and biologists dedicated to the idea that bringing sociological conceptualizations and approaches together with those of physiology might create new ways to understand human behavior. The umbrella question for sociophysiology was dual: how do social processes impact the physiology of the organism, and how does that altered physiology affect future social behavior? This paper summarizes that conference with the goal of providing a glimpse into the early history of social neuroscience and to demonstrate the variety of individuals and interests that were present at the emergence of this new field. The late Patricia R. Barchas organized and chaired the conference. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

  16. Scientists, Other Citizens, and the Art of Practical Reasoning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Gitte

    2012-01-01

    ’ as social groups. A tentative analysis explores the role of scientific expertise in democracies viewed as a practical issue in the classical, Aristotelian sense. It is suggested that the notions of praxis and practical reasoning as phronesis offer a framework that allows citizenship to scientists and might...

  17. The Reputational Consequences of Failed Replications and Wrongness Admission among Scientists.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam K Fetterman

    Full Text Available Scientists are dedicating more attention to replication efforts. While the scientific utility of replications is unquestionable, the impact of failed replication efforts and the discussions surrounding them deserve more attention. Specifically, the debates about failed replications on social media have led to worry, in some scientists, regarding reputation. In order to gain data-informed insights into these issues, we collected data from 281 published scientists. We assessed whether scientists overestimate the negative reputational effects of a failed replication in a scenario-based study. Second, we assessed the reputational consequences of admitting wrongness (versus not as an original scientist of an effect that has failed to replicate. Our data suggests that scientists overestimate the negative reputational impact of a hypothetical failed replication effort. We also show that admitting wrongness about a non-replicated finding is less harmful to one's reputation than not admitting. Finally, we discovered a hint of evidence that feelings about the replication movement can be affected by whether replication efforts are aimed one's own work versus the work of another. Given these findings, we then present potential ways forward in these discussions.

  18. The Reputational Consequences of Failed Replications and Wrongness Admission among Scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetterman, Adam K; Sassenberg, Kai

    2015-01-01

    Scientists are dedicating more attention to replication efforts. While the scientific utility of replications is unquestionable, the impact of failed replication efforts and the discussions surrounding them deserve more attention. Specifically, the debates about failed replications on social media have led to worry, in some scientists, regarding reputation. In order to gain data-informed insights into these issues, we collected data from 281 published scientists. We assessed whether scientists overestimate the negative reputational effects of a failed replication in a scenario-based study. Second, we assessed the reputational consequences of admitting wrongness (versus not) as an original scientist of an effect that has failed to replicate. Our data suggests that scientists overestimate the negative reputational impact of a hypothetical failed replication effort. We also show that admitting wrongness about a non-replicated finding is less harmful to one's reputation than not admitting. Finally, we discovered a hint of evidence that feelings about the replication movement can be affected by whether replication efforts are aimed one's own work versus the work of another. Given these findings, we then present potential ways forward in these discussions.

  19. The central role of energy in Soddy's holistic and critical approach to nuclear science, economics, and social responsibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trenn, T.J.

    1979-01-01

    The following aspects of Soddy's life and work are discussed: early work with Rutherford leading to the conviction that atoms contained an immense store of energy; his belief that this energy could be released and controlled for the benefit of mankind; his growing concern with the fundamental problems of social economics and the social responsibility of scientists; and his interest in economics and monetary reform. (U.K.)

  20. How Framing Climate Change Influences Citizen Scientists' Intentions to Do Something about It

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickinson, Janis L.; Crain, Rhiannon; Yalowitz, Steve; Cherry, Tammy M.

    2013-01-01

    How we communicate the dangers of climate change may influence attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Here we test two pairs of positive and negative framing statements with North American citizen scientists interested in gardening and birdwatching. Mentioning dangers for humans did not increase participants' interest in taking personal action on…

  1. Science Possible Selves and the Desire to be a Scientist: Mindsets, Gender Bias, and Confidence during Early Adolescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Patricia Wonch; McQuillan, Julia; Talbert, Eli; Spiegel, Amy; Gauthier, G Robin; Diamond, Judy

    2017-06-01

    In the United States, gender gaps in science interest widen during the middle school years. Recent research on adults shows that gender gaps in some academic fields are associated with mindsets about ability and gender-science biases. In a sample of 529 students in a U.S. middle school, we assess how explicit boy-science bias, science confidence, science possible self (belief in being able to become a scientist), and desire to be a scientist vary by gender. Guided by theories and prior research, we use a series of multivariate logistic regression models to examine the relationships between mindsets about ability and these variables. We control for self-reported science grades, social capital, and race/ethnic minority status. Results show that seeing academic ability as innate ("fixed mindsets") is associated with boy-science bias, and that younger girls have less boy-science bias than older girls. Fixed mindsets and boy-science bias are both negatively associated with a science possible self; science confidence is positively associated with a science possible self. In the final model, high science confident and having a science possible self are positively associated with a desire to be a scientist. Facilitating growth mindsets and countering boy-science bias in middle school may be fruitful interventions for widening participation in science careers.

  2. Scientism, conflicts of interest, and the marginalization of ethics in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayes, Christopher; Williams, Jane; Kerridge, Ian; Lipworth, Wendy

    2017-11-03

    This paper reports on the findings from 6 focus groups conducted with Australian medical students. The focus groups sought students' perspectives on how the influence of commercial interests on medical practice and education could be managed. We conducted 6 focus groups with medical students in New South Wales, Australia. Participants were recruited via student-run medical society and faculty e-mail lists. Forty-nine students from 6 medical schools in New South Wales participated. The research team reflected on the extent to which students uncritically appealed to science in the abstract as a management solution for conflicts of interest. Data analysis was largely inductive, looking for uses of scientific terminology, EBM, and appeals to "science" in the management of COI and applied theoretical analyses of scientism. The students in our study suggested that science and evidence-based medicine, rather than ethics or professionalism, were the best tools to deal with undue influence and bias. This paper uses philosophy of science literature to critically examine these scientistic appeals to science and EBM as a means of managing the influence of pharmaceutical reps and commercial interests. We argue that a scientistic style of reasoning is reinforced through medical curricula and that students need to be made aware of the epistemological assumptions that underpin science, medicine, and EBM to address the ethical challenges associated with commercialised health care. More work is needed to structure medical curricula to reflect the complexities of practice and realities of science. However, curricula change alone will not sufficiently address issues associated with commercial interests in medicine. For real change to occur, there needs to be a broader social and professional debate about the ways in which medicine and industry interact, and structural changes that restrict or mitigate commercial influences in educational, research, and policy settings. © 2017 John

  3. Frederic Joliot-Curie the history of a civic-minded scientist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2000-01-01

    The year 2000 marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Frederic Joliot-Curie, who can be safely termed as one of the most prominent figures of the twentieth century. The scientist and his wife Irene discovered artificial radioactivity at the Radium Institute; in 1935, they received the Nobel Chemistry Prize for their discovery. At the College de France four years later, Frederic Joliot-Curie uncovered the conditions required for a chain reaction in uranium. He gave meaning to the word civic-minded citizen. His many deeds were a statement that a scientist should offer more than his research and its possible applications to society; that he should not shrink from committing to political and social struggles. That is why this exceptional man is a model of a committed scientist. (author)

  4. Perceived association between diagnostic and non-diagnostic cues of women's sexual interest: General Recognition Theory predictors of risk for sexual coercion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farris, Coreen; Viken, Richard J; Treat, Teresa A

    2010-01-01

    Young men's errors in sexual perception have been linked to sexual coercion. The current investigation sought to explicate the perceptual and decisional sources of these social perception errors, as well as their link to risk for sexual violence. General Recognition Theory (GRT; [Ashby, F. G., & Townsend, J. T. (1986). Varieties of perceptual independence. Psychological Review, 93, 154-179]) was used to estimate participants' ability to discriminate between affective cues and clothing style cues and to measure illusory correlations between men's perception of women's clothing style and sexual interest. High-risk men were less sensitive to the distinction between women's friendly and sexual interest cues relative to other men. In addition, they were more likely to perceive an illusory correlation between women's diagnostic sexual interest cues (e.g., facial affect) and non-diagnostic cues (e.g., provocative clothing), which increases the probability that high-risk men will misperceive friendly women as intending to communicate sexual interest. The results provide information about the degree of risk conferred by individual differences in perceptual processing of women's interest cues, and also illustrate how translational scientists might adapt GRT to examine research questions about individual differences in social perception.

  5. Overcoming the obstacles: Life stories of scientists with learning disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Force, Crista Marie

    beliefs that they developed these special abilities as a result of their learning differences, which made them better than their non-learning disabled peers in certain areas. Finally, the researcher discusses implications of these findings in the light of special accommodations that can be made by teachers, school counselors, and parents to encourage learning disabled children who demonstrate interest in becoming scientists.

  6. Factors that affect the physical science career interest of female students: Testing five common hypotheses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Lock, Robynne M.; Lung, Florin; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.

    2013-12-01

    There are many hypotheses regarding factors that may encourage female students to pursue careers in the physical sciences. Using multivariate matching methods on national data drawn from the Persistence Research in Science and Engineering (PRiSE) project (n=7505), we test the following five commonly held beliefs regarding what factors might impact females’ physical science career interest: (i) having a single-sex physics class, (ii) having a female physics teacher, (iii) having female scientist guest speakers in physics class, (iv) discussing the work of female scientists in physics class, and (v) discussing the underrepresentation of women in physics class. The effect of these experiences on physical science career interest is compared for female students who are matched on several factors, including prior science interests, prior mathematics interests, grades in science, grades in mathematics, and years of enrollment in high school physics. No significant effects are found for single-sex classes, female teachers, female scientist guest speakers, and discussing the work of female scientists. However, discussions about women’s underrepresentation have a significant positive effect.

  7. On the role of scientists and scientific organizations: A question of leadership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, B. J.; Driver, S.

    2010-12-01

    The National Research Council (NRC) series of reports on climate change, published in May, 2010, represent the scientific establishment's response in the wake of Copenhagen. The popular sentiment among students, the environmental movement and the concerned public includes, understandably, a fair amount of confusion and a great deal of disillusionment and disappointment -- not just at the national and international political bodies and individual political leaders -- but with the ambivalence of the scientists and scientific organizations to waging a real fight for substantial and effective change. If the scientific community and the environmental movement learns anything from Copenhagen it is that the existing powers-that-be are incapable of even putting forward, let alone implementing, a sound and rational response to the climate change and environmental crisis. The prevalent (and all too passive) attitude is that the role of scientists and scientific organizations is merely to supply the policy makers, corporations, and governmental entities with the facts, the objective conditions, our best scientific understanding possible, and that's it. The scientific community must reject this attitude and this approach. Leaving the social, political and economic responses, regulation, and implementation in the hands of the politicians -- whom we are advising -- means we accomplish nothing and are accepting the patently false conclusion "there is nothing realistic that can be done". As is true for all political questions, the national and international response to climate change is a question of power and the relative balance of forces between people, governments, and corporations with competing and often directly counter-posed interests. The role scientists and scientific organizations must play is to weigh in on the side of the vast majority of the world's population, side with the countries and peoples of the developing world who are suffering and will continue to suffer

  8. Teacher-Scientist-Communicator-Learner Partnerships: Reimagining Scientists in the Classroom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noel-Storr, Jacob; Terwilliger, Michael; InsightSTEM Teacher-Scientist-Communicator-Learner Partnerships Team

    2016-01-01

    We present results of our work to reimagine Teacher-Scientist partnerships to improve relationships and outcomes. We describe our work in implementing Teacher-Scientist partnerships that are expanded to include a communicator, and the learners themselves, as genuine members of the partnership. Often times in Teacher-Scientist partnerships, the scientist can often become more easily described as a special guest into the classroom, rather than a genuine partner in the learning experience. We design programs that take the expertise of the teacher and the scientist fully into account to develop practical and meaningful partnerships, that are further enhanced by using an expert in communications to develop rich experiences for and with the learners. The communications expert may be from a broad base of backgrounds depending on the needs and desires of the partners -- the communicators include, for example: public speaking gurus; journalists; web and graphic designers; and American Sign Language interpreters. Our partnership programs provide online support and professional development for all parties. Outcomes of the program are evaluated in terms of not only learning outcomes for the students, but also attitude, behavior, and relationship outcomes for the teachers, scientists, communicators and learners alike.

  9. Proceedings of the young scientist research awardee's meet: pre-proceedings volume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    Youth is the life line for the progress of any nation, be it science, academics, industry or enterpreneurship. In scientific research, it is always interesting to enumerate the ideas that are created by young minds. It is important to identify bright ideas and nurture the young scientists so that the promise shown through bright ideas will be directed towards logical execution. It is crucial for the funding agencies to be proactive to convert potential into performance. Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India supports extra mural research in nuclear and allied sciences, engineering and technology. With an aim to accomplish this objective, BRNS has been continuously encouraging and supporting scientists and engineers to pursue excellence in R and D programmes of interest and relevance to DAE. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

  10. Teen Science Cafés: A Vehicle for Scientists Seeking Broader Impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, M.; Mayhew, M. A.

    2015-12-01

    Teen Science Cafés are a global phenomenon where scientists and teenagers engage in lively conversations about current, relevant, and intriguing science. In the past two years, Teen Café programs have been initiated in 41 sites in 18 U.S. states via the Teen Science Cafe Network, teensciencecafe.org. Other such programs are growing in the UK, eastern Africa, South Africa, and Singapore. The events are a free, informal, and low risk way for scientists to share their science with a receptive audience much focused on future careers. The success of a Café depends on the core principle that rich conversation occurs; a Café program is not a lecture series. Engaging teen participants brings out different perspectives and new dimensions to the topic; this has typically given scientists new ways of thinking about their own research! Presenting the event as a conversation and inviting the teens to bring in questions and points of view is key to fostering a dynamic Café. Scientists report that the training provided for these engagements has changed the way they talk about their science to peers, managers, and funding agencies. Teen Cafés have been shown to significantly change teens' view of the importance of science in their lives, positively influence teens' understanding of science in the news, and increase their ability and confidence to use facts to support scientific points of view. The Café events also positively influenced teens' interest in science and science careers, and revealed to them the true nature of scientific research and the interesting lives that scientists lead. Cafés are an excellent vehicle for scientists to have broader impact on the current generation of students, our future adult citizens. The Teen Science Café Network is an open community of practice committed to helping others implement Teen Cafés.

  11. Interests diffusion on a semantic multiplex. Comparing Computer Science and American Physical Society communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Agostino, Gregorio; De Nicola, Antonio

    2016-10-01

    Exploiting the information about members of a Social Network (SN) represents one of the most attractive and dwelling subjects for both academic and applied scientists. The community of Complexity Science and especially those researchers working on multiplex social systems are devoting increasing efforts to outline general laws, models, and theories, to the purpose of predicting emergent phenomena in SN's (e.g. success of a product). On the other side the semantic web community aims at engineering a new generation of advanced services tailored to specific people needs. This implies defining constructs, models and methods for handling the semantic layer of SNs. We combined models and techniques from both the former fields to provide a hybrid approach to understand a basic (yet complex) phenomenon: the propagation of individual interests along the social networks. Since information may move along different social networks, one should take into account a multiplex structure. Therefore we introduced the notion of "Semantic Multiplex". In this paper we analyse two different semantic social networks represented by authors publishing in the Computer Science and those in the American Physical Society Journals. The comparison allows to outline common and specific features.

  12. What scientists want from their research ethics committee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keith-Spiegel, Patricia; Tabachnick, Barbara

    2006-03-01

    Whereas investigators have directed considerable criticism against Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), the desirable characteristics of IRBs have not previously been empirically determined. A sample of 886 experienced biomedical and social and behavioral scientists rated 45 descriptors of IRB actions and functions as to their importance. Predictions derived from organizational justice research findings in other work settings were generally borne out. Investigators place high value on the fairness and respectful consideration of their IRBs. Expected differences between biomedical and social behavioral researchers and other variables were unfounded. Recommendations are offered for educating IRBs to accord researchers greater respect and fair treatment.

  13. Lessons Learned from L'Aquila Trial for Scientists' Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koketsu, K.; Cerase, A.; Amato, A.; Oki, S.

    2017-12-01

    The Appeal and Supreme Courts of Italy concluded that there was no bad communication by defendants except for the "glass of wine interview" which was made by a government official before the scientists' meeting. This meeting was held 6 days before the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake to discuss the outlook for the seismic activity in the L'Aquila area. However, at least two TV stations and a newspaper reported the content of the "glass of wine interview" in the next morning as it was announced by the defendant scientists. The reports triggered a domino effect of misinterpretations, which may be well acknowledged in the light of the social amplification of risk framework. These TV stations and newspaper should be also considered responsible for the bad communication. This point was missing in the sentence documents by the Appeal and Supreme Courts. Therefore, for scientists, a lesson of communication, especially during a seismic hazard crisis, is that they must carefully craft their messages and the way they circulate, both in broadcast and digital media, and follow reports released by the media on their activities. As another lesson, scientists must be aware that key concepts of safety such as "no danger" and "favorable situation", which were used in the "glass of wine interview", and the idea of probability can have different meanings for scientists, media, and citizens.

  14. Coordination: Neural, Behavioral and Social Dynamics

    CERN Document Server

    Fuchs, Armin

    2008-01-01

    One of the most striking features of Coordination Dynamics is its interdisciplinary character. The problems we are trying to solve in this field range from behavioral phenomena of interlimb coordination and coordination between stimuli and movements (perception-action tasks) through neural activation patterns that can be observed during these tasks to clinical applications and social behavior. It is not surprising that close collaboration among scientists from different fields as psychology, kinesiology, neurology and even physics are imperative to deal with the enormous difficulties we are facing when we try to understand a system as complex as the human brain. The chapters in this volume are not simply write-ups of the lectures given by the experts at the meeting but are written in a way that they give sufficient introductory information to be comprehensible and useful for all interested scientists and students.

  15. Theories of social mobility in the history of sociological thought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Baturenko

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article evolution of theories of social mobility in the history of social thought from the classical period of development until the end of the XX century is analyzed. The author describes the main directions of theoretical interest of research of this problem and their peculiar features. The main questions raised by classics of the sociological theory were actual during all XX century, and empirical research of a problem of social mobility resulted in concentration of attention of scientists on more specific questions, in particular such as studying of professional career, reproduction of the social statuses that promoted emergence of separate discipline in the western sociology, so-called to “sociology of a course of life”, investigating biographic mobility.

  16. Before theory comes theorizing or how to make social science more interesting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swedberg, Richard

    2016-03-01

    explanation; and at this point it may be helpful to draw on some ideas by Charles Peirce, especially his notion of abduction. Before having been properly tested against empirical material, according to the rules of the scientific community, the theory should be considered unproven. Students who are interested in learning more about theorizing may want to consult the works of such people as Everett C. Hughes, C. Wright Mills, Ludwig Wittgenstein and James G. March. Many of the issues that are central to theorizing are today also being studied in cognitive science; and for those who are interested in pursuing this type of literature, handbooks represent a good starting point. The article ends by arguing that more theorizing will not only redress the balance between theory and methods; it will also make sociology and social science more interesting. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2016.

  17. How Do School Peers Influence Student Educational Outcomes? Theory and Evidence from Economics and Other Social Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Douglas N.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Interest among social scientists in peer influences has grown with recent resegregation of the nation's schools and court decisions that limit the ability of school districts to consider race in school assignment decisions. If having more advantaged peers is beneficial, then these trends may reduce educational equity. Previous studies…

  18. In the patient's best interest: appraising social network site information for surrogate decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Shahla; Chuan, Voo Teck

    2018-06-28

    This paper will discuss why and how social network sites ought to be used in surrogate decision making (SDM), with focus on a context like Singapore in which substituted judgment is incorporated as part of best interest assessment for SDM, as guided by the Code of Practice for making decisions for those lacking mental capacity under the Mental Capacity Act (2008). Specifically, the paper will argue that the Code of Practice already supports an ethical obligation, as part of a patient-centred care approach, to look for and appraise social network site (SNS) as a source of information for best interest decision making. As an important preliminary, the paper will draw on Berg's arguments to support the use of SNS information as a resource for SDM. It will also supplement her account for how SNS information ought to be weighed against or considered alongside other evidence of patient preference or wishes, such as advance directives and anecdotal accounts by relatives. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

  19. Managing Conflicting Stakeholder Interests: An Exploratory Case Analysis of the Formulation of Corporate Social Responsibility Standards in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ingenbleek, P.T.M.; Immink, V.M.

    2010-01-01

    The formulation of corporate social responsibility standards must deal with conflicting interests among stakeholders. The standards formulation process occurs at the junction between market stakeholders and special interest groups, which implies that it may help increase understanding of the

  20. Space groups for solid state scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Glazer, Michael; Glazer, Alexander N

    2014-01-01

    This Second Edition provides solid state scientists, who are not necessarily experts in crystallography, with an understandable and comprehensive guide to the new International Tables for Crystallography. The basic ideas of symmetry, lattices, point groups, and space groups are explained in a clear and detailed manner. Notation is introduced in a step-by-step way so that the reader is supplied with the tools necessary to derive and apply space group information. Of particular interest in this second edition are the discussions of space groups application to such timely topics as high-te

  1. Strategies for Engaging NASA Earth Scientists in K-12 Education and Public Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meeson, Blanche W.; Gabrys, Robert E.

    2001-01-01

    Engagement of the Earth Science research community in formal education at the kindergarten through high school level and in various aspects of informal education and in professional development of practitioners in related fields has been and continues to be a challenge. A range of approaches is being used and new ones are constantly being tried. Fundamental to our strategies is an understanding of the priorities, skills, academic experiences, motivation, rewards and work experiences of most scientists. It is within this context that efforts to engage a scientist in education efforts are attempted. A key strategy is to limit our requests to activities where the scientist's contribution of time and expertise can have the most impact. Don't waste the scientist's time! Time is one of their most prized resources, it is extremely valuable to you, and to them, we treat their time like a treasured resource. The clearer a scientist's role, their unique contribution and the finite nature of their effort, the more likely they are to participate. It is critical that commitments made to scientists are kept. If they want and can do more, great! Don't expect or assume more will be forthcoming. Another approach that we use is to create periodic venues that, among other things, serve to identify individuals who have an interest or inclination to con , tribute to education efforts. Once identified we strive to determine their interests so that we can make the best match between their interests and the needs of the education program or efforts. In this way, we try to make the best use of their time while engaging them in efforts which will be personally rewarding, and will further the overall education objectives. In addition, we try to make it easier for scientists to participate by providing focused training, such as development of their interviewing skills, and exposure to key concepts, knowledge and skills which are well known among educators but are not common knowledge among

  2. [The notion of conflict of interest in the field of health and environment: philosophical and legal approaches].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermitte, M-A; Le Coz, P

    2014-06-01

    This paper considers the conflict of interest in philosophical and legal perspective. The philosophical approach comes from two perspectives: political philosophy focuses on the role of the link of interest in the city considered in the light of a broader reflection on the conditions of living together. Antiquity philosophers have enhanced the interest link as privileged vector of humanization and socialization of individuals. In the eighteenth century, Adam Smith considers the pursuit of individual interests a stronger social base that love of neighbor advocated by Christians. Moral philosophy focuses specifically on the passage of interest linked to the conflict of interest. It wondered if we should be impartial in all circumstances or whether it's right to give priority to our friends and loved ones. Thus, it poses the question of whether introspection is sufficient to detect conflicts of interest or if the look of an external third party is still required. The legal process differs from the philosophical approach at two levels; on the one hand, its scope is more limited: the law doesn't envisage the benefits of links of interest on social life even though it may protect some of them (in the context of the family, for example) and is intended to prevent bias that may taint the decision public. On the other hand, the lawyer doesn't enter the interiority of individuals but stands by what appears on the outside: it tracks the suspicion of bias can have serious impacts, such as health and the environment. Somehow, it is more radical. It's noteworthy that despite its many developments, the law can't to stop conflicts of interest in research. Several reasons account for this impasse: scientists receive mission to partner with industry to develop products but they must remain independent in order to assess the risks; there is a tendency to always choose the same experts; there are conflicts of interest intellectuals which are not easy to detect.

  3. The dynamic reactance interaction – How vested interests affect people’s experience, behavior, and cognition in social interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina eSteindl

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In social interactions, individuals may sometimes pursue their own interests at the expense of their interaction partner. Such self-interested behaviors impose a threat to the interaction partner’s freedom to act. The current article investigates this threat in the context of interdependence and reactance theory. We explore how vested interests influence reactance process stages of an advisor-client interaction. We aim to explore the interactional process that evolves. In two studies, participants took the perspective of a doctor (advisor or a patient (client. In both studies we incorporated a vested interest. In Study 1 (N=82 we found that in response to a vested interest of their interaction partner, patients indicated a stronger experience of reactance, more aggressive behavioral intentions, and more biased cognitions than doctors. A serial multiple mediation revealed that a vested interest engendered mistrust toward the interaction partner and this mistrust led to an emerging reactance process. Study 2 (N=207 further demonstrated that doctors expressed their reactance in a subtle way: They revealed a classic confirmation bias when searching for additional information on their preliminary decision preference, indicating stronger defense motivation. We discuss how these findings can help us to understand how social interactions develop dynamically.

  4. The Dynamic Reactance Interaction – How Vested Interests Affect People’s Experience, Behavior, and Cognition in Social Interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steindl, Christina; Jonas, Eva

    2015-01-01

    In social interactions, individuals may sometimes pursue their own interests at the expense of their interaction partner. Such self-interested behaviors impose a threat to the interaction partner’s freedom to act. The current article investigates this threat in the context of interdependence and reactance theory. We explore how vested interests influence reactance process stages of an advisor–client interaction. We aim to explore the interactional process that evolves. In two studies, participants took the perspective of a doctor (advisor) or a patient (client). In both studies we incorporated a vested interest. In Study 1 (N = 82) we found that in response to a vested interest of their interaction partner, patients indicated a stronger experience of reactance, more aggressive behavioral intentions, and more biased cognitions than doctors. A serial multiple mediation revealed that a vested interest engendered mistrust toward the interaction partner and this mistrust led to an emerging reactance process. Study 2 (N = 207) further demonstrated that doctors expressed their reactance in a subtle way: they revealed a classic confirmation bias when searching for additional information on their preliminary decision preference, indicating stronger defense motivation. We discuss how these findings can help us to understand how social interactions develop dynamically. PMID:26640444

  5. A Social Cognitive Approach to Understanding Engineering Career Interest and Expectations among Underrepresented Students in School-Based Clubs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dika, Sandra L.; Alvarez, Jaquelina; Santos, Jeannette; Suárez, Oscar Marcelo

    2016-01-01

    Interest in engineering at early stages of the educational career is one important precursor to choosing to study engineering in college, and engineering-related clubs are designed to foster such interest and diversify the engineering pipeline. In this study, the researchers employed a social cognitive career theory framework to examine level of…

  6. Transnational migration of Mexican scientists: A circuit between Mexico and the EEUU

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinoco Herrera, Mario Luis

    The experience and meaning of migration for a group of Mexican scientists participating in the construction of a migratory circuit between Mexico and US within the field of agricultural sciences is the object of this study. I define this migratory circuit of scientists as a social, historical and cultural process, and draw from transnational migration theories to analyze it. From this perspective, I view the migratory circuit of Mexican scientists to be a field of social relationships extended across Mexico and the US. In studying the migratory experience and its significance, I draw upon the methods of historical reconstruction of the circuit of scientists between Mexico and the US, participatory observation, informal narratives, testimonies and their analysis. This study focuses on three crucial moments of their migratory experience: (1) the moment prior to their trip to the US; (2) their academic training at a research center in the US; and (3) their return to a research center in Mexico. At the same time, this study highlights three key factors that determine and ascribe different meanings to the experiences of this migratory circuit: gender, academic trajectory, and the belonging to a migratory circuit. The findings from this study have shown that the experiences of migration and their multiple meanings are complex, heterogeneous and paradoxical. The complexity lies in the challenges of academic responsibilities and their near total integration and transformation of the participants' social life, as well as family life. These migratory experiences are further differentiated and problematic because of the various perceptions and sense of value that are mediated by gender, academic trajectory, and belonging to a circuit of migration; and, they are paradoxical because even though the experiences, perceptions and meanings are different and, at times, challenging, every single participant has described their experience as positive.

  7. Scientists as writers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yore, Larry D.; Hand, Brian M.; Prain, Vaughan

    2002-09-01

    This study attempted to establish an image of a science writer based on a synthesis of writing theory, models, and research literature on academic writing in science and other disciplines and to contrast this image with an actual prototypical image of scientists as writers of science. The synthesis was used to develop a questionnaire to assess scientists' writing habits, beliefs, strategies, and perceptions about print-based language. The questionnaire was administered to 17 scientists from science and applied science departments of a large Midwestern land grant university. Each respondent was interviewed following the completion of the questionnaire with a custom-designed semistructured protocol to elaborate, probe, and extend their written responses. These data were analyzed in a stepwise fashion using the questionnaire responses to establish tentative assertions about the three major foci (type of writing done, criteria of good science writing, writing strategies used) and the interview responses to verify these assertions. Two illustrative cases (a very experienced, male physical scientist and a less experienced, female applied biological scientist) were used to highlight diversity in the sample. Generally, these 17 scientists are driven by the academy's priority of publishing their research results in refereed, peer-reviewed journals. They write their research reports in isolation or as a member of a large research team, target their writing to a few journals that they also read regularly, use writing in their teaching and scholarship to inform and persuade science students and other scientists, but do little border crossing into other discourse communities. The prototypical science writer found in this study did not match the image based on a synthesis of the writing literature in that these scientists perceived writing as knowledge telling not knowledge building, their metacognition of written discourse was tacit, and they used a narrow array of genre

  8. To Crowdfund Research, Scientists Must Build an Audience for Their Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrnes, Jarrett E K; Ranganathan, Jai; Walker, Barbara L E; Faulkes, Zen

    2014-01-01

    As rates of traditional sources of scientific funding decline, scientists have become increasingly interested in crowdfunding as a means of bringing in new money for research. In fields where crowdfunding has become a major venue for fundraising such as the arts and technology, building an audience for one's work is key for successful crowdfunding. For science, to what extent does audience building, via engagement and outreach, increase a scientist's abilities to bring in money via crowdfunding? Here we report on an analysis of the #SciFund Challenge, a crowdfunding experiment in which 159 scientists attempted to crowdfund their research. Using data gathered from a survey of participants, internet metrics, and logs of project donations, we find that public engagement is the key to crowdfunding success. Building an audience or "fanbase" and actively engaging with that audience as well as seeking to broaden the reach of one's audience indirectly increases levels of funding. Audience size and effort interact to bring in more people to view a scientist's project proposal, leading to funding. We discuss how projects capable of raising levels of funds commensurate with traditional funding agencies will need to incorporate direct involvement of the public with science. We suggest that if scientists and research institutions wish to tap this new source of funds, they will need to encourage and reward activities that allow scientists to engage with the public.

  9. ECNS '99 - Young scientists forum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ceretti, M.; Janssen, S.; McMorrow, D.F.

    2000-01-01

    The Young Scientists Forum is a new venture for ECNS and follows the established tradition of an active participation by young scientists in these conferences. At ECNS '99 the Young Scientists Forum brought together 30 young scientists from 13 European countries. In four working groups, they disc......The Young Scientists Forum is a new venture for ECNS and follows the established tradition of an active participation by young scientists in these conferences. At ECNS '99 the Young Scientists Forum brought together 30 young scientists from 13 European countries. In four working groups......, they discussed emerging scientific trends in their areas of expertise and the instrumentation required to meet the scientific challenges. The outcome was presented in the Young Scientists Panel on the final day of ECNS '99. This paper is a summary of the four working group reports prepared by the Group Conveners...

  10. Uncovering Scientist Stereotypes and Their Relationships with Student Race and Student Success in a Diverse, Community College Setting

    OpenAIRE

    Schinske, Jeffrey; Cardenas, Monica; Kaliangara, Jahana

    2015-01-01

    A number of studies have identified correlations between children?s stereotypes of scientists, their science identities, and interest or persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Yet relatively few studies have examined scientist stereotypes among college students, and the literature regarding these issues in predominantly nonwhite and 2-yr college settings is especially sparse. We piloted an easy-to-analyze qualitative survey of scientist stereotypes in a biology clas...

  11. Scientists: Get Involved in Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach! Here’s How!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Dalton, H.; Shipp, S.; CoBabe-Ammann, E.; Scalice, D.; Bleacher, L.; Wessen, A.

    2013-10-01

    The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum is a team of educators, scientists, and outreach professionals funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) that supports SMD scientists currently involved in E/PO - or interested in becoming involved in E/PO efforts - to find ways to do so through a variety of avenues. There are many current and future opportunities and resources for scientists to become engaged in E/PO. The Forum provides tools for responding to NASA SMD E/PO funding opportunities (webinars and online proposal guides), a one-page Tips and Tricks guide for scientists to engage in education and public outreach, and a sampler of activities organized by thematic topic and NASA’s Big Questions in planetary science. Scientists can also locate resources for interacting with diverse audiences through a number of online clearinghouses, including: NASA Wavelength, a digital collection of peer-reviewed Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels (http://nasawavelength.org); the Year of the Solar System website (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss), a presentation of thematic resources that includes background information, missions, the latest in planetary science news, and educational products, for use in the classroom and out, for teaching about the solar system organized by topic - volcanism, ice, astrobiology, etc.; and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace), a community website where faculty can find and share resources and information about teaching Earth and space sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials, news, funding opportunities, and the latest education research. Also recently developed, the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/speaker) offers an online portal to connect scientists interested in getting involved in E/PO projects - giving public talks, classroom visits, and virtual connections - with audiences. Learn more about the

  12. Speech acts and performances of scientific citizenship: Examining how scientists talk about therapeutic cloning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marks, Nicola J

    2014-07-01

    Scientists play an important role in framing public engagement with science. Their language can facilitate or impede particular interactions taking place with particular citizens: scientists' "speech acts" can "perform" different types of "scientific citizenship". This paper examines how scientists in Australia talked about therapeutic cloning during interviews and during the 2006 parliamentary debates on stem cell research. Some avoided complex labels, thereby facilitating public examination of this field. Others drew on language that only opens a space for publics to become educated, not to participate in a more meaningful way. Importantly, public utterances made by scientists here contrast with common international utterances: they did not focus on the therapeutic but the research promises of therapeutic cloning. Social scientists need to pay attention to the performative aspects of language in order to promote genuine citizen involvement in techno-science. Speech Act Theory is a useful analytical tool for this.

  13. Forensic scientists' conclusions: how readable are they for non-scientist report-users?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, Loene M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Kemp, Nenagh

    2013-09-10

    Scientists have an ethical responsibility to assist non-scientists to understand their findings and expert opinions before they are used as decision-aids within the criminal justice system. The communication of scientific expert opinion to non-scientist audiences (e.g., police, lawyers, and judges) through expert reports is an important but under-researched issue. Readability statistics were used to assess 111 conclusions from a proficiency test in forensic glass analysis. The conclusions were written using an average of 23 words per sentence, and approximately half of the conclusions were expressed using the active voice. At an average Flesch-Kincaid Grade level of university undergraduate (Grade 13), and Flesch Reading Ease score of difficult (42), the conclusions were written at a level suitable for people with some tertiary education in science, suggesting that the intended non-scientist readers would find them difficult to read. To further analyse the readability of conclusions, descriptive features of text were used: text structure; sentence structure; vocabulary; elaboration; and coherence and unity. Descriptive analysis supported the finding that texts were written at a level difficult for non-scientists to read. Specific aspects of conclusions that may pose difficulties for non-scientists were located. Suggestions are included to assist scientists to write conclusions with increased readability for non-scientist readers, while retaining scientific integrity. In the next stage of research, the readability of expert reports in their entirety is to be explored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. How to Grow Project Scientists: A Systematic Approach to Developing Project Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kea, Howard

    2011-01-01

    The Project Manager is one of the key individuals that can determine the success or failure of a project. NASA is fully committed to the training and development of Project Managers across the agency to ensure that highly capable individuals are equipped with the competencies and experience to successfully lead a project. An equally critical position is that of the Project Scientist. The Project Scientist provides the scientific leadership necessary for the scientific success of a project by insuring that the mission meets or exceeds the scientific requirements. Traditionally, NASA Goddard project scientists were appointed and approved by the Center Science Director based on their knowledge, experience, and other qualifications. However the process to obtain the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities was not documented or done in a systematic way. NASA Goddard's current Science Director, Nicholas White saw the need to create a pipeline for developing new projects scientists, and appointed a team to develop a process for training potential project scientists. The team members were Dr. Harley Thronson, Chair, Dr. Howard Kea, Mr. Mark Goldman, DACUM facilitator and the late Dr. Michael VanSteenberg. The DACUM process, an occupational analysis and evaluation system, was used to produce a picture of the project scientist's duties, tasks, knowledge, and skills. The output resulted in a 3-Day introductory course detailing all the required knowledge, skills and abilities a scientist must develop over time to be qualified for selections as a Project Scientist.

  15. Analyzing prospective teachers' images of scientists using positive, negative and stereotypical images of scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramaniam, Karthigeyan; Esprívalo Harrell, Pamela; Wojnowski, David

    2013-04-01

    Background and purpose : This study details the use of a conceptual framework to analyze prospective teachers' images of scientists to reveal their context-specific conceptions of scientists. The conceptual framework consists of context-specific conceptions related to positive, stereotypical and negative images of scientists as detailed in the literature on the images, role and work of scientists. Sample, design and method : One hundred and ninety-six drawings of scientists, generated by prospective teachers, were analyzed using the Draw-A-Scientist-Test Checklist (DAST-C), a binary linear regression and the conceptual framework. Results : The results of the binary linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant difference for two DAST-C elements: ethnicity differences with regard to drawing a scientist who was Caucasian and gender differences for indications of danger. Analysis using the conceptual framework helped to categorize the same drawings into positive, stereotypical, negative and composite images of a scientist. Conclusions : The conceptual framework revealed that drawings were focused on the physical appearance of the scientist, and to a lesser extent on the equipment, location and science-related practices that provided the context of a scientist's role and work. Implications for teacher educators include the need to understand that there is a need to provide tools, like the conceptual framework used in this study, to help prospective teachers to confront and engage with their multidimensional perspectives of scientists in light of the current trends on perceiving and valuing scientists. In addition, teacher educators need to use the conceptual framework, which yields qualitative perspectives about drawings, together with the DAST-C, which yields quantitative measure for drawings, to help prospective teachers to gain a holistic outlook on their drawings of scientists.

  16. Scientists have lost the North. Reflections on global warming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galam, S.

    2008-01-01

    A huge difference exists between a scientific proof and a scientific theory. This is the case with global warming. No honest scientist can prove that mankind is the only responsible of it. The possibility of a natural cause to the observed disturbances is much more worrying, considering that with our present day knowledge, no determining element allows to identify its origin and there exist no warranty that we can face up to it. The author considers that in this affair, scientists have become gurus and their opinions are considered as absolute truths. Science is now decreed and not proven, information has become propaganda and the real risk of global warming is in its social impact. On this point it is effectively urgent to act

  17. Entrepreneurship for Creative Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Dawood; Raghu, Surya; Brooks, Richard

    2018-05-01

    Through patenting and commercialization, scientists today can develop their work beyond a publication in a learned journal. Indeed, universities and governments are encouraging today's scientists and engineers to break their research out of the laboratory and into the commercial world. However, doing so is complicated and can be daunting for those more used to a research seminar than a board room. This book, written by experienced scientists and entrepreneurs, deals with businesses started by scientists based on innovation and sets out to clarify for scientists and engineers the steps necessary to take an idea along the path to commercialization and maximise the potential for success, regardless of the path taken.

  18. Caffeine, HPLC, Outreach (How Can We Interest Kids in Science?)

    Science.gov (United States)

    A current challenge for the scientific community is to generate an interest in science in the general public. If we can interest our youth in science we can produce more scientists and raise awareness of science in our society. An outreach activity will be described which can be brought into the cl...

  19. Enhance Your Science With Social Media: No ... Really

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goss, H.; Aiken, A. C.; Sams, A.

    2016-12-01

    The ability to communicate the societal value of basic research to nonacademic audiences is morphing from an optional soft skill to a crucial tool for scientists who are competing over finite or shrinking resources for research. Former National Academy of Sciences President Ralph Cicerone argued as early as 2006 that "scientists themselves must do a better job of communicating directly to the public," taking advantage of "new, non-traditional outlets" on the Internet. Findings suggest that scientists have begun to embrace social media as a viable tool for communicating research and keeping abreast of advancements in their fields. Social media is changing the way that scientists are interacting with each other and with the global community. Scientists are taking to popular social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to challenge weak research, share replication attempts in real time, and counteract hype. Incorporating social media into the different stages of a scientific publication: Accelerates the pace of scientific communication and collaboration Facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration Makes it possible to communicate results to a large and diverse audience Encourages post-publication conversations about findings Accelerates research evaluation Makes science more transparent Amplifies the positive effects of scientists' interactions with more traditional media Our presentation will demonstrate how scientists can use social media as a tool to support their work, collaborate with peers around the world, and advance the cause of science. Information will be presented by communications experts and research librarians in collaboration with scientists who are already active on social media. Content will focus on pragmatic best practices for engaging peers, other stakeholders, promoting science and scientific research, and measuring success.

  20. Political Parties and Interest Groups Members' Patterns of Social Network Site Usage in Kyrgyzstan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elira Turdubaeva

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Kyrgyzstan, with a high level of political participation and an avant-garde position regarding internet access in Central Asia, broadband and social media penetration in the population, is a critical case for studying social network sites (SNSs in relation to political participation. This study analyzes the practices and attitudes of SNS users in Kyrgyzstan. Two types of users – members of political parties and members of interest organizations – are interviewed in focus groups about their practices and attitudes towards political content in the social network site Facebook. The findings indicate that, to some extent, the political engagement is indeed occurring within the Facebook environment, suggesting that the popular social networking sites (SNSs are an avenue for young people to express and share their political views. Facebook allowed users to share their political beliefs, support specific candidates, and interact with others on political issues. Participants’ perceptions regarding the appropriateness of political activity on Facebook, as well as the specific types of political activities they engaged in and witnessed within the site, were also explored.

  1. new scientist - singing in the name of climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peragine, Marcel

    2015-04-01

    Basically what I am concerned with as composer, musician, film maker etc. is communicating in any way with the resources available the significance behind human civilization's impact on climate change. I accomplish this with the other components of my band, and the song that follows entitled New Scientist is an attempt to do this using the platform of the popular 3 minute rock song format. This Scientific Symposium is important no doubt, being a wonderful way of bringing creativity into science by inviting artists to participate. However time is running out and getting the message out on the scale necessary to start reversing the damage caused by modern man can only effectively be done with mass communication tools, hence broadcast and social media. The lyrics for New Scientist and other compositions we have in our repertoire try to provoke awareness by being set in the future, talking to the egocentric nature of mankind and to the small percentage of those who have the will and insight to attempt the almost supernatural feat of saving some semblance of human habitat either on Earth, or finding a new one elsewhere in the Universe. It is a bit satirical but oddly enough with world governments firmly in the hands of big business be it dirty oil or the factory farming of animals etc.,radical scientific solutions for the Earth seem to be mankind's only hope. It's great that NASA is finally making an attempt to reactivate manned space flights to Mars and deep space. In fact, nobody has ever taken seriously the impact of this research and technology on fighting climate change on Earth. To give an example, the hydrogen fuel cell is a technology not in use in everyday life in the modern world due to the lack of government special interests and subsidies. The good news however is that many of the scientific breakthroughs pioneered by NASA and its contractors have made available the ecologically friendly tools necessary to reverse climate change if only they would be made

  2. Integrating the social sciences to understand human-water dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, G.; Kuil, L., Jr.

    2017-12-01

    Many interesting and exciting socio-hydrological models have been developed in recent years. Such models often aim to capture the dynamic interplay between people and water for a variety of hydrological settings. As such, peoples' behaviours and decisions are brought into the models as drivers of and/or respondents to the hydrological system. To develop and run such models over a sufficiently long time duration to observe how the water-human system evolves the human component is often simplified according to one or two key behaviours, characteristics or decisions (e.g. a decision to move away from a drought or flood area; a decision to pump groundwater, or a decision to plant a less water demanding crop). To simplify the social component, socio-hydrological modellers often pull knowledge and understanding from existing social science theories. This requires them to negotiate complex territory, where social theories may be underdeveloped, contested, dynamically evolving, or case specific and difficult to generalise or upscale. A key question is therefore, how can this process be supported so that the resulting socio-hydrological models adequately describe the system and lead to meaningful understanding of how and why it behaves as it does? Collaborative interdisciplinary research teams that bring together social and natural scientists are likely to be critical. Joint development of the model framework requires specific attention to clarification to expose all underlying assumptions, constructive discussion and negotiation to reach agreement on the modelled system and its boundaries. Mutual benefits to social scientists can be highlighted, i.e. socio-hydrological work can provide insights for further exploring and testing social theories. Collaborative work will also help ensure underlying social theory is made explicit, and may identify ways to include and compare multiple theories. As socio-hydrology progresses towards supporting policy development, approaches that

  3. Self-Efficacy, Curriculum Content, Practicum Experience, and the Interest of Social Work Students in Gerontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Mark D.

    2011-01-01

    The present study examined the linkages among perceptions of self-efficacy, curriculum, and field experience on students' attitudes and interest in working with older adults. Graduate level social work students were surveyed regarding perceived self-efficacy to intervene with older adult clients, the amount of aging content in the master of social…

  4. Avenues for Scientist Involvement in Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipp, S. S.; Buxner, S.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Dalton, H.; Bleacher, L.; Scalice, D.

    2012-12-01

    The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum is charged by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) with engaging, extending, and supporting the community of E/PO professionals and scientists involved in planetary science education activities in order to help them more effectively and efficiently share NASA science with all learners. A number of resources and opportunities for involvement are available for planetary scientists involved in - or interested in being involved in - E/PO. The Forum provides opportunities for community members to stay informed, communicate, collaborate, leverage existing programs and partnerships, and become more skilled education practitioners. Interested planetary scientists can receive newsletters, participate in monthly calls, interact through an online community workspace, and attend annual E/PO community meetings and meetings of opportunity at science and education conferences. The Forum also provides professional development opportunities on a myriad of topics, from common pre-conceptions in planetary science to program evaluation, to delivering effective workshops. Thematic approaches, such as the Year of the Solar System (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss), are coordinated by the Forum; through these efforts resources are presented topically, in a manner that can be easily ported into diverse learning environments. Information about the needs of audiences with which scientists interact - higher education, K-12 education, informal education, and public - currently is being researched by SMD's Audience-Based Working Groups. Their findings and recommendations will be made available to inform the activities and products of E/PO providers so they are able to better serve these audiences. Also in production is a "one-stop-shop" of SMD E/PO products and resources that can be used in conjunction with E/PO activities. Further supporting higher-education efforts, the Forum coordinates a network of planetary science

  5. Impact of Service-Learning on Leadership and an Interest in Social Justice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Margaret

    2016-01-01

    Many articles describe how service-learning has been implemented, but few studies have demonstrated its effectiveness. A service-learning component was added to a course in a registered nurse-to-baccalaureate degree (RN-to-BSN) completion program. The service-learning component included a 5-hour service requirement and class discussions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate service-learning's impact on postlicensure RN-to-BSN students' self-evaluation of their leadership skills and their interest in social justice. This study used a quantitative, pretest-posttest control group design and a Likert scale survey. Variations in precourse and postcourse responses of the control group did not demonstrate a measurable effect; responses of the service-learning group revealed a small effect size for both the leadership construct and the social justice construct. This study was unique in that it addressed nontraditional RN-to-BSN students in an accelerated program, 70% of whom were taking the course in an online format. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

  6. Social goal-objective formation, democracy and national interest a theory of political economy under fuzzy rationality

    CERN Document Server

    Dompere, Kofi Kissi

    2014-01-01

    This book presents the development of a theory of social goal-objective formation and its relationship to national interest and social vision under a democratic decision-choice system with imperfect information structure. It provides a framework for the application of fuzzy logic and its mathematics to the analysis in resolving conflicts in individual preferences in the collective decision-choice space without violence. The book demonstrates how to use fuzzy logic and its mathematics in the study of economics, social sciences and other complex systems. It also presents the use of collaborative tools of opposites, duality, polarity, continuum in fuzzy paradigm with its logic, laws of thought and mathematics in developing a new approach to the theory of political economy in order to enhance the constructs of social decision-choice theory.

  7. Drawings of Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    experiment can be reduplicated. He/she must check and double-check all of his/her work. A scientist is very , environment, nutrition, and other aspects of our daily and future life." . . . Marisa The scientists

  8. Avenues for Scientist Involvement in Earth and Space Science Education and Public Outreach (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peticolas, L. M.; Gross, N. A.; Hsu, B. C.; Shipp, S. S.; Buxner, S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Smith, D.; Meinke, B. K.

    2013-12-01

    NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums are charged with engaging, extending, supporting, and coordinating the community of E/PO professionals and scientists involved in Earth and space science education activities. This work is undertaken to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall national NASA science education and outreach effort made up of individual efforts run by these education professionals. This includes facilitating scientist engagement in education and outreach. A number of resources and opportunities for involvement are available for scientists involved in - or interested in being involved in - education or outreach. The Forums provide opportunities for earth and space scientists to stay informed, communicate, collaborate, leverage existing programs and partnerships, and become more skilled education practitioners. Interested scientists can receive newsletters, participate in monthly calls, interact through an online community workspace, and attend E/PO strategic meetings. The Forums also provide professional development opportunities on a myriad of topics, from common pre-conceptions in science, to program evaluation, to delivering effective workshops. Thematic approaches, such as Earth Science Week (http://www.earthsciweek.org), and the Year of the Solar System (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss) are coordinated by the Forums; through these efforts resources are presented topically, in a manner that can be easily ported into diverse learning environments. Information about the needs of audiences with which scientists interact - higher education, K-12 education, informal education, and public - are provided by SMD's Audience-Based Working Groups. Their findings and recommendations are made available to inform the activities and products of E/PO providers so they are able to better serve these audiences. Also available is a 'one-stop shop' of SMD E/PO products and resources that can be

  9. Nobelist TD LEE Scientist Cooperation Network and Scientist Innovation Ability Model

    OpenAIRE

    Fang, Jin-Qing; Liu, Qiang

    2013-01-01

    Nobelist TD Lee scientist cooperation network (TDLSCN) and their innovation ability are studied. It is found that the TDLSCN not only has the common topological properties both of scale-free and small-world for a general scientist cooperation networks, but also appears the creation multiple-peak phenomenon for number of published paper with year evolution, which become Nobelist TD Lee’s significant mark distinguished from other scientists. This new phenomenon has not been revealed in the scie...

  10. To Crowdfund Research, Scientists Must Build an Audience for Their Work.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarrett E K Byrnes

    Full Text Available As rates of traditional sources of scientific funding decline, scientists have become increasingly interested in crowdfunding as a means of bringing in new money for research. In fields where crowdfunding has become a major venue for fundraising such as the arts and technology, building an audience for one's work is key for successful crowdfunding. For science, to what extent does audience building, via engagement and outreach, increase a scientist's abilities to bring in money via crowdfunding? Here we report on an analysis of the #SciFund Challenge, a crowdfunding experiment in which 159 scientists attempted to crowdfund their research. Using data gathered from a survey of participants, internet metrics, and logs of project donations, we find that public engagement is the key to crowdfunding success. Building an audience or "fanbase" and actively engaging with that audience as well as seeking to broaden the reach of one's audience indirectly increases levels of funding. Audience size and effort interact to bring in more people to view a scientist's project proposal, leading to funding. We discuss how projects capable of raising levels of funds commensurate with traditional funding agencies will need to incorporate direct involvement of the public with science. We suggest that if scientists and research institutions wish to tap this new source of funds, they will need to encourage and reward activities that allow scientists to engage with the public.

  11. Scientists must speak

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Walters, D. Eric; Walters, Gale Climenson

    2011-01-01

    .... Scientists Must Speak: Bringing Presentations to Life helps readers do just that. At some point in their careers, the majority of scientists have to stand up in front of an inquisitive audience or board and present information...

  12. Dzhuchi Mikhaylovich Tugan-Baranovsky: Way of a Scientist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piskunova Elena Pavlovna

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The author studies the academic activity of Dzhuchi M. Tugan-Baranovsky, defines the sphere of his academic interests, gives the characteristic of his major works. The special attention is paid to the analysis of the works devoted to the formation of the political regime of Napoleon Bonaparte and identifying the endowment made by the historian in studying the history of French studies in Russia. D. M. Tugan-Baranovsky attached great importance to the period of the Consulate, stressing the prevalence of the Napoleon’s regime at that time. In this period the real opposition, both from the side of the royalists and Republicans was eliminated. Based on an extensive range of sources the historian analyzed various attempts of drafting a Republican conspiracy against Napoleon. The historian explored major transformations of the period of the Consulate: the reorganization of the financial system, judicial reform, establishment of the new administrative system and its subsequent evolution. He noted that the complex reforms of Napoleon were not only the political but also of great social importance. D.M. Tugan-Baranovsky claimed that Napoleon’s regime had much more connection with the inner end of the bourgeois revolution than it appeared in the Soviet literature. In recent years D.M. Tugan-Baranovsky has addressed issues of social and economic history of Russia in the late 19th - early 20th centuries and the study of political and scientific activities of his grandfather M.I. Tugan-Baranovsky. The author of the article shows what aspects of the work of the scientist-economist have attracted the attention of D.M. Tugan-Baranovsky.

  13. Energy-related doctoral scientists and engineers in the United States, 1975

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1977-11-01

    The pursuit of a vigorous research and development program to provide renewable and other resources to meet U. S. energy needs in the next century is an important objective of President Carter's National Energy Plan. A highly educated and motivated pool of engineers and scientists must be available for energy research and development if this objective is to be achieved. This report provides, for the first time, information about the number and characteristics of doctoral-level engineers and scientists in primarily energy-related activities. These data for the year 1975 will become part of the data base for a program of continuing studies on the employment and utilization of all scientists and engineers involved in energy-related activities. Information is provided for employment in the following fields: mathematics; physics/astronomy; chemistry; Earth, Environment, and Marine Sciences; Engineering; Life Sciences; Psychology; Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities; and Education and Business.

  14. SMART social science? Examining the nature and role of social scientific expertise in institutional design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morgan C. Tait

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Daniel Bromley argues against Oran Young's FIT model as a basis for environmental governance, on the grounds that humans cannot manage nature and that attempts to do so are based on a scientistic, modernist conceit. At issue is the role of natural and social scientists in adjudicating questions about what we ought to do to close governance gaps and address unsustainable behaviors. If Bromley is right, then the lessons of the American pragmatist tradition recommend against attempts to "fit" social institutions to the natural world. The first objective of this paper is to argue that Bromley's view is not in keeping with the pragmatism of C. S. Peirce and John Dewey, which actually places a high value on natural and social scientific modes of inquiry in the service of social ends. I argue that Young's proposal is in fact a development of the pragmatist idea that social institutions must be fit in the sense of fitness, i.e., resilient and able to navigate uncertainty. Social institutions must also evolve to accommodate the emerging values of the agents who operate within them. The second objective of this paper is to examine the role of social science expertise in the design of social policies. Governance institutions typically rely on the testimony of natural scientists, at least in part, to understand the natural systems they operate within. However, natural systems are also social systems, so it seems pertinent to ask whether there is a role for social systems experts to play in helping to design environmental governance institutions. I argue that social scientists can make a unique contribution as experts on social institutions, and as such, are necessary to bring about a transformation of the unsustainable institutions that are preventing us from achieving stated sustainable development goals.

  15. Investigating Turkish Primary School Students' Interest in Science by Using Their Self-Generated Questions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakmakci, Gultekin; Sevindik, Hatice; Pektas, Meryem; Uysal, Asli; Kole, Fatma; Kavak, Gamze

    2012-06-01

    This paper reports on an attempt to investigate Turkish primary school students' interest in science by using their self-generated questions. We investigated students' interest in science by analyzing 1704 self-generated science-related questions. Among them, 826 questions were submitted to a popular science magazine called Science and Children. Such a self-selected sample may represent a group of students who have a higher level of motivation to seek sources of information outside their formal education and have more access to resources than the students of low social classes. To overcome this problem, 739 students were asked to write a question that they wanted to learn from a scientist and as a result 878 questions were gathered. Those students were selected from 13 different schools at 9 cities in Turkey. These schools were selected to represent a mixture of socioeconomic areas and also to cover different students' profile. Students' questions were classified into two main categories: the field of interest and the cognitive level of the question. The results point to the popularity of biology, astrophysics, nature of scientific inquiry, technology and physics over other science areas, as well as indicating a difference in interest according to gender, grade level and the setting in which the questions were asked. However, our study suggests that only considering questions submitted to informal learning environments, such as popular science magazines or Ask-A-Scientist Internet sites has limitations and deficiencies. Other methodologies of data collection also need to be considered in designing teaching and school science curriculum to meet students' needs and interest. The findings from our study tend to challenge existing thinking from other studies. Our results show that self-generated questions asked in an informal and a formal setting have different patterns. Some aspects of students' self-generated questions and their implications for policy, science

  16. Corporate social responsibility and conflicts of interest in the alcohol and gambling industries: a post-political discourse?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiger, Ben Baumberg; Cuzzocrea, Valentina

    2017-06-01

    The corporate pursuit of social goals - known as Corporate Social Responsibility or 'CSR' - has been subject to critique on a number of grounds. However, a hitherto underexplored potential consequence of CSR has been suggested in a recent paper by C. Garsten and K. Jacobsson ('Post-Political Regulation: Soft Power and Post-political Visions in Global Governance' (2013), Critical Sociology 39: 421-37). They suggest that CSR is part of an international trend towards 'post-political' governance discourses, where an emphasis on different actors' common goals obscures conflicts of interest, subverting the open political conflict necessary for a well-functioning democracy. This paper examines whether such post-political discourses - including an outright denial of conflict of interest - can be found within the alcohol and gambling industries, where conflicts of interest are likely to be particularly acute given the addictive nature of the goods/services in question. Based on interviews with CSR professionals in these industries in Italy, the UK, and at EU-level, we do indeed find evidence of a post-political discourse. In these discourses, alcohol/gambling industry staff deny potential conflicts of interest on the basis that any small benefits from sales to a small number of addicts are seen to be outweighed by the reputational damage that addicts cause. Crucially, however, this coexists with another, less post-political discourse, where addictions CSR professionals emphasize 'common ground' as a basis for CSR, while accepting some instances of possible conflict of interest. Here interviewees make considerable efforts to differentiate good (sustainable) from bad (short-term) self-interest in order to stress the genuineness of their own actions. We conclude the paper by considering whether CSR embedded within a 'common ground' discourse still hides conflicts of interests and subverts democratic debate, or overcomes the problems identified by Garsten and Jacobsson.

  17. Mainstreaming the social sciences in conservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Nathan J; Roth, Robin; Klain, Sarah C; Chan, Kai M A; Clark, Douglas A; Cullman, Georgina; Epstein, Graham; Nelson, Michael Paul; Stedman, Richard; Teel, Tara L; Thomas, Rebecca E W; Wyborn, Carina; Curran, Deborah; Greenberg, Alison; Sandlos, John; Veríssimo, Diogo

    2017-02-01

    Despite broad recognition of the value of social sciences and increasingly vocal calls for better engagement with the human element of conservation, the conservation social sciences remain misunderstood and underutilized in practice. The conservation social sciences can provide unique and important contributions to society's understanding of the relationships between humans and nature and to improving conservation practice and outcomes. There are 4 barriers-ideological, institutional, knowledge, and capacity-to meaningful integration of the social sciences into conservation. We provide practical guidance on overcoming these barriers to mainstream the social sciences in conservation science, practice, and policy. Broadly, we recommend fostering knowledge on the scope and contributions of the social sciences to conservation, including social scientists from the inception of interdisciplinary research projects, incorporating social science research and insights during all stages of conservation planning and implementation, building social science capacity at all scales in conservation organizations and agencies, and promoting engagement with the social sciences in and through global conservation policy-influencing organizations. Conservation social scientists, too, need to be willing to engage with natural science knowledge and to communicate insights and recommendations clearly. We urge the conservation community to move beyond superficial engagement with the conservation social sciences. A more inclusive and integrative conservation science-one that includes the natural and social sciences-will enable more ecologically effective and socially just conservation. Better collaboration among social scientists, natural scientists, practitioners, and policy makers will facilitate a renewed and more robust conservation. Mainstreaming the conservation social sciences will facilitate the uptake of the full range of insights and contributions from these fields into

  18. Beyond knowledge transfer: The social construction of autonomous academic science in university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biscotti, Dina Louise

    Autonomy is a social product. Although some might view autonomy as the absence of social interference in individual action, it is in fact produced through social institutions. It enables social actors to act; it is the justification for the allocation of enormous public resources into institutions classified as "public" or "nonprofit;" it can lead to innovation; and, significantly, it is key to the public acceptance of new technologies. In this dissertation, I analyze the social construction of autonomy for academic science in U.S. university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations. University-industry relationships (UIRs) are a site of concern about the influence of commercial interests on academic science. Agricultural biotechnology is a contentious technology that has prompted questions about the ecological and public health implications of genetically-modified plants and animals. It has also spurred awareness of the industrialization of agriculture and accelerating corporate control of the global food system. Through analysis of in-depth interviews with over 200 scientists and administrators from nine U.S. research universities and thirty agricultural biotechnology companies, I find that both the academy and industry have a vested interest in the social construction of the academy as an autonomous space from which claims to objective, disinterested scientific knowledge can be made. These claims influence government regulation, as well as grower and public acceptance of agricultural biotechnology products. I argue that the social production of autonomy for academic science can be observed in narratives and practices related to: (1) the framing of when, how and why academic scientists collaborate with industry, (2) the meanings ascribed to and the uses deemed appropriate for industry monies in academic research, and (3) the dissemination of research results into the public domain through publications and patents. These narratives and practices

  19. Proceedings: Wildland Fire in the Appalachians: Discussions Among Managers and Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas A. Waldrop

    2014-01-01

    Many challenges face fire managers and scientists in the Appalachian Mountains because of the region’s diverse topography and limited research supporting prescribed burning. This conference was designed to promote communication among managers, researchers, and other interested parties. These proceedings contain 30 papers and abstracts that describe ongoing research,...

  20. Evaluation of Forensic DNA Traces When Propositions of Interest Relate to Activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Biedermann, Alex; Champod, Christophe; Jackson, Graham

    2016-01-01

    When forensic scientists evaluate and report on the probative strength of single DNA traces, they commonly rely on only one number, expressing the rarity of the DNA profile in the population of interest. This is so because the focus is on propositions regarding the source of the recovered trace...... demonstrated in day-to-day forensic practice and is also voiced in specialized literature. Yet many forensic scientists remain reluctant to assess their results given propositions that relate to different activities. Some scientists consider evaluations beyond the issue of source as being overly speculative...

  1. Why Did Austrian Business Oppose Welfare Cuts? How the Organization of Interests Shapes Business Attitudes Toward Social Partnership

    OpenAIRE

    Paster, T.

    2014-01-01

    In recent decades, business interests became protagonists of welfare retrenchment in many countries. In contrast, Austria’s national business organization, the WKÖ (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich), defended welfare programs and social partnership against government initiatives to dismantle them. Drawing on interviews and media reports, this article analyzes the reasons for this deviation, focusing on reforms in two fields: (a) public pensions and (b) social insurance administration. The article...

  2. Should Scientists Be Involved in Teaching Science Writing and If So, How?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodell, Rae

    Realizing the importance of writing skills in communicating with other professionals and in educating the public, scientists and scientific institutions have renewed their interest in the writing education of science students. Informal surveys show that technological and engineering schools are reinstituting writing requirements and staffing the…

  3. [Exponential use of social media in medicine: example of the interest of Twitter(©) in urology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rouprêt, M; Misraï, V

    2015-01-01

    Social media (#SoMe) has changed the face of modern medicine. Our purpose was to asses the potential interest of Twitter in the field of urology. A systematic review of the literature has been performed using PubMed without timeline restriction with the following keywords (MeSH): social media; Web 2.0; Twitter; Internet; network; urology; journal club; education. There were 3 categories of interest of Twitter in the field of urology: spread of scientific knowledge, scientific interaction during medical conferences and medical education and international medical debates. The unique spread of evidence-based-medecine through traditional scientific journals in paper version is over. Main scientific journals in urology and scientific societies are now using a Twitter account and became virtual. They use new bibliometrics available on #SoMe to estimate the social impact. Twitter allows for a better interactivity of doctors attending scientific conferences. Exponential use of Twitter is in the interest of speakers and leaders, audience and scientific societies. Lastly, medical academic education and continuing medical education can be achieved through #SoMe. Twitter became a lively virtual platform for scientific debates for complex oncological cases (dematerialized tumor board). Twitter is also a place for intense scientific discussion during virtual journal club without geographic or timeline restriction. Physicians need to respect the rules for a wise use of #SoMe in order not to break the Hippocratic Oath. There is a revolution around #SoMe and Twitter in the spread of scientific knowledge and academic teaching. International urologists are already committed in this evolution and France should also get involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Birth of prominent scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes Gonzalez, Leonardo; González Brambila, Claudia N; Veloso, Francisco

    2018-01-01

    This paper analyzes the influence key scientists have in the development of a science and technology system. In particular, this work appraises the influence that star scientists have on the productivity and impact of young faculty, as well as on the likelihood that these young researchers become a leading personality in science. Our analysis confirms previous results that eminent scientist have a prime role in the development of a scientific system, especially within the context of an emerging economy like Mexico. In particular, in terms of productivity and visibility, this work shows that between 1984 and 2001 the elite group of physicists in Mexico (approximate 10% of all scientists working in physics and its related fields) published 42% of all publications, received 50% of all citations and bred 18% to 26% of new entrants. In addition our work shows that scientists that enter the system by the hand of a highly productive researcher increased their productivity on average by 28% and the ones that did it by the hand of a highly visible scientist received on average 141% more citations, vis-à-vis scholars that did not published their first manuscripts with an eminent scientist. Furthermore, scholars that enter the system by the hand of a highly productive researcher were on average 2.5 more likely to also become a star.

  5. Birth of prominent scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes Gonzalez, Leonardo; Veloso, Francisco

    2018-01-01

    This paper analyzes the influence key scientists have in the development of a science and technology system. In particular, this work appraises the influence that star scientists have on the productivity and impact of young faculty, as well as on the likelihood that these young researchers become a leading personality in science. Our analysis confirms previous results that eminent scientist have a prime role in the development of a scientific system, especially within the context of an emerging economy like Mexico. In particular, in terms of productivity and visibility, this work shows that between 1984 and 2001 the elite group of physicists in Mexico (approximate 10% of all scientists working in physics and its related fields) published 42% of all publications, received 50% of all citations and bred 18% to 26% of new entrants. In addition our work shows that scientists that enter the system by the hand of a highly productive researcher increased their productivity on average by 28% and the ones that did it by the hand of a highly visible scientist received on average 141% more citations, vis-à-vis scholars that did not published their first manuscripts with an eminent scientist. Furthermore, scholars that enter the system by the hand of a highly productive researcher were on average 2.5 more likely to also become a star. PMID:29543855

  6. Why are modern scientists so dull? How science selects for perseverance and sociability at the expense of intelligence and creativity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2009-03-01

    why are so many leading modern scientists so dull and lacking in scientific ambition? because the science selection process ruthlessly weeds-out interesting and imaginative people. At each level in education, training and career progression there is a tendency to exclude smart and creative people by preferring Conscientious and Agreeable people. The progressive lengthening of scientific training and the reduced independence of career scientists have tended to deter vocational 'revolutionary' scientists in favour of industrious and socially adept individuals better suited to incremental 'normal' science. High general intelligence (IQ) is required for revolutionary science. But educational attainment depends on a combination of intelligence and the personality trait of Conscientiousness; and these attributes do not correlate closely. Therefore elite scientific institutions seeking potential revolutionary scientists need to use IQ tests as well as examination results to pick-out high IQ 'under-achievers'. As well as high IQ, revolutionary science requires high creativity. Creativity is probably associated with moderately high levels of Eysenck's personality trait of 'Psychoticism'. Psychoticism combines qualities such as selfishness, independence from group norms, impulsivity and sensation-seeking; with a style of cognition that involves fluent, associative and rapid production of many ideas. But modern science selects for high Conscientiousness and high Agreeableness; therefore it enforces low Psychoticism and low creativity. Yet my counter-proposal to select elite revolutionary scientists on the basis of high IQ and moderately high Psychoticism may sound like a recipe for disaster, since resembles a formula for choosing gifted charlatans and confidence tricksters. A further vital ingredient is therefore necessary: devotion to the transcendental value of Truth. Elite revolutionary science should therefore be a place that welcomes brilliant, impulsive, inspired

  7. Concordance of Interests in Dynamic Models of Social Partnership in the System of Continuing Professional Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarasenko, Larissa V.; Ougolnitsky, Guennady A.; Usov, Anatoly B.; Vaskov, Maksim A.; Kirik, Vladimir A.; Astoyanz, Margarita S.; Angel, Olga Y.

    2016-01-01

    A dynamic game theoretic model of concordance of interests in the process of social partnership in the system of continuing professional education is proposed. Non-cooperative, cooperative, and hierarchical setups are examined. Analytical solution for a linear state version of the model is provided. Nash equilibrium algorithms (for non-cooperative…

  8. Everyone Knows What a Scientist Looks Like: The Image of a Modern Scientist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enevoldsen, A. A. G.

    2008-11-01

    Children are inspired to follow career paths when they can imagine themselves there. Seeing pictures of adult individuals who look like them working in a given career can provide this spark to children's imaginations. Most (though not all) of the current available posters of scientists are of Einstein, and Einstein-like scientists. This is not representative of the current face of science. To change this, Pacific Science Center will host a photography exhibit: photographs of real, current scientists from all races, genders, beliefs, and walks of life. Photos will be taken and short biographies written by Discovery Corps Interns (Pacific Science Center's youth development program) to increase the amount of direct contact between students and scientists, and to give the exhibit an emotional connection for local teachers and families. We plan to make the photographs from this exhibit available to teachers for use in their classrooms, in addition to being displayed at Pacific Science Center during the International Year of Astronomy. The objectives of this project are to fill a need for representative photographs of scientists in the world community and to meet two of the goals of the International Year of Astronomy: to provide a modern image of science and scientists, and to improve the gender-balanced representation of scientists at all levels and promote greater involvement by under-represented minorities in scientific and engineering careers.

  9. The Impact of Scientist-Educator Collaborations: an early-career scientist's perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roop, H. A.

    2017-12-01

    A decade ago, a forward-thinking faculty member exposed a group of aspiring scientists to the impacts and career benefits of working directly with K-12 students and educators. Ten years later, as one of those young scientists, it is clear that the relationships born out of this early experience can transform a researcher's impact and trajectory in science. Connections with programs like the NSF-funded PolarTREC program, the teacher-led Scientists in the Classroom effort, and through well-coordinated teacher training opportunities there are clear ways in which these partnerships can a) transform student learning; b) serve as a powerful and meaningful way to connect students to authentic research and researchers; and c) help researchers become more effective communicators by expanding their ability to connect their work to society. The distillation of science to K-12 students, with the expert eye of educators, makes scientists better at their work with tangible benefits to skills that matter in academia - securing funding, writing and communicating clearly and having high-value broader impacts. This invited abstract is submitted as part of this session's panel discussion and will explore in detail, with concrete examples, the mutual benefits of educator-scientist partnerships and how sustained engagement can transform the reach, connection and application of research science.

  10. The Crossroads of Social Interest Housing in Bogota: Land Prices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yadira Caballero Quintero

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This document analyzes the issue of social interest housing in Bogotarelated with land prices. Additionally, some postulates that have had animpact over land pricing issues have been reviewed. As a starting point ithas been reviewed the population settlement structure in the city as anevidence of the unbalanced occupation and offer of property. Thequantitative perspective used shows that the incorporation of urban landdoes not have the aforementioned effect of lowering prices. The dynamicof land prices shows an inertial behavior of such, derived from the somehow naïve rationality of the owners. The association with the construction evolution shows the tendency of constructors to capture rent anticipation, leads them to make mistakes if cycles are not foreseen. Although being an industry with a competitive organization, there is evidence of a non explained element of pricing that may be a rent, in this case a technological one.

  11. Integrating Ecological and Social Knowledge: Learning from CHANS Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruce Shindler

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Scientists are increasingly called upon to integrate across ecological and social disciplines to tackle complex coupled human and natural system (CHANS problems. Integration of these disciplines is challenging and many scientists do not have experience with large integrated research projects. However, much can be learned about the complicated process of integration from such efforts. We document some of these lessons from a National Science Foundation-funded CHANS project (Forests, People, Fire and present considerations for developing and engaging in coupled human and natural system projects. Certainly we are not the first to undertake this endeavor, and many of our findings complement those of other research teams. We focus here on the process of coming together, learning to work as an integrated science team, and describe the challenges and opportunities of engaging stakeholders (agency personnel and citizen communities of interests in our efforts. Throughout this project our intention was to foster dialogue among diverse interests and, thus, incorporate this knowledge into uncovering primary social and ecological drivers of change. A primary tool was an agent-based model, Envision, that used this information in landscape simulation, visualization models, and scenario development. Although integration can be an end in itself, the proof of value in the approach can be the degree to which it provides new insights or tools to CHANS, including closer interaction among multiple stakeholders, that could not have been reached without it.

  12. Intersecting Interests: Qualitative Research Synthesis on Art in the Social Work Classroom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samantha Wehbi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on a qualitative research synthesis that explored the intersections between art and social work. The scholarship notes a rise in interest in integrating creative arts practices in social work classrooms from assignment design to classroom activities. Also highlighted are the potential contributions of these arts-informed practices to teaching about topics related to oppression. The synthesis presented in this paper explored this potential through an interpretivist analysis of articles on the intersection of art and social work. Findings highlight the contribution of this approach to enhancing student engagement and critical reflexivity; creating a sense of collectivity and solidarity in the classroom; as well as transforming the role of the educator. Findings suggest the need for further research to explore the potential contributions of arts-informed approaches in social work education beyond a single classroom. Cet article présente la synthèse d’une recherche qualitative qui a exploré les intersections entre l’art et le travail social. Les recherches effectuées indiquent qu’il existe une augmentation de l’intérêt à intégrer les pratiques des arts créatifs dans les salles de classe de travail social, allant de la conception des devoirs aux activités en salle de classe. Les contributions potentielles de ces pratiques qui intègrent l’art à l’enseignement de sujets liés à l’oppression sont également mises en relief. Les synthèses présentées dans cet article explorent ce potentiel par le biais d’une analyse interprétative d’articles qui se situent à l’intersection de l’art et du travail social. Les résultats mettent en relief la contribution de cette approche à l’amélioration de l’engagement des étudiants et de la réflexion critique; à la création d’un sens de collectivité et de solidarité dans la salle de classe; ainsi qu’à la transformation du rôle de l

  13. Decoding youth DNA: The relationship between social engagement and news interest, news media use and news preferences of Dutch millennials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drok, N.; Hermans, E.A.H.M.; Kats, K.

    2018-01-01

    There is a growing concern in Western democracies about the decline in young people's use of news media. Some scholars see it as a result of a diminishing interest in social issues and even of a more general deterioration in civic culture. Others claim that young people still feel socially engaged

  14. Transfer of scientific knowledge to the general public from the scientists' point of view

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peters, H.P.; Krueger, J.

    1985-07-01

    Our analysis demonstrates that nearly all scientists agree to having responsibilities to disseminate information about their work not only to collegues but also to the general public. More than two-thirds of the respondents perceive personal benefits for their career and/or the acquisition of research funding when reports about their work appear in the mass media. Most scientists rated the interest of the population in reports on science at least as ''medium'', but most of them are also sceptical of the population's ability to understand those reports. Only a minority of the scientists surveyed perceives hostility against science among the public. About 40% of the respondents reported having contacts with journalists. Their experiences during these contacts were often not encouraging. More than half of the scientists whose work had been reported in media answered that at least something had been incorrectly reported. Three-quarters of the scientists who have had contacts with journalists have had partially bad experiences. There are indications that scientists do not see science reporting solely as a task of journalists; they want to be involved in that process, not only as information sources. However, during the contacts with journalists, scientists will experience that their ideas of good science reporting contradict the journalistic approach. Journalists have other quality standards and emphasize other aspects than scientists do. Therefore the collision of scientific norms and values with those of the journalism leads to experiences which are probably frustrating for both sides, although scientists and journalists agree on the general goal of public information. (orig./HP) [de

  15. Scientist impact factor (SIF): a new metric for improving scientists' evaluation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lippi, Giuseppe; Mattiuzzi, Camilla

    2017-08-01

    The publication of scientific research is the mainstay for knowledge dissemination, but is also an essential criterion of scientists' evaluation for recruiting funds and career progression. Although the most widespread approach for evaluating scientists is currently based on the H-index, the total impact factor (IF) and the overall number of citations, these metrics are plagued by some well-known drawbacks. Therefore, with the aim to improve the process of scientists' evaluation, we developed a new and potentially useful indicator of recent scientific output. The new metric scientist impact factor (SIF) was calculated as all citations of articles published in the two years following the publication year of the articles, divided by the overall number of articles published in that year. The metrics was then tested by analyzing data of the 40 top scientists of the local University. No correlation was found between SIF and H-index (r=0.15; P=0.367) or 2 years H-index (r=-0.01; P=0.933), whereas the H-index and 2 years H-index values were found to be highly correlated (r=0.57; Particles published in one year and the total number of citations to these articles in the two following years (r=0.62; Pscientists, wherein the SIF reflects the scientific output over the past two years thus increasing their chances to apply to and obtain competitive funding.

  16. Size matters: the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding large-scale genetic biobank initiatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klaus Lindgaard Hoeyer

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available During the past ten years the complex ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI typically surrounding large-scale genetic biobank research initiatives have been intensely debated in academic circles. In many ways genetic epidemiology has undergone a set of changes resembling what in physics has been called a transition into Big Science. This article outlines consequences of this transition and suggests that the change in scale implies challenges to the roles of scientists and public alike. An overview of key issues is presented, and it is argued that biobanks represent not just scientific endeavors with purely epistemic objectives, but also political projects with social implications. As such, they demand clever maneuvering among social interests to succeed.

  17. CosmoQuest - Scientist Engagement with the Public and Schools via a Virtual Research Facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noel-Storr, Jacob; Buxner, Sanlyn; Gay, Pamela L.; Grier, Jennifer A.; Lehan, Cory; CosmoQuest Team

    2016-06-01

    CosmoQuest is a virtual research facility where science data can be analyzed by teams of interested citizen scientists from across the world. Scientists can apply to have their data analyzed through crowdsourcing in our online observatory, which generates validated and publishable results (Robbins et al 2014). Scientists have the opportunity to provide connections to teachers in classrooms so that students can analyze original data and understand the process that astronomers go through from image to result. Scientists can also teach online classes for different audiences including formal classroom teachers, informal educators, and lifelong learners to further the broader impacts of their work and increase engagement in their scientific endeavors. We provide training, through online and in-person workshops, on how to incorporate your datasets into the observatory and how to deliver online classes through our CosmoAcademy. This work is funded in part by NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice number NNX16AC68A. For more information, visit http://cosmoquest.org/.

  18. Community centrality and social science research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allman, Dan

    2015-12-01

    Community centrality is a growing requirement of social science. The field's research practices are increasingly expected to conform to prescribed relationships with the people studied. Expectations about community centrality influence scholarly activities. These expectations can pressure social scientists to adhere to models of community involvement that are immediate and that include community-based co-investigators, advisory boards, and liaisons. In this context, disregarding community centrality can be interpreted as failure. This paper considers evolving norms about the centrality of community in social science. It problematises community inclusion and discusses concerns about the impact of community centrality on incremental theory development, academic integrity, freedom of speech, and the value of liberal versus communitarian knowledge. Through the application of a constructivist approach, this paper argues that social science in which community is omitted or on the periphery is not failed science, because not all social science requires a community base to make a genuine and valuable contribution. The utility of community centrality is not necessarily universal across all social science pursuits. The practices of knowing within social science disciplines may be difficult to transfer to a community. These practices of knowing require degrees of specialisation and interest that not all communities may want or have.

  19. Voices of Romanian scientists

    CERN Multimedia

    Stefania Pandolfi

    2016-01-01

    As Romania has now become a Member State of CERN, Romanian scientists share their thoughts about this new era of partnership for their community.   Members of ATLAS from Romanian institutes at CERN (from left to right): Dan Ciubotaru, Michele Renda, Bogdan Blidaru, Alexandra Tudorache, Marina Rotaru, Ana Dumitriu, Valentina Tudorache, Adam Jinaru, Calin Alexa. On 17 July 2016, Romania became the twenty-second Member State of CERN, 25 years after the first cooperation agreement with the country was signed. “CERN and Romania already have a long history of strong collaboration”, says Emmanuel Tsesmelis, head of Relations with Associate Members and Non-Member States. “We very much look forward to strengthening this collaboration as Romania becomes CERN’s twenty-second Member State, which promises the development of mutual interests in scientific research, related technologies and education,” he affirms. Romania&...

  20. Contextualizing Social Science in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dev Raj Dahal

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Social science informs about the ideals and trains experts to deal with the complex social realities. It has a public purpose rooted in what we call dharma (professional and institutional responsibility as opposed to the arrogance of reason, self-will and self-rationalization intrinsic to contemporary rational choice and modernity. Learning has a synergy - establishing connection between the world of social science theories and the drama of social life. A lack of mutual learning between Nepal's traditional faith intellectuals and modern reason-based social scientists has created a big hiatus and contradiction. The academic life of social scientists in Nepal is completely outside of spiritual, moral and ethical influence experienced by ordinary public. The spiritual blindness of modern social scientists has thus opened multiple gaps between their worldview and those of the citizens on various frontiers--theoretical knowledge and practical experience, technical understanding and composite knowledge and secularity of social science and the vitality of the Hindu-Buddhist scriptures in the popular mind, culture, behavior and practices. This has reinforced a division between the system of knowledge of social scientists and the life-world of people. The proponents of new social movements in Nepal, such as women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, youths and marginalized population are seeking a structural shift in reason-based knowledge to both reason and feeling in social science knowledge discovery. This movement can open the "captive mind" to social learning of contextual knowledge, conduct research with the citizens, provide inputs to the policy makers and reverse their linear, structure-bound, rationalist and disciplinary thinking into the one that represents what the Nepal mandala, the Nepali space, is really like and how to improve it for the better. The renewal and indigenization of qualitative social science research is important to overcome the

  1. Quantum Genetic Algorithms for Computer Scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Lahoz-Beltra

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Genetic algorithms (GAs are a class of evolutionary algorithms inspired by Darwinian natural selection. They are popular heuristic optimisation methods based on simulated genetic mechanisms, i.e., mutation, crossover, etc. and population dynamical processes such as reproduction, selection, etc. Over the last decade, the possibility to emulate a quantum computer (a computer using quantum-mechanical phenomena to perform operations on data has led to a new class of GAs known as “Quantum Genetic Algorithms” (QGAs. In this review, we present a discussion, future potential, pros and cons of this new class of GAs. The review will be oriented towards computer scientists interested in QGAs “avoiding” the possible difficulties of quantum-mechanical phenomena.

  2. Establishing an agenda for social studies research in marine renewable energy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Watts, Laura; Kerr, Sandy

    2014-01-01

    To date, academic research relating to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) has largely focused on resource assessment, technical viability and environmental impact. Experiences from onshore renewable energy tell us that social acceptability is equally critical to project success. However, the specific...... nature of the marine environment, patterns of resource distribution and governance means experiences from onshore may not be directly applicable to MRE and the marine environment. This paper sets out an agenda for social studies research linked to MRE, identifying key topics for future research: (i...... research network of social scientists with interests in marine renewable energy. Importantly, this research agenda has been informed by the experiences of developers, regulators and community groups in Orkney. The Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, is home to the most intense cluster...

  3. Nanostructured silicon-based biosensors for the selective identification of analytes of social interest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Auria, Sabato; Champdore, Marcella de; Aurilia, Vincenzo; Parracino, Antonietta; Staiano, Maria; Vitale, Annalisa; Rossi, Mose; Rea, Ilaria; Rotiroti, Lucia; Rossi, Andrea M; Borini, Stefano; Rendina, Ivo; Stefano, Luca De

    2006-01-01

    Small analytes such as glucose, L-glutamine (Gln), and ammonium nitrate are detected by means of optical biosensors based on a very common nanostructured material, porous silicon (PSi). Specific recognition elements, such as protein receptors and enzymes, were immobilized on hydrogenated PSi wafers and used as probes in optical sensing systems. The binding events were optically transduced as wavelength shifts of the porous silicon reflectivity spectrum or were monitored via changes of the fluorescence emission. The biosensors described in this article suggest a general approach for the development of new sensing systems for a wide range of analytes of high social interest

  4. Scientists are From Venus, Journalists are From Mars: Bridging the Two Worlds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, N.

    2006-12-01

    Media coverage of issues ranging from climate change to evolution often shapes public awareness and opinions about these topics and the science behind them. While scientists can play a critical social role as a resource for journalists and as a valuable information source for the public, they are often frustrated with how their work is portrayed in the press or choose to avoid public discussions completely. In order for science-based policy measures to succeed, scientists must engage in these public discussions and learn how to communicate more effectively - not only with each other, but also with the media, the public, and policy makers. This requires being able to put themselves in the shoes of their audiences. This presentation will provide insights into the world of journalism and offer practical steps that scientists can take to ensure that their research will register on the public's radar screen. Presenter Nancy Baron, Lead Communications Trainer for the Aldo Leopold Program (ALLP) and Ocean Science Outreach Director for COMPASS works closely with leading scientists to help them communicate the contents and importance of their work more effectively and make their science "news" without compromising scientific integrity or credibility.

  5. 20 CFR 606.30 - Interest rates on advances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Interest rates on advances. 606.30 Section... UNDER THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT; ADVANCES UNDER TITLE XII OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT Interest on Advances § 606.30 Interest rates on advances. Advances made to States pursuant to title XII of the Social...

  6. The roles of family, culture, and social cognitive variables in the career interests and goals of Asian American college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, Kayi; Lent, Robert W

    2018-01-01

    Although family and cultural factors have been assumed to play important roles in the career development of Asian Americans, theory-driven research on this topic remains limited. We examined culturally relevant factors that may contribute to Asian Americans' consideration of fields in which they are overrepresented (e.g., science, technology, engineering) and underrepresented (e.g., education, social science). Drawing from social cognitive career theory, a culture-specific, social cognitive model of career interests and choice was tested in Holland's (1997) Investigative (I) and Social (S) themes. A sample of 802 Asian American undergraduates completed measures of family support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interest, and career choice consideration in relation to both Holland themes. Two indicators of acculturation/enculturation (adherence to Asian values and generation status in the United States) were also obtained. The model accounted for a substantial amount of variance in Asian American college students' career consideration in both themes. Family support and acculturation played varying roles, depending on the Holland theme. For example, family support was linked to career choice consideration both directly (in the S theme) and indirectly, via other predictors (in both themes). Contrary to expectations, the acculturation variables did not moderate the relation of family support or interest to career consideration in either theme. We discuss the implications of these findings for efforts to understand and facilitate the career development of Asian American college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. The role of scientists in statutory interpretation of the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhere, George F

    2017-04-01

    Like many federal statutes, the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) contains vague or ambiguous language. The meaning imparted to the ESA's unclear language can profoundly impact the fates of endangered and threatened species. Hence, conservation scientists should contribute to the interpretation of the ESA when vague or ambiguous language contains scientific words or refers to scientific concepts. Scientists need to know at least these 2 facts about statutory interpretation: statutory interpretation is subjective and the potential influence of normative values results in different expectations for the parties involved. With the possible exception of judges, all conventional participants in statutory interpretation are serving their own interests, advocating for their preferred policies, or biased. Hence, scientists can play a unique role by informing the interpretative process with objective, policy-neutral information. Conversely, scientists may act as advocates for their preferred interpretation of unclear statutory language. The different roles scientists might play in statutory interpretation raise the issues of advocacy and competency. Advocating for a preferred statutory interpretation is legitimate political behavior by scientists, but statutory interpretation can be strongly influenced by normative values. Therefore, scientists must be careful not to commit stealth policy advocacy. Most conservation scientists lack demonstrable competence in statutory interpretation and therefore should consult or collaborate with lawyers when interpreting statutes. Professional scientific societies are widely perceived by the public as unbiased sources of objective information. Therefore, professional scientific societies should remain policy neutral and present all interpretations of unclear statutory language; explain the semantics and science both supporting and contradicting each interpretation; and describe the potential consequences of implementing each interpretation

  8. How Scientists Can Become Entrepreneurs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thon, Jonathan N; Karlsson, Sven

    2017-05-01

    Translating basic research discoveries through entrepreneurship must be scientist driven and institutionally supported to be successful (not the other way around). Here, we describe why scientists should engage in entrepreneurship, where institutional support for scientist-founders falls short, and how these challenges can be overcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. GeoChronos: An On-line Collaborative Platform for Earth Observation Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamon, J. A.; Kiddle, C.; Curry, R.; Markatchev, N.; Zonta-Pastorello, G., Jr.; Rivard, B.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G. A.; Simmonds, R.; Tan, T.

    2009-12-01

    Recent advances in cyberinfrastructure are offering new solutions to the growing challenges of managing and sharing large data volumes. Web 2.0 and social networking technologies, provide the means for scientists to collaborate and share information more effectively. Cloud computing technologies can provide scientists with transparent and on-demand access to applications served over the Internet in a dynamic and scalable manner. Semantic Web technologies allow for data to be linked together in a manner understandable by machines, enabling greater automation. Combining all of these technologies together can enable the creation of very powerful platforms. GeoChronos (http://geochronos.org/), part of a CANARIE Network Enabled Platforms project, is an online collaborative platform that incorporates these technologies to enable members of the earth observation science community to share data and scientific applications and to collaborate more effectively. The GeoChronos portal is built on an open source social networking platform called Elgg. Elgg provides a full set of social networking functionalities similar to Facebook including blogs, tags, media/document sharing, wikis, friends/contacts, groups, discussions, message boards, calendars, status, activity feeds and more. An underlying cloud computing infrastructure enables scientists to access dynamically provisioned applications via the portal for visualizing and analyzing data. Users are able to access and run the applications from any computer that has a Web browser and Internet connectivity and do not need to manage and maintain the applications themselves. Semantic Web Technologies, such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF) are being employed for relating and linking together spectral, satellite, meteorological and other data. Social networking functionality plays an integral part in facilitating the sharing of data and applications. Examples of recent GeoChronos users during the early testing phase have

  10. CosmoQuest: Exploring the Needs of Current & Future Citizen Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bracey, G.; Glushko, A.; Bakerman, M. N.; Gay, P.; Buxner, S.

    2016-12-01

    The CosmoQuest Virtual Research Facility aims to engage and support professional scientists and the general public-including parents, children, teachers, and students-in learning and doing science. Through the facility's online portal (cosmoquest.org), anyone with internet access can participate in NASA Science Mission Directorate related research by engaging in several online citizen science projects. To support this endeavor, the CosmoQuest team is developing a variety of programs, opportunities, and resources that parallel those available in real-world institutions and that have the potential to reach and impact a large and diverse audience. In order to guide this development and ensure the success of the facility, it is essential to assess the needs of the growing CosmoQuest community. In this presentation, we present the results of a suite of online surveys designed to gauge the interests, motivations, and needs of several groups within the CosmoQuest Community : teachers, parents, adult learners, planetarium professionals, subject matter experts (SMEs), and the general public. Each survey was targeted to a particular group and a particular CosmoQuest program. All surveys asked about attitudes towards technology and social media use. Basic demographics were also collected. We discuss the needs of the various groups and share plans for meeting these needs.

  11. Can Architecture Design Solve Social Problem?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginting, S. W.; TSB Darjosanjoto, E.; Sulistyarso, H.

    2017-03-01

    Most of architects and urban designers believe physical design gives impact on our social life. For example, a sign or landmark in the middle of a city makes people find orientation easier. In vice verse, most of social scientists believe it is social dynamic that plays role in shaping our space. How people spend their time moving from real space into cyber space is a proof that life style and IT give impact to space usage. This paper argues that interaction between physical design and social change is a two ways process. Both design aspect and social dynamic influence each other. This paper aims to examine how designing of gated community plays important role in increasing or decreasing segregation, both spatially and socially. The paper explores some architectural design principles applied in a gated community called CitraLand in west Surabaya, Indonesia, and addresses segregation between CitraLanders and outside kampung. We find CitraLand is designed openly and fully accessible for outsiders. It provides public spaces and several accessible gates and streets without walls and fences making all places inside and outside CitraLand spatially integrated. What’s interesting is it still reinforces social segregation due to its policy on prohibiting using the public park. We believe CitraLand’s planning and designing has successfully solved segregation problem spatially not socially.

  12. Darnton's paradigm. Reflections on the social role of digital library

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Capaccioni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The interest in digital libraries began in the early nineties of the last century, particularly in the United States. At first the argument involved a few computer scientists and some librarian. However, after the first terminological uncertainties ("electronic" library, "virtual" library, etc., digital libraries have become an object of interdisciplinary study and today constitute a research field of LIS. Over the years there has been an evolution of topics and approaches. The earlier prevailing interest was in the management and technological aspects of digital libraries and then emerged the need to rediscover the role of digital libraries in society. This paper focuses in particular on the most recent international debate on the social value of the digital library.

  13. Young Scientist Wetenschapskalender 2018

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dalen-Oskam, K.H.; van Zundert, Joris J.; Koolen, Corina

    2017-01-01

    Bijdragen scheurkalender Young Scientist Wetenschapskalender 2018. Karina van Dalen-Oskam, Belangrijk woord: Wat is het belangrijkste woord in de Nederlandse taal? In: Young Scientist Wetenschapskalender 2018, 1 september Corina Koolen, Op naar het boekenbal: Hoe wordt je beroemd als schrijver? In:

  14. Jump into the Void? Factors Related to a Preferred Retirement Age: Gender, Social Interests, and Leisure Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolaisen, Magnhild; Thorsen, Kirsten; Eriksen, Sissel H.

    2012-01-01

    Using the frameworks of the life course perspective and continuity theory, this study focuses on the association among working people between gender and specific leisure activities, social interests and individuals' preferred retirement age. The study is based on the first wave of the Norwegian Life Course, Aging and Generation (NorLAG) study,…

  15. The Celebrity Scientists

    OpenAIRE

    Fahy, Declan

    2010-01-01

    This collective case study examines how four contemporary British scientists and popular science writers, Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, Susan Greenfield and James Lovelock, are portrayed in mass media as celebrities. It finds that the scientists’ private and public lives merge in their representations, their images commodified and marketed by the cultural industries, their mediated personae embodying abstract ideas of truth and reason. The celebrity scientists base their authority on thei...

  16. Leveraging, Synergies and Cloning: Thoughts on How Scientists can Multiply their Impact on Education and Public Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, L. H.

    2011-12-01

    An individual scientist might look at the huge numbers of students and the public who constitute a potential audience for education and public outreach (EPO) and conclude that he/she has no hope to make a difference. This talk will share some strategies that have the potential to multiply a scientist's for maximum effect, and some evidence that indeed one person CAN make a difference. The first strategy is to leverage: that is, find a person or group who already has an ongoing EPO activity that relates to your subject area, and use it as a way to get your information out to an existing, interested audience. This benefits you because you don't have to begin from scratch to build an audience for your information, and it benefits them because they get great new content to keep their audience interested. The second strategy is to synergize: that is, cooperate or coordinate with an existing EPO group, or with colleagues with similar interests. Use your expertise to develop new resources that fit into an existing program. Cooperate with an existing EPO group so they can help you navigate details like review processes, aligning your resource to education standards, and helping tailor your information to the needs of the education audience. The third strategy is to use technology to approximate cloning: that is, to propagate yourself and your information via multiple channels. However, this strategy should not be used until after you have tested and honed your information through a number of in-person interactions with the audience(s) you seek to reach, and have developed some communications skills that help you connect with students and teachers. One lesson that you may learn from such interactions is that scientists aren't like other people. We have a distinct vocabulary, culture, and habits of mind that distinguish us from others. This is a key strength for science, but sometimes a barrier for EPO. By personal contact with non-scientists, we can learn again how to

  17. Teaching statistics to social science students: Making it valuable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this age of rapid information expansion and technology, statistics is playing an ever increasing role in education, particularly also in the training of social scientists. Statistics enables the social scientist to obtain a quantitative awareness of socioeconomic phenomena hence is essential in their training. Statistics, however ...

  18. Interest in science: a RIASEC-based analysis of students' interests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierks, Pay O.; Höffler, Tim N.; Blankenburg, Janet S.; Peters, Heide; Parchmann, Ilka

    2016-01-01

    Considering the reported lack of interest in the STEM-domain and the consequential difficulties in recruiting talented and interested young academics, the development of effective enrichment measures is indispensable. This requires a precise picture of students' interests. The paper presents an approach to characterize interest profiles in explicitly science-related activities. Adapting Holland's RIASEC-model, an instrument was developed and tested which allows the description of interest in activities along Holland's dimensions (and a seventh dimension networking) within the confined science domain. The findings of a study with N = 247 students (age cohorts 12-19 years) uncovered interest differences for the environments school, enrichment, and (prospective) vocation. The mutual importance of the performed activity and the environment the activity is performed in is confirmed by a cross-classified model. Contrasting different subgroups revealed multiple results, e.g., girls showed more interest in artistic and social activities within the science domain. High achieving students showed more interest in science-related activities in all dimensions. In conclusion, using our adapted model, students' interest structure can be described in a differentiated manner. This could lay the foundation for further analyses of students' interest profiles and thereby contribute to future development of effective and congruent enrichment measures, thus enhancing interest in science.

  19. Science as a Matter of Honour: How Accused Scientists Deal with Scientific Fraud in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellegrini, Pablo A

    2017-06-26

    Practices related to research misconduct seem to have been multiplied in recent years. Many cases of scientific fraud have been exposed publicly, and journals and academic institutions have deployed different measures worldwide in this regard. However, the influence of specific social and cultural environments on scientific fraud may vary from society to society. This article analyzes how scientists in Japan deal with accusations of scientific fraud. For such a purpose, a series of scientific fraud cases that took place in Japan has been reconstructed through diverse sources. Thus, by analyzing those cases, the social basis of scientific fraud and the most relevant aspects of Japanese cultural values and traditions, as well as the concept of honour which is deeply involved in the way Japanese scientists react when they are accused of and publicly exposed in scientific fraud situations is examined.

  20. Cashing in on Students' Interest in Money: World Currency as a Motivator in the Social Studies Classroom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, David G.; Burlbaw, Lynn M.

    1991-01-01

    Presents classroom activities using banknotes to teach history and social studies. Suggests that students' interest in money can be utilized to teach about geography, national heroes, symbolism, and the image a nation wishes to present to its citizens and the rest of the world. Lists sources for obtaining banknotes and directories to help identify…

  1. From the cognitive to the pragmatic: the scientist as communicator

    OpenAIRE

    Pérez-Llantada Auría, Carmen

    2001-01-01

    The main contention in this paper is that the process of communicating scientific knowledge could be compared to the role of the translator as communicator (Hatim & Masón, 1997). Like the translator, the task of the scientist is to encode —or metaphorically "translate"— the conceptualizations of science into a very restricted register with particular linguistic, pragmatic, and ideological conventions. The present analysis also shows how discourse is ultimately subject to certain social ...

  2. PREFACE: FAIRNESS 2014: FAIR Next Generation ScientistS 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-01

    FAIRNESS 2014 was the third edition in a series of workshops designed to bring together excellent international young scientists with research interests focused on physics at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) and was held on September 22-27 2014 in Vietri sul Mare, Italy. The topics of the workshops cover a wide range of aspects in both theoretical developments and current experimental status, concentrated around the four scientific pillars of FAIR. FAIR is a new accelerator complex with brand new experimental facilities, that is currently being built next to the existing GSI Helmholtzzentrum for Schwerionenforschung close to Darmstadt, Germany. The spirit of the conference is to bring together young scientists, e.g. advanced PhD students and postdocs and young researchers without permanent position to present their work, to foster active informal discussions and build up of networks. Every participant in the meeting with the exception of the organizers gives an oral presentation, and all sessions are followed by an hour long discussion period. During the talks, questions are anonymously collected in a box to stimulate discussions. The broad physics program at FAIR is reflected in the wide range of topics covered by the workshop: • Physics of hot and dense nuclear matter, QCD phase transitions and critical point • Nuclear structure, astrophysics and reactions • Hadron Spectroscopy, Hadrons in matter and Hypernuclei • New developments in atomic and plasma physics • Special emphasis is put on the experiments CBM, HADES, PANDA, NUSTAR, APPA and related experiments For each of these different areas one invited speaker was selected to give a longer introductory presentation. The write-ups of the talks presented at FAIRNESS 2014 are the content of this issue of Journal of Physics: Conference Series and have been refereed according to the IOP standard for peer review. This issue constitutes therefore a collection of the forefront of research that

  3. Informal Science: Family Education, Experiences, and Initial Interest in Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabney, Katherine P.; Tai, Robert H.; Scott, Michael R.

    2016-01-01

    Recent research and public policy have indicated the need for increasing the physical science workforce through development of interest and engagement with informal and formal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics experiences. This study examines the association of family education and physical scientists' informal experiences in…

  4. Rescheduling the special interest group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peace, Helen

    1993-06-09

    The committee members of the RCN Social Interest Group for Nurses Working Within Day Hospitals/Day Care for Older People would like to apologise to the large number of people who were interested in attending our conference, which unfortunately had to be postponed.

  5. Enacting the social relations of science

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kristian Hvidtfelt

    2008-01-01

    This article investigates the writings of Danish science journalist Børge Michelsen from 1939 to 1956. As part of the international social relations of science movement in the period, Michelsen transformed science journalism from mere reporting on issues pertaining to science into performing...... the social function of science journalism: advancing and enacting the social relations of science. Based on analyses of Michelsen's articles and other initiatives, this study suggests that the social function of science journalism practiced by Michelsen showed many new and conflicting aspects. From...... new links to reinforce mutual relations between scientists and policy-makers, between scientists and journalists, and between science and the public. Finally, in the concluding remarks, the contemporary significance of Michelsen's social function of science journalism is discussed....

  6. Hidden concerns of sharing research data by low/middle-income country scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bezuidenhout, Louise; Chakauya, Ereck

    2018-01-01

    There has considerable interest in bringing low/middle-income countries (LMIC) scientists into discussions on Open Data - both as contributors and users. The establishment of in situ data sharing practices within LMIC research institutions is vital for the development of an Open Data landscape in the Global South. Nonetheless, many LMICs have significant challenges - resource provision, research support and extra-laboratory infrastructures. These low-resourced environments shape data sharing activities, but are rarely examined within Open Data discourse. In particular, little attention is given to how these research environments shape scientists' perceptions of data sharing (dis)incentives. This paper expands on these issues of incentivizing data sharing, using data from a quantitative survey disseminated to life scientists in 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This interrogated not only perceptions of data sharing amongst LMIC scientists, but also how these are connected to the research environments and daily challenges experienced by them. The paper offers a series of analysis around commonly cited (dis)incentives such as data sharing as a means of improving research visibility; sharing and funding; and online connectivity. It identifies key areas that the Open Data community need to consider if true openness in research is to be established in the Global South.

  7. Interests, relationships, identities: three central issues for individuals and groups in negotiating their social environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelman, Herbert C

    2006-01-01

    This chapter begins with a summary of a model, developed half a century ago, that distinguishes three qualitatively different processes of social influence: compliance, identification, and internalization. The model, originally geared to and experimentally tested in the context of persuasive communication, was subsequently applied to influence in the context of long-term relationships, including psychotherapy, international exchanges, and the socialization of national/ethnic identity. It has been extended to analysis of the relationship of individuals to social systems. Individuals' rule, role, and value orientations to a system--conceptually linked to compliance, identification, and internalization--predict different reactions to their own violations of societal standards, different patterns of personal involvement in the political system, and differences in attitude toward authorities and readiness to obey. In a further extension of the model, three approaches to peacemaking in international or intergroup conflicts are identified--conflict settlement, conflict resolution, and reconciliation--which, respectively, focus on the accommodation of interests, relationships, and identities, and are conducive to changes at the level of compliance, identification, and internalization.

  8. Preparing Planetary Scientists to Engage Audiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shupla, C. B.; Shaner, A. J.; Hackler, A. S.

    2017-12-01

    While some planetary scientists have extensive experience sharing their science with audiences, many can benefit from guidance on giving presentations or conducting activities for students. The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) provides resources and trainings to support planetary scientists in their communication efforts. Trainings have included sessions for students and early career scientists at conferences (providing opportunities for them to practice their delivery and receive feedback for their poster and oral presentations), as well as separate communication workshops on how to engage various audiences. LPI has similarly begun coaching planetary scientists to help them prepare their public presentations. LPI is also helping to connect different audiences and their requests for speakers to planetary scientists. Scientists have been key contributors in developing and conducting activities in LPI education and public events. LPI is currently working with scientists to identify and redesign short planetary science activities for scientists to use with different audiences. The activities will be tied to fundamental planetary science concepts, with basic materials and simple modifications to engage different ages and audience size and background. Input from the planetary science community on these efforts is welcome. Current results and resources, as well as future opportunities will be shared.

  9. FAIRNESS 2016 [4. workshop for young scientists with research interests focused on physics at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany), 14-19 Feb 2016

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-01-01

    FAIRNESS 2016 was the fourth edition in a series of workshops designed to bring together excellent international young scientists with research interests focused on physics at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) and was held on February 14-19 2016 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The topics of the workshops cover a wide range of aspects in both theoretical developments and current experimental status, concentrated around the four scientific pillars of FAIR. FAIR is a new accelerator complex with brand new experimental facilities, that is currently being built next to the existing GSI facility close to Darmstadt, Germany. The spirit of the conference is to bring together young scientists, e.g. young non-tenured scientists, postdocs and advanced PhD students to present their work, to foster active informal discussions and build up networks. Every participant in the meeting with the exception of the organizers gives an oral presentation, and all sessions are followed by an hour long discussion period. During the talks, questions are anonymously collected in a box to stimulate discussions. The broad physics program at FAIR is reflected in the wide range of topics covered by the workshop: • Atomic and plasma physics, biophysics, material sciences and applications • Nuclear structure, astrophysics and reactions • Physics of hot and dense nuclear matter, QCD phase transitions and critical point • Hadron Spectroscopy, Hadrons in matter and Hypernuclei • Experimental programs APPA, CBM, HADES, PANDA, NUSTAR, as well as BES, NICA and the RHIC beam energy scan For these different areas one invited speaker was selected to give a longer introductory presentation. The write-ups of the talks presented at FAIRNESS 2016 are the content of this issue of Journal of Physics: Conference Series and have been refereed according to the IOP standard for peer review. This issue constitutes therefore a collection of the forefront of research that is dedicated to the

  10. IX International Conference of Young Scientists «Musculoskeletal Diseases and Age» Is Devoted to the Memory of Professor Ye.P. Podrushniak

    OpenAIRE

    U.I. Pryimych

    2016-01-01

    The article is a review of the key highlights, which were in focus of the annual conference of young scientists «Musculoskeletal Diseases and Age». Short review of study results, which were provided by young scientists, who are interesting in problems of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases, is presented.

  11. Scientists' understanding of public communication of science and technology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kristian Hvidtfelt; Kjaer, Carsten Rahbæk; Dahlgaard, Jørgen

    Background Research into the field of science communication has tended to focus on public understanding of science or on the processes of science communication itself, e.g. by looking at science in the media. Few studies have explored how scientists understand science communication. At present...... and technical sciences see science communication. We wanted to map their general interest in using different media of science communication as well as their active participation in current science communication. Moreover, we wanted to find out what they think about future of science communication, and what...... science communication. Results Our respondents indicated interest in doing science communication through media aimed at a broader public. In particular, news media surfaced as the most attractive media of public communication. The respondents preferred to be in charge of science communication themselves...

  12. Using Social Media to Communicate Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohon, W.

    2017-12-01

    Social media (SM) is a popular and ubiquitous communication method and as such offers scientists an opportunity to directly interface with the public, improve public perception of science and scientists, and combat the growing tide of scientific misunderstanding and misinformation. It's become increasingly critical for scientists to use their voice and influence to communicate science and address misinformation. More than 60% of US adults get news from SM (1) but studies find that scientists infrequently post about science (2), missing a rich opportunity to combat scientific disinformation. While it may seem like a futile exercise to educate over SM, even passive exposure to new information can change public perceptions and behavior (3). Additionally, scientists, especially early career scientists, have social networks populated largely by non-scientists (2), allowing them an opportunity to speak to an audience that already trusts and values their scientific judgment. Importantly, these networks are often ideologically and politically diverse (4). However, science communication isn't as simple as a presentation of facts, and effective science communication via SM requires both SM competence and science communication proficiency. Thus, a discussion of best practices for both topics would benefit the scientific community. The range of potential topics for discussion is broad and could include scientific storytelling, empathetic communication, crafting a message, using SM to "humanize science", tips and tricks for broad SM information dissemination and how to run an effective SM campaign. (1) Gottfried J, Shearer E. New use across social media platforms: Pew Research Center; 2016. Available from: http://www.journalism.org/2016/05/26/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2016/. (2) McClain, Craig R., Practices and promises of Facebook for science outreach:Becoming a "Nerd of Trust". PLOS Biology 15(6). 2017; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2002020(3) Messing S

  13. Making Lists, Enlisting Scientists

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Casper Bruun

    2011-01-01

    was the indicator conceptualised? How were notions of scientific knowledge and collaboration inscribed and challenged in the process? The analysis shows a two-sided process in which scientists become engaged in making lists but which is simultaneously a way for research policy to enlist scientists. In conclusion...

  14. A feeling of flow: exploring junior scientists' experiences with dictation of scientific articles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spanager, Lene; Danielsen, Anne Kjaergaard; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian; Burcharth, Jakob; Rosenberg, Jacob

    2013-08-10

    Science involves publishing results, but many scientists do not master this. We introduced dictation as a method of producing a manuscript draft, participating in writing teams and attending a writing retreat to junior scientists in our department. This study aimed to explore the scientists' experiences with this process. Four focus group interviews were conducted and comprised all participating scientists (n = 14). Each transcript was transcribed verbatim and coded independently by two interviewers. The coding structure was discussed until consensus and from this the emergent themes were identified. Participants were 7 PhD students, 5 scholarship students and 2 clinical research nurses. Three main themes were identified: 'Preparing and then letting go' indicated that dictating worked best when properly prepared. 'The big dictation machine' described benefits of writing teams when junior scientists got feedback on both content and structure of their papers. 'Barriers to and drivers for participation' described flow-like states that participants experienced during the dictation. Motivation and a high level of preparation were pivotal to be able to dictate a full article in one day. The descriptions of flow-like states seemed analogous to the theoretical model of flow which is interesting, as flow is usually deemed a state reserved to skilled experts. Our findings suggest that other academic groups might benefit from using the concept including dictation of manuscripts to encourage participants' confidence in their writing skills.

  15. Social media and the social sciences: How researchers employ Big Data analytics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mylynn Felt

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Social media posts are full of potential for data mining and analysis. Recognizing this potential, platform providers increasingly restrict free access to such data. This shift provides new challenges for social scientists and other non-profit researchers who seek to analyze public posts with a purpose of better understanding human interaction and improving the human condition. This paper seeks to outline some of the recent changes in social media data analysis, with a focus on Twitter, specifically. Using Twitter data from a 24-hour period following The Sisters in Spirit Candlelight Vigil, sponsored by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, this article compares three free-use Twitter application programming interfaces for capturing tweets and enabling analysis. Although recent Twitter data restrictions limit free access to tweets, there are many dynamic options for social scientists to choose from in the capture and analysis of Twitter and other social media platform data. This paper calls for critical social media data analytics combined with traditional, qualitative methods to address the developing ‘data gold rush.’

  16. How can history of science matter to scientists?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maienschein, Jane; Laubichler, Manfred; Loettgers, Andrea

    2008-06-01

    History of science has developed into a methodologically diverse discipline, adding greatly to our understanding of the interplay between science, society, and culture. Along the way, one original impetus for the then newly emerging discipline--what George Sarton called the perspective "from the point of view of the scientist"--dropped out of fashion. This essay shows, by means of several examples, that reclaiming this interaction between science and history of science yields interesting perspectives and new insights for both science and history of science. The authors consequently suggest that historians of science also adopt this perspective as part of their methodological repertoire.

  17. Facilitating ethical reflection among scientists using the ethical matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Karsten Klint; Forsberg, Ellen-Marie; Gamborg, Christian; Millar, Kate; Sandøe, Peter

    2011-09-01

    Several studies have indicated that scientists are likely to have an outlook on both facts and values that are different to that of lay people in important ways. This is one significant reason it is currently believed that in order for scientists to exercise a reliable ethical reflection about their research it is necessary for them to engage in dialogue with other stakeholders. This paper reports on an exercise to encourage a group of scientists to reflect on ethical issues without the presence of external stakeholders. It reports on the use of a reflection process with scientists working in the area of animal disease genomics (mainly drawn from the EADGENE EC Network of Excellence). This reflection process was facilitated by using an ethical engagement framework, a modified version of the Ethical Matrix. As judged by two criteria, a qualitative assessment of the outcomes and the participants' own assessment of the process, this independent reflective exercise was deemed to be successful. The discussions demonstrated a high level of complexity and depth, with participants demonstrating a clear perception of uncertainties and the context in which their research operates. Reflection on stakeholder views and values appeared to be embedded within the discussions. The finding from this exercise seems to indicate that even without the involvement of the wider stakeholder community, valuable reflection and worthwhile discourse can be generated from ethical reflection processes involving only scienitific project partners. Hence, the previous assumption that direct stakeholder engagement is necessary for ethical reflection does not appear to hold true in all cases; however, other reasons for involving a broad group of stakeholders relating to governance and social accountability of science remain.

  18. Code of conduct for scientists (abstract)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khurshid, S.J.

    2011-01-01

    The emergence of advanced technologies in the last three decades and extraordinary progress in our knowledge on the basic Physical, Chemical and Biological properties of living matter has offered tremendous benefits to human beings but simultaneously highlighted the need of higher awareness and responsibility by the scientists of 21 century. Scientist is not born with ethics, nor science is ethically neutral, but there are ethical dimensions to scientific work. There is need to evolve an appropriate Code of Conduct for scientist particularly working in every field of Science. However, while considering the contents, promulgation and adaptation of Codes of Conduct for Scientists, a balance is needed to be maintained between freedom of scientists and at the same time some binding on them in the form of Code of Conducts. The use of good and safe laboratory procedures, whether, codified by law or by common practice must also be considered as part of the moral duties of scientists. It is internationally agreed that a general Code of Conduct can't be formulated for all the scientists universally, but there should be a set of 'building blocks' aimed at establishing the Code of Conduct for Scientists either as individual researcher or responsible for direction, evaluation, monitoring of scientific activities at the institutional or organizational level. (author)

  19. Attitudes Toward Gender, Work, and Family among Female and Male Scientists in Germany and the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Sandra L.; Fuchs, Stefan; Aisenbrey, Silke; Kravets, Natalyia

    This research used a comparative approach and an elite framework to look at attitudes toward gender, work, and family among male and female scientists. The data came from the 1994 International Social Survey Program module measuring family and changing gender roles in (the former) East Germany, West Germany, and the United States. Research questions focused on the variation between the three samples in male scientists' attitudes regarding gender, work, and family; women's representation in science occupations; and the relation between the two. Another major concern was the extent to which female scientists express attitudes regarding gender, work, and family that resemble those of male scientists and the implications of these processes for increasing women's access to science. As predicted, male scientists in East Germany tended to have the most progressive attitudes (especially those regarding gender and work), East German women had the greatest access to science occupations, and there were virtually no sex differences in attitudes of East German scientists. West German male scientists were the most traditional on attitudes regarding gender and work, and U. S. male scientists tended to be the most traditional on attitudes regarding family. The attitudes of female scientists in West Germany and the United States reflected this larger trend, but there were sex differences within countries, with female scientists being more progressive than male scientists. Thus, the findings suggest that women s representation in science is related to the attitudes of male scientists regarding gender, work, and family. And although female scientists often hold quite similar attitudes as male scientists, there is considerable cross-country variation in how progressive the attitudes are and how similar men's and women's attitudes are. Implications for women's access to elite science occupations are discussed.

  20. Uncovering Scientist Stereotypes and Their Relationships with Student Race and Student Success in a Diverse, Community College Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinske, Jeffrey; Cardenas, Monica; Kaliangara, Jahana

    2015-01-01

    A number of studies have identified correlations between children’s stereotypes of scientists, their science identities, and interest or persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Yet relatively few studies have examined scientist stereotypes among college students, and the literature regarding these issues in predominantly nonwhite and 2-yr college settings is especially sparse. We piloted an easy-to-analyze qualitative survey of scientist stereotypes in a biology class at a diverse, 2-yr, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander–Serving Institution. We examined the reliability and validity of the survey, and characterized students’ comments with reference to previous research on stereotypes. Positive scientist stereotypes were relatively common in our sample, and negative stereotypes were rare. Negative stereotypes appeared to be concentrated within certain demographic groups. We found that students identifying nonstereotypical images of scientists at the start of class had higher rates of success in the course than their counterparts. Finally, evidence suggested many students lacked knowledge of actual scientists, such that they had few real-world reference points to inform their stereotypes of scientists. This study augments the scant literature regarding scientist stereotypes in diverse college settings and provides insights for future efforts to address stereotype threat and science identity. PMID:26338318

  1. Cassini Scientist for a Day: a tactile experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canas, L.; Altobelli, N.

    2012-09-01

    In September 2011, the Cassini spacecraft took images of three targets and a challenge was launched to all students: to choose the one target they thought would provide the best science and to write an essay explaining their reasons (more information on the "Cassini Scientist for a Day" essay contest official webpage in: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday10thedition/, run by NASA/JPL) The three targets presented were: Hyperion, Rhea and Titan, and Saturn. The idea behind "Cassini Scientist for a Day: a tactile experience" was to transform each of these images into schematic tactile images, highlighting relevant features apprehended through a tactile key, accompanied by a small text in Braille with some additional information. This initial approach would allow reach a broader community of students, more specifically those with visual impairment disabilities. Through proper implementation and careful study cases the adapted images associated with an explanatory key provide more resources in tactile astronomy. As the 2012 edition approaches a new set of targeted objet images will be once again transformed and adapted to visually impaired students and will aim to reach more students into participate in this international competition and to engage them in a quest to expand their knowledge in the amazing Cassini discoveries and the wonders of Saturn and its moons. As the winning essays will be published on the Cassini website and contest winners invited to participate in a dedicated teleconference with Cassini scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this initiative presents a great chance to all visually impaired students and teachers to participate in an exciting experience. These initiatives must be complemented with further information to strengthen the learning experience. However they stand as a good starting point to tackle further astronomical concepts in the classroom, especially this field that sometimes lacks the resources. Although

  2. The EGU Seismology Division Early Career Scientist Representative team and its initiatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parisi, Laura; Ermert, Laura; Gualtieri, Lucia; Spieker, Kathrin; Van Noten, Koen; Agius, Matthew R.; Mai, P. Martin

    2017-04-01

    Since 2014, the Seismology Division (SM) of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) has its Early Career Scientist (ECS) representative to reach out to its numerous 'younger' members. In April 2016, a new team of representatives joined the Division. We are a vivid team of early career scientists, representing both (either) PhD students and post-doctoral researchers working in different seismological disciplines and different countries. The initiatives of the SM ECS-rep team have various aims: (1) to motivate the ECSs to get involved in activities and initiatives of the EGU and the Seismology Division, (2) to promote the research of ECSs, (3) to discuss issues concerning seismologists during this particular stage of their career, (4) to share ideas on how to promote equality between scientists and (5) to improve on the public dissemination of scientific knowledge. In an effort to reach out to experienced and ECS seismologists more effectively and to continuously encourage to voice their ideas by contributing and following our initiatives, a blog and social media pages dedicated to seismology and earthquake trivia are run by the team. Weekly posts are published on the blog and shared on the social media regarding scientific and social aspects of seismology. One of the major contributions recently introduced to the blog is the "Paper of the Month" series where experienced seismologists write about recent or classical - must read - seismology articles. We also aim to organise and promote social and scientific events. During the EGU General Assembly 2016 a social event was held in Vienna allowing ECS to network with peers in an informal environment. Given the success of this event, a similar event will be organized during the General Assembly 2017. Also, similar to previous years, a short course on basic seismology for non seismologists will be requested and offered to all ECSs attending the General Assembly. Finally, a workshop dedicated entirely to ECSs seismologists

  3. Design, Participation, and Social Change: What Design in Grassroots Spaces Can Teach Learning Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavala, Miguel

    2016-01-01

    While a science of design (and theory of learning) is certainly useful in design-based research, a participatory design research framework presents an opening for learning scientists to rethink design and learning as processes. Grounded in the autoethnographic investigation of a grassroots organization's design of a local campaign, the author…

  4. Social Networks and the Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Julio Videras

    2013-01-01

    This review discusses empirical research on social networks and the environment; it summarizes findings from representative studies and the conceptual frameworks social scientists use to examine the role of social networks. The article presents basic concepts in social network analysis, summarizes common challenges of empirical research on social networks, and outlines areas for future research. Finally, the article discusses the normative and positive meanings of social networks.

  5. 40 Years Young: Social Media for the World's Longest-Running Earth-Observation Satellite Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riebeek, H.; Rocchio, L. E.; Taylor, M.; Owen, T.; Allen, J. E.; Keck, A.

    2012-12-01

    With social media becoming a communication juggernaut it is essential to harness the medium's power to foster better science communication. On July 23, 2012, the Landsat Earth-observing satellite program celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first Landsat launch. To more effectively communicate the impact and importance of Landsat's four-decade long data record a carefully planned social media event was designed to supplement the day's traditional media communications. The social media event, dubbed the "Landsat Social," was modeled on and supported by the NASA Social methodology. The Landsat Social was the first such event for NASA Earth science not associated with a launch. For the Landsat Social, 23 social media-savvy participants were selected to attend a joint NASA/U.S. Geological Survey Landsat anniversary press event at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The participants subsequently toured the NASA Goddard Space Flight Facility in Greenbelt, Maryland where they had the opportunity to learn about the latest Landsat satellite; visit the Landsat mission control; download and work with Landsat data; and meet Landsat scientists and engineers. All Landsat Social participants had Twitter accounts and used the #Landsat and #NASASocial hashtags to unify their commentary throughout the day. A few key Landsat messages were communicated to the Landsat Social participants at the event's onset. Propagation of this messaging was witnessed for the duration of the Landsat Social; and a spike in online Landsat interest followed. Here, we examine the Landsat 40th anniversary social event, explain impacts made, and report lessons learned.; Landsat Social attendees are busy tweeting, texting, and blogging as Project Scientist Dr. Jim Irons talks about the Landsat Data Continuity Mission in front of the Hyperwall at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Photo courtesy Bill Hrybyk.

  6. Microblogging Practices of Scientists in E-Learning: A Qualitative Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Kieslinger

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Microblogging services, in particular Twitter, have experienced an explosive uptake in the last few years with a decelerated grown rate since 2010. Apart from celebrities, PR and news agencies, the bulk of user profiles stems form private individuals. Amongst them, individual scientists have started to make use of Twitter for professional purposes. This paper presents a qualitative approach of discovering microblogging practices and obtaining rich descriptions of few cases that give a deeper insight into how Twitter is used by scientists active in the field of e-Learning and how this practice shapes their social networks. The methodological approach is based on online ethnographic studies. Therefore Grabeeter, a tool for collecting all public tweets of a person in various formats, has been adapted in order to obtain the data appropriate for a qualitative analysis following a grounded theory approach. After an analysis of the current state-of-the-art we will outline the methodological approach for our qualitative analysis that focuses on discovering tacit aspects of microblogging practices such as value or purpose. Finally the results of the online ethnographic approach and individual cases will be discussed and compared to similar studies. This work presents the explorative phase of a detailed qualitative approach towards exploring microblogging practices of scientists.

  7. Marketing for scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Kuchner, Marc J

    2012-01-01

    It's a tough time to be a scientist: universities are shutting science departments, funding organisations are facing flat budgets, and many newspapers have dropped their science sections altogether. But according to Marc Kuchner, this anti-science climate doesn't have to equal a career death knell - it just means scientists have to be savvier about promoting their work and themselves. In "Marketing for Scientists", he provides clear, detailed advice about how to land a good job, win funding, and shape the public debate. As an astrophysicist at NASA, Kuchner knows that "marketing" can seem like a superficial distraction, whether your daily work is searching for new planets or seeking a cure for cancer. In fact, he argues, it's a critical component of the modern scientific endeavour, not only advancing personal careers but also society's knowledge. Kuchner approaches marketing as a science in itself. He translates theories about human interaction and sense of self into methods for building relationships - one o...

  8. Scientists Like Me: Faces of Discovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enevoldsen, A. A. G.; Culp, S.; Trinh, A.

    2010-08-01

    During the International Year of Astronomy, Pacific Science Center is hosting a photography exhibit: Scientists Like Me: Faces of Discovery. The exhibit contains photographs of real, current astronomers and scientists working in astronomy and aerospace-related fields from many races, genders, cultural affiliations and walks of life. The photographs were taken and posters designed by Alyssa Trinh and Sarah Culp, high school interns in Discovery Corps, Pacific Science Center's youth development program. The direct contact between the scientists and the interns helps the intended audience of teachers and families personally connect with scientists. The finished posters from this exhibit are available online (http://pacificsciencecenter.org/scientists) for teachers to use in their classrooms, in addition to being displayed at Pacific Science Center and becoming part of Pacific Science Center's permanent art rotation. The objective of this project was to fill a need for representative photographs of scientists in the world community. It also met two of the goals of International Year of Astronomy: to provide a modern image of science and scientists, and to improve the gender-balanced representation of scientists at all levels and promote greater involvement by all people in scientific and engineering careers. We would like to build on the success of this project and create an annual summer internship, with different interns, focusing on creating posters for different fields of science.

  9. A Topic Space Oriented User Group Discovering Scheme in Social Network: A Trust Chain Based Interest Measuring Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Dong

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, user group has become an effective platform for information sharing and communicating among users in social network sites. In present work, we propose a single topic user group discovering scheme, which includes three phases: topic impact evaluation, interest degree measurement, and trust chain based discovering, to enable selecting influential topic and discovering users into a topic oriented group. Our main works include (1 an overview of proposed scheme and its related definitions; (2 topic space construction method based on topic relatedness clustering and its impact (influence degree and popularity degree evaluation; (3 a trust chain model to take user relation network topological information into account with a strength classification perspective; (4 an interest degree (user explicit and implicit interest degree evaluation method based on trust chain among users; and (5 a topic space oriented user group discovering method to group core users according to their explicit interest degrees and to predict ordinary users under implicit interest and user trust chain. Finally, experimental results are given to explain effectiveness and feasibility of our scheme.

  10. Egoism, altruism, and social justice : theory and experiments on cooperation in social dilemmas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vries, Sjerp de

    1991-01-01

    Cooperative or altruistic behavior in the absence of egoistic incentives is an issue that has puzzled many social scientists. In this book an attempt is made to gain more insight into such behavior for a specific type of situation: the social dilemma. ...

  11. Profile, perceptions and future expectations of medical laboratory scientists in Namibia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruce H. Noden

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Public healthcare systems in sub-Saharan Africa are challenged by healthcare worker shortages, loss of trained staff and attrition to the private sector. Studies have historically focused on medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists, with limited focus on medical laboratory scientists. Objectives: This study addresses the professional perspectives and expectations of the first two classes of biomedical science students, who graduated from the Polytechnic of Namibiain 2012 and 2013. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to capture qualitative and quantitative data from fourth-year students completing their final semester. Data collected included: demographic information; students’ experience; professional expectations; and perceptions about the future of biomedical science education in Namibia. Results: Amongst the 42 of 45 enrolled students who completed the questionnaire, nearly two-thirds anticipated working in government hospitals (29% or industry (35%, with fewer planning careers in private hospitals (12% or academia (14%. Most expressed an interest inworking abroad (64% and/or in the capital (64%, with fewer interested in small urban areas (48%. Only 7% expressed interest in working in a rural area. Regarding their view of the future of biomedical science in Namibia, 38% responded that it was encouraging, whereas therest responded that it was uncertain (52%, negative (2% or unknown (7%. Conclusion: Members of the first graduating classes of Namibia’s nascent Biomedical Science degree programme reported a perceived lack of opportunity for professional advancement in the field if they remained in Namibia. Continued thought needs to be given to develop sustainable strategies and opportunities to retain Namibian biomedical laboratory scientists in Namibia.

  12. SunBlock '99: Young Scientists Investigate the Sun

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, R. W.; Pike, C. D.; Mason, H.; Young, P.; Ireland, J.; Galsgaard, K.

    1999-10-01

    SunBlock `99 is a Web-based Public Understanding of Science and educational project which seeks to present the very latest solar research as seen through the eyes of young British scientists. These ``solar guides'' discuss not only their scientific interests, but also their extra-curricular activities and the reasons they chose scientific careers; in other words the human face of scientific research. The SunBlock '99 pages gather a range of solar images and movies from current solar space observatories and discuss the underlying physics and its relationship to the school curriculum. The instructional level is pitched at UK secondary school children (aged 13-16 years). It is intended that the material should not only provide a visually appealing introduction to the study of the Sun, but that it should help bridge the often wide gap between classroom science lessons and the research scientist `out in the field'. SunBlock '99 is managed by a team from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Universities of St Andrews and Cambridge, together with educational consultants. The production has, in part, been sponsored by PPARC and the Millennium Mathematics Project. Web site addresss: http://www.sunblock99.org.uk

  13. CERN-BINP Workshop for Young Scientists in $e^{+}e^{-}$ Colliders

    CERN Document Server

    Linssen, Lucie; eCOL 2016

    2017-01-01

    The "CERN-BINP workshop for young scientists in e+e- colliders" is organised in the framework of the EU-funded CREMLIN project. The CREMLIN project aims at strengthening science cooperation between six Russian megascience facilities and related research infrastructure counterparts in Europe. BINP and CERN coordinate a dedicated CREMLIN work package focusing on a future super-charm-tau factory (SCT) at BINP. SCT aims at producing e+e- collisions with up to 5 GeV centre-of-mass energy and at very high luminosity. In parallel CERN is hosting design studies for two possible high-energy e+e- colliders: FCC-ee and CLIC. In matters of physics, design and technologies the BINP and CERN studies address technological and scientific questions of common interest. Similar issues are dealt with in the framework of other flavour factories and energy frontier e+e- colliders worldwide. The 3-day workshop provides young scientists (at the student and postdoc level) opportunities to present their work and exchange experiences. ...

  14. Social marketing: an approach to planned social change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotler, P; Zaltman, G

    1971-07-01

    This article examines the applicability of marketing concepts to social causes and social change. Social marketing is defined as the design, implementation, and control of programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas and involving considerations of product planning, pricing, communication, distribution and marketing research. Wiebe examined four social advertising campaigns and concluded that their effectiveness depended on the presence of adequate force, direction, adequate and compatible social mechanism, and distance (the "cost" of the new attitude as seen by message's message"s recepient). A marketing planning approach is not a guarantee for the achievement of social objectives; yet, it represents a bridging mechanism linking the knowledge of the behavioral scientist with the socially useful implementation of that knowledge.

  15. Scientific journal publishes second eratum regarding false information by scientists funded by asbestos interests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruff, Kathleen; Mirabelli, Dario; Magnani, Corrado

    2016-01-01

    In a paper published on Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health, Ilgren et al. claimed that cases of mesothelioma among workers of the Balangero (a municipality of the province of Turin, Northern Italy) chrysotile mine and nearby residents were not caused by chrysotile, but by other forms of asbestos. In support, they cited a reference where no pertaining evidence can be found. One year after the paper, an erratum was published by the journal editors in chief, warning that an erroneous citation was present. The erratum is weak and misleading, concealing the fact that a false statement was supported by such error and that it may serve the interests of the chrysotile industry, by dismissing evidence of chrysotile carcinogenicity. Some of the article authors, of the editors in chief and members of the journal editorial board had financial ties to asbestos interests.

  16. Strategic career planning for physician-scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimaoka, Motomu

    2015-05-01

    Building a successful professional career in the physician-scientist realm is rewarding but challenging, especially in the dynamic and competitive environment of today's modern society. This educational review aims to provide readers with five important career development lessons drawn from the business and social science literatures. Lessons 1-3 describe career strategy, with a focus on promoting one's strengths while minimizing fixing one's weaknesses (Lesson 1); effective time management in the pursuit of long-term goals (Lesson 2); and the intellectual flexibility to abandon/modify previously made decisions while embracing emerging opportunities (Lesson 3). Lesson 4 explains how to maximize the alternative benefits of English-language fluency (i.e., functions such as signaling and cognition-enhancing capabilities). Finally, Lesson 5 discusses how to enjoy happiness and stay motivated in a harsh, zero-sum game society.

  17. Teaching social responsibility: the Manhattan project. Commentary on "The Six Domains of Research".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilmer, Penny J; DuBois, Michael

    2002-04-01

    This paper discusses the critical necessity of teaching students about the social and ethical responsibilities of scientists. Both a university scientist and a middle school science teacher reflect on the value of teaching the ethical issues that confront scientists. In the development of the atomic bomb in the US-led Manhattan Project, scientists faced the growing threat of atomic bombs by the Germans and Japanese and the ethical issues involved in successfully completing such a destructive weapon. The Manhattan Project is a prime example of the types of ethical dilemmas and social responsibilities that scientists may confront.

  18. Protecting multi-party privacy in location-aware social point-of-interest recommendation

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Weiqi; Liu, An; Li, Zhixu; Zhang, Xiangliang; Li, Qing; Zhou, Xiaofang

    2018-01-01

    Point-of-interest (POI) recommendation has attracted much interest recently because of its significant business potential. Data used in POI recommendation (e.g., user-location check-in matrix) are much more sparse than that used in traditional item (e.g., book and movie) recommendation, which leads to more serious cold start problem. Social POI recommendation has proved to be an effective solution, but most existing works assume that recommenders have access to all required data. This is very rare in practice because these data are generally owned by different entities who are not willing to share their data with others due to privacy and legal concerns. In this paper, we first propose PLAS, a protocol which enables effective POI recommendation without disclosing the sensitive data of every party getting involved in the recommendation. We formally show PLAS is secure in the semi-honest adversary model. To improve its performance. We then adopt the technique of cloaking area by which expensive distance computation over encrypted data is replaced by cheap operation over plaintext. In addition, we utilize the sparsity of check-ins to selectively publish data, thus reducing encryption cost and avoiding unnecessary computation over ciphertext. Experiments on two real datasets show that our protocol is feasible and can scale to large POI recommendation problems in practice.

  19. Protecting multi-party privacy in location-aware social point-of-interest recommendation

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Weiqi

    2018-04-04

    Point-of-interest (POI) recommendation has attracted much interest recently because of its significant business potential. Data used in POI recommendation (e.g., user-location check-in matrix) are much more sparse than that used in traditional item (e.g., book and movie) recommendation, which leads to more serious cold start problem. Social POI recommendation has proved to be an effective solution, but most existing works assume that recommenders have access to all required data. This is very rare in practice because these data are generally owned by different entities who are not willing to share their data with others due to privacy and legal concerns. In this paper, we first propose PLAS, a protocol which enables effective POI recommendation without disclosing the sensitive data of every party getting involved in the recommendation. We formally show PLAS is secure in the semi-honest adversary model. To improve its performance. We then adopt the technique of cloaking area by which expensive distance computation over encrypted data is replaced by cheap operation over plaintext. In addition, we utilize the sparsity of check-ins to selectively publish data, thus reducing encryption cost and avoiding unnecessary computation over ciphertext. Experiments on two real datasets show that our protocol is feasible and can scale to large POI recommendation problems in practice.

  20. How to use social media for fisheries science and management professionals

    OpenAIRE

    , Octo

    2018-01-01

    While conservation scientists often use social media to engage the public and collaborate on scientific endeavors, fisheries scientists and managers are less represented online. In this paper, the author explains some key benefits and methods for using social media to encourage others to join the conversation.

  1. PREFACE: FAIRNESS 2013: FAIR NExt generation of ScientistS 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Hannah; Destefanis, Marco; Galatyuk, Tetyana; Montes, Fernando; Nicmorus, Diana; Ratti, Claudia; Tolos, Laura; Vogel, Sascha

    2014-04-01

    FAIRNESS 2013 was the second edition in a series of workshops designed to bring together excellent international young scientists with research interests focused on physics at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) and was held on 16-21 September 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The topics of the workshop cover a wide range of aspects in both theoretical developments and current experimental status, concentrated around the four scientific pillars of FAIR. FAIR is a new accelerator complex with brand new experimental facilities, that is currently being built next to the existing GSI Helmholtzzentrum for Schwerionenforschung close to Darmstadt, Germany. The spirit of the conference is to bring together young scientists, e.g. advanced PhD students and postdocs and young researchers without permanent position to present their work, to foster active informal discussions and build up of networks. Every participant in the meeting with the exception of the organizers gives an oral presentation, and all sessions are followed by an hour long discussion period. During the talks, questions are anonymously collected in box to stimulate discussions. Since the physics program of FAIR is very broad, this is reflected in the wide range of topics covered at the Conference: Physics of hot and dense nuclear matter, QCD phase transitions and critical point Nuclear structure, astrophysics and reactions Hadron spectroscopy, Hadrons in matter and Hypernuclei Special emphasis is put on the experiments CBM, HADES, PANDA, NuSTAR, as well as NICA and the RHIC low beam energy scan New developments in atomic and plasma physics For all of these different areas one invited speaker was selected to give a longer introductory presentation. The write-ups of the talks presented at FAIRNESS 2013 are the content of this issue of Journal of Physics: Conference Series and have been refereed according to the IOP standard for peer review. This issue constitutes therefore a collection of the forefront of

  2. Scientists and Public: Is the Information Flow Direction Starting to Change?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diaz-Doce, D.; Bee, E. J.; Bell, P. D.; Marchant, A. P.; Reay, S.; Richardson, S. L.; Shelley, W. A.

    2014-12-01

    Over half of the population of the UK own a smartphone, and about the same number of people uses social media such as Twitter. For the British Geological Survey (BGS) this means millions of potential reporters of real-time events and in-the-field data capturers, creating a new source of scientific information that could help to better understand and predict natural processes. BGS first started collecting citizen data, using crowd-sourcing, through websites and smartphone apps focused on gathering geological related information (e.g. mySoil and myVolcano). These tools ask volunteers to follow a guided form where they can upload data related to geology and geological events; including location, description, measurements, photos, videos, or even instructions on sending physical samples. This information is used to augment existing data collections. Social media provides a different channel for gathering useful scientific information from the public. BGS is starting to explore this route with the release of GeoSocial-Aurora , a web mapping tool that searches for tweets related to aurora sightings and locates them as markers on a map. Users are actively encouraged to contribute by sending tweets about aurora sightings in a specific format, which contains the #BGSaurora hashtag, the location of the sighting, and any comments or pictures. The tool harvests these tweets through the Twitter REST API and places them on the map, enabling the user to generate clusters and heatmaps. GeoSocial-Aurora provides scientists with a potential tool for gathering useful data for scientific analysis. It collects actual aurora sighting locations, enabling users to check where the aurora is taking place in real time. This may, in time, help scientists to improve future predictions of when and where auroras are visible.

  3. Social science in the Cold War.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engerman, David C

    2010-06-01

    This essay examines ways in which American social science in the late twentieth century was--and was not--a creature of the Cold War. It identifies important work by historians that calls into question the assumption that all social science during the Cold War amounts to "Cold War social science." These historians attribute significant agency to social scientists, showing how they were enmeshed in both long-running disciplinary discussions and new institutional environments. Key trends in this scholarship include a broadening historical perspective to see social scientists in the Cold War as responding to the ideas of their scholarly predecessors; identifying the institutional legacies of World War II; and examining in close detail the products of extramural--especially governmental--funding. The result is a view of social science in the Cold War in which national security concerns are relevant, but with varied and often unexpected impacts on intellectual life.

  4. Positive effects of television content on emotional and social behavior of children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popović-Ćitić Branislava

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available For decades, the dominance of studies with various aspects of the negative impact of television content as their subject of interest is evident in the field of theoretical and empirical analysis of the impact of television content on the development of children and youth, while the consideration of positive impact was mostly beyond the systematic interest of scientists and researchers. Even though the general assessment is that viewing prosocial television content may result in positive changes in social and emotional behavior of young people, research studies committed to the positive effects of television content on emotional and social behavior of children are scarce and insufficiently perceive the character and nature of the impact of television on the development of emotions and prosocial behavior during childhood. Based on the critical review of the findings of a number of foreign empirical studies, this article summarizes the research evidence of the positive effects of television content on emotional empathy, altruism, learning about emotions, social interaction and acceptance of diversity, with presentation of conclusions about potential mediator factors that may interact with the influences of television portrayals.

  5. Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: Tools for Scientist Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Meinke, B. K.; Hsu, B.; Shupla, C.; Grier, J. A.; E/PO Community, SMD

    2014-01-01

    The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach (E/PO) community through a coordinated effort to enhance the coherence and efficiency of SMD-funded E/PO programs. The Forums foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We present tools and resources to support astronomers’ engagement in E/PO efforts. Among the tools designed specifically for scientists are a series of one-page E/PO-engagement Tips and Tricks guides, a sampler of electromagnetic-spectrum-related activities, and NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/speaker). Scientists can also locate resources for interacting with diverse audiences through a number of online clearinghouses, including: NASA Wavelength, a digital collection of peer-reviewed Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels (http://nasawavelength.org), and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace), a community website where faculty can find and share teaching resources for the undergraduate Earth and space sciences classroom. Learn more about the opportunities to become involved in E/PO and to share your science with students, educators, and the general public at http://smdepo.org.

  6. IPY 2007-2008 and Scientists, Science Organisations, and the Public

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, D. J.

    2006-12-01

    An initial burst of enthusiasm resulted in more than 1000 expressions of interest and nearly 500 internationally coordinated proposals for polar research during IPY. An international committee has endorsed more than 200 of these proposals, and most other proposals and nearly all expressions of interest have found ways to join the endorsed programme. Ten nations have announced new IPY science funding totalling in excess of 300M USD for the two years of operations; several nations will make announcements soon. Most on-going funding for polar research, coming from at least 30 nations, approximately 1.6B USD over two years, will also support IPY activities. What should the thousands of scientists hoping to participate expect, personally and collectively? What should the overall science entity expect, during and after IPY? And, finally, what should the public expect, after much attention and the expenditure of 2B USD, not to mention the on-going and future costs of ice breakers and ice-monitoring satellites and polar bases? Many IPY scientists will initially experience disappointment. Funding, even with IPY infusions, will fall short of need, and initial proposal success rates will stay below 50% in almost every nation, far below in some nations. In many nations, however, a catch-up effect will occur, leading to more funds in 2008 or 2009 than in 2006 and 2007. A step-up effect will also occur, leading to increased on-going funds for polar research, although perhaps in smaller steps and in fewer countries than we might hope. Scientists should expect increased public attention to their work and increased demand for their cooperation and contribution to international data management and to public outreach. Individually and collectively, IPY scientists have the opportunity to interact with an amazing array of fellow scientists, exchanging experience and enthusiasm on topics from gravitational variations to genomic sequences to Gwich'in cultures. Science as an entity will

  7. Leveraging New and Social Media to Educate the Masses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gay, Pamela; CosmoQuest Team

    2018-01-01

    In today's connected world, scientists as individuals and as projects and institutions are turning to blogs, videos, and social media outlets like Twitter to share achievements, request aid, and discuss the issues of our science. Beyond sharing the thing-of-the-moment, these platforms also provide an environment where education is possible, and where creativity allows educators to engage broad audiences in active learning. In this presentation, we discuss how polling, ask-me-anything sessions, emoji, and animated gifs can be leveraged to test knowledge and facilitate engagement.Beyond looking at these techniques, we also examine audience engagement. Previously, it has been unclear if our day-to-day social media efforts have been merely preaching to one homogeneous choir from which we have all drawn our audiences, or if our individual efforts have been able to reach into different communities to multiply our impact. In this preliminary study, we examine the social media audiences of several space science Twitter feeds that relate to: podcasting; professional societies; individual programs; and individuals. This study directly measures the overlap in audiences and the diversity of interests held by these audiences. Through statistical analysis, we can discern if these audiences are all drawn from one single population, or if we are sampling different base populations with different feeds. The data generated in this project allow us to look beyond how our audiences interact with space science, with the added benefit of revealing their other interests. These interests are reflected by the non-space science accounts they follow on Twitter. This information will allow us to effectively recruit new people from space science adjacent interests.

  8. Energy-related scientists and engineers: a statistical profile of recent entrants into the work force, 1978

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bell, Sharon E.

    1979-12-01

    This report examines the educational and employment characteristics of scientists and engineers who graduated during the years 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1976, with special attention to those whose work involves energy. The characteristics of energy-related graduates are also compared to those of more experienced scientists and engineers involved in energy activities. Information is based on the results of the 1976 and 1978 National Surveys of Recent Science and Engineering Graduates, and the 1976 National Survey of Natural and Social Scientists and Engineers, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy. Tabulations are included for the first time on employment involving specific energy sources and activities. Other characteristics discussed include educational level, salary, primary work activity, type of employer, and the proportion of graduates who found employment in their major field.

  9. A bottom-up, scientist-based initiative for the communication of climate sciences with the general public

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourqui, Michel; Bolduc, Cassandra; Paul, Charbonneau; Marie, Charrière; Daniel, Hill; Angelica, Lopez; Enrique, Loubet; Philippe, Roy; Barbara, Winter

    2015-04-01

    This talk introduces a scientists-initiated, new online platform whose aim is to contribute to making climate sciences become public knowledge. It takes a unique bottom-up approach, strictly founded on individual-based participation, high scientific standards and independence The main purpose is to build an open-access, multilingual and peer-reviewed journal publishing short climate articles in non-scientific language. The targeted public includes journalists, teachers, students, local politicians, economists, members of the agriculture sector, and any other citizens from around the world with an interest in climate sciences. This journal is meant to offer a simple and direct channel for scientists wishing to disseminate their research to the general public. A high standard of climate articles is ensured through: a) requiring that the main author is an active climate scientist, and b) an innovative peer-review process involving scientific and non-scientific referees with distinct roles. The platform fosters the direct participation of non-scientists through co-authoring, peer-reviewing, language translation. It furthermore engages the general public in the scientific inquiry by allowing non-scientists to invite manuscripts to be written on topics of their concern. The platform is currently being developed by a community of scientists and non-scientists. In this talk, I will present the basic ideas behind this new online platform, its current state and the plans for the next future. The beta version of the platform is available at: http://www.climateonline.bourquiconsulting.ch

  10. New science chief must juggle missions and politics space scientists hope David Southwood can balance ESA's research with its widening interests

    CERN Multimedia

    Watson, A

    2000-01-01

    Southward, 55, will takeover next May as the European Space Agency's science director. He will need to balance the aspirations of scientist from the organisations 15 member states with calls to tie the agency more closely to the business and security industries (1 page).

  11. Professional Ethics for Climate Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peacock, K.; Mann, M. E.

    2014-12-01

    Several authors have warned that climate scientists sometimes exhibit a tendency to "err on the side of least drama" in reporting the risks associated with fossil fuel emissions. Scientists are often reluctant to comment on the implications of their work for public policy, despite the fact that because of their expertise they may be among those best placed to make recommendations about such matters as mitigation and preparedness. Scientists often have little or no training in ethics or philosophy, and consequently they may feel that they lack clear guidelines for balancing the imperative to avoid error against the need to speak out when it may be ethically required to do so. This dilemma becomes acute in cases such as abrupt ice sheet collapse where it is easier to identify a risk than to assess its probability. We will argue that long-established codes of ethics in the learned professions such as medicine and engineering offer a model that can guide research scientists in cases like this, and we suggest that ethical training could be regularly incorporated into graduate curricula in fields such as climate science and geology. We recognize that there are disanalogies between professional and scientific ethics, the most important of which is that codes of ethics are typically written into the laws that govern licensed professions such as engineering. Presently, no one can legally compel a research scientist to be ethical, although legal precedent may evolve such that scientists are increasingly expected to communicate their knowledge of risks. We will show that the principles of professional ethics can be readily adapted to define an ethical code that could be voluntarily adopted by scientists who seek clearer guidelines in an era of rapid climate change.

  12. A rapid method for assessing social versus independent interest in health issues: a case study of 'bird flu' and 'swine flu'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, R Alexander; Ormerod, Paul

    2010-08-01

    Effective communication strategies regarding health issues are affected by the way in which the public obtain their knowledge, particularly whether people become interested independently, or through their social networks. This is often investigated through localized ethnography or surveys. In rapidly-evolving situations, however, there may also be a need for swift, case-specific assessment as a guide to initial strategy development. With this aim, we analyze real-time online data, provided by the new 'Google Trends' tool, concerning Internet search frequency for health-related issues. To these data we apply a simple model to characterise the effective degree of social transmission versus decisions made individually. As case examples, we explore two rapidly-evolved issues, namely the world-wide interest in avian influenza, or 'bird flu', in 2005, and in H1N1, or 'swine flu', from late April to early May 2009. The 2005 'bird flu' scare demonstrated almost pure imitation for two months initially, followed by a spike of independent decision that corresponded with an announcement by US president George Bush. For 'swine flu' in 2009, imitation was the more prevalent throughout. Overall, the results show how interest in health scares can spread primarily by social means, and that engaging more independent decisions at the population scale may require a dramatic announcement to push a populace over the 'tipping point'. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Risk as a social phenomenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamison, Wesley V

    2003-01-01

    What do nuclear power, smoking, and eating beef have in common? The answer is multifaceted. They all share aspects of mass production and consumption, and therefore consumer confidence comes into play in evaluating each of the products' merits. They all produce some level of anxiety--be it in response to adverse media coverage, or the successes of adversarial interest groups in publicizing those products' weaknesses--among consumers who wonder what if any level of the product should be consumed. Finally, nuclear power, smoking, and eating beef all share risk; that is, the perceived and real detriments of producing and consuming those products. Whether or not the associated risks--from increased cancer to increased heart disease--are real is beside the point. When talking about risk, scientific education must deal with the perception of risk as much as its reality. Risk is a socially defined phenomenon, and as such, the successful scientists/communicator must understand the social evaluations of it. While many scientists take a rational view of risk evaluation and consumers often make rational decisions about technological and scientific risk based upon the costs and benefits of that technology, this approach is problematic for three reasons. First, the nature of modern risks has changed in that risk is complex, incomprehensible and uncontrollable to the average person. Second, the rational approach assumes that all costs and benefits of a technology, both real and potential, both current and future, can be known and therefore rationally evaluated. This is not the case. Third, evidence from Europe indicates that trust in information sources about risk has fallen, and thus classic scientific education campaigns that rely upon increasing public knowledge and acceptance of technological and scientific risk are problematic. Because of these factors we argue that effective scientific response must begin to understand the social components of risk if campaigns to shape

  14. Gifted and Talented Students’ Images of Scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sezen Camcı-Erdoğan

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate gifted students’ images of scientists. The study involved 25 students in grades 7 and 8. The Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST (Chamber, 183 was used to collect data. Drawings were eval-uated using certain criterion such as a scien-tist’s appearance and investigation, knowledge and technology symbols and gender and working style, place work, expressions, titles-captions-symbols and alternative images and age. The results showed that gifted students’ perceptions about scientists were stereotypical, generally with glasses and laboratory coats and working with experiment tubes, beakers indoors and using books, technological tools and dominantly lonely males. Most gifted stu-dents drew male scientists. Although females drew male scientists, none of the boys drew female scientist.

  15. NASA SDO - Solar & Space Weather Education via Social Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durscher, Romeo; Wawro, Martha

    2012-03-01

    NASA has embraced social media as a valuable tool to communicate the activities of the agency in fulfillment of its mission. Team SDO continues to be on the forefront of using social media in a very engaging and interactive way and share mission information, solar images and space weather updates via a variety of social media platforms and outlets. We will present the impact SDO's social media strategy has made, including follower, friends and fan statistics from Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and other outlets. We will discuss the various social media outlets and the techniques we use for reaching and engaging our audience. Effectiveness is measured through the use of various automatically-gathered statistics and level of public engagement. Of key importance to effective social media use is having access to scientists who can quickly respond to questions and express their answers in meaningful ways to the public. Our presentation will highlight the importance of scientist involvement and suggest ways for encouraging more scientists to support these efforts. We will present some of the social media plans for 2012 and discuss how we can continue to educate, inform, engage and inspire.

  16. Social Priorities as Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grubert, E.

    2015-12-01

    Decision makers' responses to local risks and expected changes to a community from circumstances like natural hazards, human developments, and demographic changes can greatly affect social and environmental outcomes in a community. Translating physical data based in disciplines like engineering and geosciences into positive outcomes for communities can be challenging and often results in conflict that appears to pit "science" against "the public." Scientists can be reluctant to offer recommendations for action based on their work, often (and often correctly) noting that their role is not to make value judgments for a community - particularly for a community that is not their own. Conversely, decision makers can be frustrated by the lack of guidance they receive to help translate data into effective and acceptable action. The solution posed by this submission, given the goal of co-production of knowledge by scientists and decision makers to foster better community outcomes, is to involve the community directly by integrating social scientific methods that address decision making and community engagement to the scientist-decision maker interaction. Specifically, the missing dataset in many scientist-decision maker interactions is the nature of community priorities. Using scientifically valid methods to rigorously collect and characterize community priorities to help recommend tradeoffs between different outcomes indicated by the work of physical and natural scientists can bridge the gap between science and action by involving the community in the process. This submission presents early work on US preferences for different types of social and environmental outcomes designed to integrate directly with engineering and physical science frameworks like Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Impact Statements. Cardinal preference data are based on surveys of US adults using tools like the Analytical Hierarchy Process, budget allocation, and ranking.

  17. Policies to increase the social value of science and the scientist satisfaction. An exploratory survey among Harvard bioscientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballabeni, Andrea; Boggio, Andrea; Hemenway, David

    2014-01-01

    Basic research in the biomedical field generates both knowledge that has a value per se regardless of its possible practical outcome and knowledge that has the potential to produce more practical benefits. Policies can increase the benefit potential to society of basic biomedical research by offering various kinds of incentives to basic researchers. In this paper we argue that soft incentives or "nudges" are particularly promising. However, to be well designed, these incentives must take into account the motivations, goals and views of the basic scientists. In the paper we present the results of an investigation that involved more than 300 scientists at Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutes. The results of this study suggest that some soft incentives could be valuable tools to increase the transformative value of fundamental investigations without affecting the spirit of the basic research and scientists' work satisfaction. After discussing the findings, we discuss a few examples of nudges for basic researchers in the biomedical fields.

  18. The post-2015 landscape: vested interests, corporate social responsibility and public health advocacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrick, Clare

    2016-09-01

    This paper explores the tensions between UN calls for private sector engagement in the post-2015 landscape and public health opposition to those 'harm industries' that are 'corporate vectors of disease' for the mounting global non-communicable disease burden. The UN's support for public-private partnership has provided industries with 'vested interests' in the propagation of unhealthy behaviours with new opportunities for the strategic alignment of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavours with the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. This has galvanised public health advocates to place pressure on the World Health Organisation to formalise their ambiguous stance towards private sector involvement in public policy formation and the resultant 'conflicts of interest'. This paper critically examines the 'gathering storm' between this 'anti-corporate movement' and the alcohol industry in the increasingly politicised domain of CSR. Drawing on the example of SABMiller's Tavern Intervention Program, the paper argues that CSR represents a profound threat to the sanctity and moral authority of the public health worldview. Questions therefore need to be asked about whether the public health-led path of industry non-association will necessarily result in health improvements or just a further retrenchment of the ideological faultlines explored in the paper. © 2016 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

  19. The physician-scientists: rare species in Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adefuye, Anthonio Oladele; Adeola, Henry Ademola; Bezuidenhout, Johan

    2018-01-01

    There is paucity of physician-scientists in Africa, resulting in overt dependence of clinical practice on research findings from advanced "first world" countries. Physician-scientists include individuals with a medical degree alone or combined with other advanced degrees (e.g. MD/MBChB and PhD) with a career path in biomedical/ translational and patient-oriented/evaluative science research. The paucity of clinically trained research scientists in Africa could result in dire consequences as exemplified in the recent Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, where shortage of skilled clinical scientists, played a major role in disease progression and mortality. Here we contextualise the role of physician-scientist in health care management, highlight factors limiting the training of physician-scientist in Africa and proffer implementable recommendations to address these factors.

  20. Lev Vygotsky between two revolutions: on the political self-determination of the scientist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir S. Sobkin

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presented texts of the three previously unknown Lvygotsky’s journal notes and comments on them. These texts were published in mid-July and early September 1917 in the Jewish weekly «New Path» under the pseudonym «L.S.» and «W». In these texts, Lev Vygotsky describes the features of the political behaviour of the Jewish population in connection with the revolutionary events in Russia. On the one hand, a clear discrepancy between the activation of party work and political rhetoric is mentioned, and on the other hand, reduction of the significance of Jewish communal life is highlighted. As a key characteristic of social and psychological wellbeing of the Jewish population Vygotsky singles out absenteeism, i.e. the lack of interest in politics. Eventually the scientist captures the increase in uncertainty in the Jewish environment and fear of the future political, social and economic reforms in Russia. In the comments on Vygotsky notes, there are definitions relating to the various features of the activities of the Jewish political parties and public organizations, information about various policy documents and staff characterized by social and political situation before the elections in the Consituent Assembly (Uchreditel’noe Sobranie. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of stylistic and structural features of the commented text construction. By implicit quoting the relationship between Vygotsky’s texts and the works of other authors is identified. Particular attention is paid to the author’s attitude to religious texts, which allows to select a characteristic feature of the «double vision» of real events of the revolution against the background of the Jewish history. The comments help to single out features of the political identity of the young Lev Vygotsky in the period between the two revolutions, which is important to study his biography and understanding of his world view.

  1. Scientists, Citizens, and the Uses of Science in the Anti-Fracking Movement in New York State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, E.

    2013-12-01

    The anti-fracking movement in upstate New York is unusual for its grassroots mobilization and for the close relationship between scientists and activists. This paper, based on intensive fieldwork in the Finger Lakes region, will discuss the factors that have made scientists such an integral part of the movement, the organizations (from universities and NGOs dedicated to making science accessible, to town meetings and social media) that have facilitated dissemination of science to the citizenry, and the ways that knowledge has affected the movement's strategy and end goals, including a shift from anti-fracking to pro-renewables.

  2. Alcohol research and the alcoholic beverage industry: issues, concerns and conflicts of interest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babor, Thomas F

    2009-02-01

    Using terms of justification such as 'corporate social responsibility' and 'partnerships with the public health community', the alcoholic beverage industry (mainly large producers, trade associations and 'social aspects' organizations) funds a variety of scientific activities that involve or overlap with the work of independent scientists. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the ethical, professional and scientific challenges that have emerged from industry involvement in alcohol science. Source material came from an extensive review of organizational websites, newspaper articles, journal papers, letters to the editor, editorials, books, book chapters and unpublished documents. Industry involvement in alcohol science was identified in seven areas: (i) sponsorship of research funding organizations; (ii) direct financing of university-based scientists and centers; (iii) studies conducted through contract research organizations; (iv) research conducted by trade organizations and social aspects/public relations organizations; (v) efforts to influence public perceptions of research, research findings and alcohol policies; (vi) publication of scientific documents and support of scientific journals; and (vii) sponsorship of scientific conferences and presentations at conferences. While industry involvement in research activities is increasing, it constitutes currently a rather small direct investment in scientific research, one that is unlikely to contribute to alcohol science, lead to scientific breakthroughs or reduce the burden of alcohol-related illness. At best, the scientific activities funded by the alcoholic beverage industry provide financial support and small consulting fees for basic and behavioral scientists engaged in alcohol research; at worst, the industry's scientific activities confuse public discussion of health issues and policy options, raise questions about the objectivity of industry-supported alcohol scientists and provide industry with a

  3. YouTube videos of 'research in action' foster diverse public interest in science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A. Gil

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Globally, scientific enterprises seek to diversify interest and participation in STEM fields, to both provide equitable opportunities and to push research forward. However, diversity in STEM remains low in many institutions. Internet-based video has emerged as a dominant communication medium that scientists can use to communicate the motivations, process, and products of their work to a diverse, mass audience. Here I describe my use of internet-based video about my research and career as a marine biologist as a tool to inspire broad public interest in science. With my YouTube videos, I have reached a diverse and growing global viewership, amassing >10,000 hours of watch time at the time of this writing. Viewer surveys revealed that my videos have improved individual perceptions about science and science careers, particularly among women and minority groups. I conclude that the emergence of internet-based video as a dominant, ever-expanding communication medium provides an unprecedented but largely untapped opportunity for scientists to broadly communicate their research and to inspire diverse interest in STEM careers.

  4. Asian and Pacific Islander women scientists and engineers: A narrative exploration of model minority, gender, and racial stereotypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinn, Pauline W. U.

    2002-04-01

    This qualitative study uses narrative methodology to understand what becoming a scientist or engineer entails for women stereotyped as model minorities. Interviews with four Chinese and Japanese women focused on the social contexts in which science is encountered in classrooms, families, and community. Interpretation was guided by theories that individuals construct personal narratives mediated by cultural symbolic systems to make meaning of experiences. Narratives revealed that Confucian cultural scripts shaped gender expectations even in families several generations in America. Regardless of parents' level of education, country of birth, and number of children, educational expectations, and resources were lower for daughters. Parents expected daughters to be compliant, feminine, and educated enough to be marriageable. Findings suggest K-12 gender equity science practices encouraged development of the women's interests and abilities but did not affect parental beliefs. The author's 1999 study of Hawaiians/Pacific Islander and Filipina female engineers is included in implications for teacher education programs sensitive to gender, culture, ethnicity, and language.

  5. Interest group opinions about fuel reduction in southern Appalachia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carin E. Vadala; Robert D. Bixler; Thomas A. Waldrop

    2013-01-01

    Opinions of interested publics and interest groups (n = 640) about fuel reduction (FR) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains were investigated through social survey using both pictorial and written questions. The study identified three discrete groups based on knowledge of forest history in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, attitudes toward social and ecological...

  6. New Frontiers in Analyzing Dynamic Group Interactions: Bridging Social and Computer Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Hung, Hayley; Keyton, Joann

    2017-10-01

    This special issue on advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and social scientists documents the joint results of the international Lorentz workshop, "Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics," which took place in Leiden, The Netherlands, July 2016. An equal number of scholars from social and computer science participated in the workshop and contributed to the papers included in this special issue. In this introduction, we first identify interaction dynamics as the core of group and team models and review how scholars in social and computer science have typically approached behavioral interactions in groups and teams. Next, we identify key challenges for interdisciplinary collaboration between social and computer scientists, and we provide an overview of the different articles in this special issue aimed at addressing these challenges.

  7. Chinese Scientists | Women in Science | Initiatives | Indian Academy ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Initiatives; Women in Science; Chinese Scientists. Chinese Scientists. One third Chinese scientists are women [What about India?] ... scientists, at a young age of 52, after a valiant battle with cancer, today on 29th March 2016 in Delhi.

  8. Social science that matters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flyvbjerg, Bent

    2006-01-01

    Social science is headed down a dead end toward mere scientism, becoming a second-rate version of the hard sciences. We neeed to recognise and support a different kind of social science research - and so should those who demand accountability from researchers. This paper asks what kind of social...... science we - scholars, policy makers, administrators - should and should not promote in democratic societies, and how we may hold social scientists accountable to deliver what we ask them for....

  9. Indigenous Research and Academic Freedom: A View from Political Scientists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Alcantara

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Over the last several decades, scholars working on Indigenous topics have faced increasing pressure to engage in research that promotes social justice and results in formal partnerships with Indigenous communities. In this article, we argue that non-community-based research, in which the researcher exercises academic autonomy over the project, still has a role to play in Indigenous-focused research, depending on the research question, topic, and situation at hand. We explore this argument from the perspective of political scientists who study Indigenous–settler political relations in Canada.

  10. Social Media and Science: where do we go from here?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohon, W.; Robinson, S.; Arrowsmith, R.; Semken, S. C.

    2013-12-01

    What is black and white and 'read' all over? Facebook, that's what. As of December 2012 Facebook had over 618 million daily users, and over a billion monthly users from around the world (http://newsroom.fb.com/Key-Facts). Twitter has more than 130 million active users and generates as many as 340 million Tweets a day (http://blog.twitter.com/2012/03/twitter-turns-six.html). Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are not the future of communication, they are the reality, and scientists (and science organizations) need to become part of the conversation. More than half of the teenage and adult population of the US belongs to a social network or are using another form of social media on a regular basis. This creates an opportunity for organizations to use the well-established functionality and pervasiveness of social media platforms to communicate important scientific information and discoveries. In addition, the informal environment of social media allows scientists to interact with non-scientists in a friendly and non-threatening way that can be used to create engagement scenarios that continue the cycle of discussions, experiments, analysis and conclusions that typify science. Social media also provides scientists with the means and opportunity to improve the way science is viewed by the public while improving general science literacy and integrating scientific discoveries into the fabric of the lives of non-scientists. Many questions remain regarding the best way to utilize the opportunities that social media present. For instance, how can we reach a broader, more diverse audience? What are realistic expectations about the effects of social media? How do we improve the quality of content? How can we use social media to communicate scientific information in innovative ways? And perhaps most importantly, how do we know if we are communicating successfully? The EarthScope National Office will share our experiences creating a social media program from the

  11. The Social Sciences and their compromisse with truth and justice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro W. Barbosa de Almeida

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the social scientists responsability in relation to justice and truth, based in the practical and theoretical experiences of the author in the field of Social Anthropology. Although the text adresses the Social Sciences from the perspective of Social Anthropology, it deals with topics in which the researchers and ativists activities require a cooperative action of lawyers, engineers and biologists among the work of sociologists and geographers – all that is involved in the situations when it is necessary to tell the truth and also to judge about justice and injustice in social life. Justice and truth notions are social scientists weapons and they can not be abandoned in the hands of conservative thought.

  12. Trimodernism and Social Sciences: A Note

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snell, Joel C.

    2012-01-01

    The issues of premodern, modern, and postmodern can often confuse the social scientists because so much is drawn from modernism as the foundation of the social methodologies. Briefly, the author would like to differentiate the three modernism philosophies and indicate how a coalition of the three may apply to social sciences.

  13. Legal socialization of personality as a phenomenon of legal psychology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borisova S.E.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The relevance of the topic to the continuing importance of legal regulation of human behavior, the necessity of foreseeing the adverse consequences of social disorders and urgency of the prevention of deconditioning and deviant behavioral manifestations. In this regard, it is important to examine the phenomenon of legal socialization, causing interest among the representatives of the human Sciences and specialists in different branches of psychological knowledge. Taking into account the multidimensional nature of this phenomenon, it is an essential consideration of the trajectories of its occurrence in correlation with different interacting with other determinants. Such determinants include age psychological characteristics, experience crises of mental development, socially conditioned factors, and the influence of the professional environment. In article are characterized by individual patterns of legal socialization of a personality, revealing its essence, on the basis of summarizing opinions of scientists based on their own point of view. On the basis of the theoretical analysis made assumptions about the peculiarities of legal socialization of the individual occurring in different age periods of life; formulated likely areas for further study the phenomenon under research legal psychology.

  14. Scaling-Up the Impact of Aflatoxin Research in Africa. The Role of Social Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francois Stepman

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available At the interface between agriculture and nutrition, the aflatoxin contamination of food and feed touches on agriculture, health, and trade. For more than three decades now, the problem of aflatoxin has been researched in Africa. The interest of development cooperation for aflatoxin and the support to aflatoxin mitigation projects has its ups and downs. The academic world and the development world still seem to operate in different spheres and a collaboration is still challenging due to the complexity of the contamination sources at pre-harvest and post-harvest levels. There is a growing call by research funders and development actors for the impact of solutions at a scale. The solutions to mitigate aflatoxin contamination require new ways of working together. A more prominent role is to be played by social scientists. The role of social scientists in scaling-up the impact of aflatoxin research in Africa and the proposed mitigation solutions is to ensure that awareness, advantage, affordability, and access are systematically assessed. Aflatoxin-reduced staple foods and feed would be an agricultural result with a considerable health and food safety impact.

  15. Integrating Social Science into the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network: Social Dimensions of Ecological Change and Ecological Dimensions of Social Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charles L. Redman; J. Morgan Grove; Lauren H. Kuby; Lauren H. Kuby

    2004-01-01

    The integration of the social sciences into long-term ecological research is an urgent priority. To address this need, a group of social, earth, and life scientists associated with the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network have articulated a conceptual framework for understanding the human dimensions of ecological change...

  16. Experiences in management of production systems of social interest: The case of Corpoc and Furmos foundation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcela Camacho Montoya

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The theories of human development from human capabilities have, as theoretical references, the competencies of affiliation, achievement and power, as well as the analysis of business management. This article aims to compare experiences of productive systems of social interest from an analysis of the particular cases of the Furmos and Corpoc companies. The starting point was a previous project conducted in Corpoc; information was gathered through interviews and work sessions, and the institutions were characterized. It was found that the Corpoc management model is flat associative with a single leader and the Furmos model is a strategic associative partnership management model. Their members depend on the leader with their motivations and achievements, and their projects do not have a management model. Therefore, the lack of a suitable formulation of management models prevents the continuity and success of social production projects in the two institutions.

  17. Building Pipelines for Information: Developing Partnerships Between Scientists, Educators, and Community Groups to Learn More About Hydraulic Fracturing in Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafich, K. A.; Hannigan, M.; Martens, W.; McDonald, J. E.; Knight, D.; Gardiner, L. S.; Collier, A. M.; Fletcher, H.; Polmear, M.

    2015-12-01

    Hydraulic fracturing is a highly contentious issue, and trusted sources of information about the impacts and benefits are difficult to find. Scientific research is making strides to catch up with rapidly expanding unconventional oil and gas development, in part, to meet the need for information for policy, regulation, and public interest. A leader in hydraulic fracturing research, the AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network is a multi-institution, multi-disciplinary team of researchers working to understand the environmental, economic, and social tradeoffs of oil and gas development. AirWaterGas recently restructured and implemented our education and outreach program around a partnership with the CU-Boulder Office for Outreach and Engagement that leverages existing campus infrastructure, networks, and expertise to disseminate research results and engage the public. The education and outreach team is working with formal and informal K-12 educators through several programs: a yearlong teacher professional development program, a rural classroom air quality monitoring program, and a community partnership grant program. Each program brings together scientists and educators in different environments such as the classroom, online learning, in-person workshops, and community lectures. We will present best practices for developing and implementing a viable outreach and education program through building and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships that bridge the gap between scientists and the public.

  18. Frederic Joliot-Curie, a tormented scientist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinault, M.

    2000-01-01

    This article is a short biography of the French scientist Frederic Joliot-Curie. His fight for a peaceful use of atomic energy, his responsibilities as nuclear physicist and as the first director of the French atomic commission (CEA) have led him to face contradictions very difficult to manage. All along his career as a scientist and as a high ranked civil servant, F.Joliot-Curie tried to find an ethical way for scientists in modern societies. (A.C.)

  19. Making working in retailing interesting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esbjerg, Lars; Buck, Nuka; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2010-01-01

    This paper is about how five retail chains in the Danish grocery industry attempt to make low-wage, low-status store-level retail jobs as checkout operators and sales assistants interesting from the perspective of both retailers and employees. Following analysis of the social and institutional...... and make store-level retail jobs interesting to them. Although retailers mainly focus their attention on career seekers, we find that working in retailing is interesting for all employee types because the retailers are currently able to meet their respective motivations and aspirations. Nevertheless, we...

  20. Eu-social science: the role of internet social networks in the collection of bee biodiversity data.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Stafford

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Monitoring change in species diversity, community composition and phenology is vital to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activity and natural change. However, monitoring by trained scientists is time consuming and expensive.Using social networks, we assess whether it is possible to obtain accurate data on bee distribution across the UK from photographic records submitted by untrained members of the public, and if these data are in sufficient quantity for ecological studies. We used Flickr and Facebook as social networks and Flickr for the storage of photographs and associated data on date, time and location linked to them. Within six weeks, the number of pictures uploaded to the Flickr BeeID group exceeded 200. Geographic coverage was excellent; the distribution of photographs covered most of the British Isles, from the south coast of England to the Highlands of Scotland. However, only 59% of photographs were properly uploaded according to instructions, with vital information such as 'tags' or location information missing from the remainder. Nevertheless, this incorporation of information on location of photographs was much higher than general usage on Flickr (∼13%, indicating the need for dedicated projects to collect spatial ecological data. Furthermore, we found identification of bees is not possible from all photographs, especially those excluding lower abdomen detail. This suggests that giving details regarding specific anatomical features to include on photographs would be useful to maximise success.The study demonstrates the power of social network sites to generate public interest in a project and details the advantages of using a group within an existing popular social network site over a traditional (specifically-designed web-based or paper-based submission process. Some advantages include the ability to network with other individuals or groups with similar interests, and thus increasing the size of the dataset and participation

  1. Do scientists trace hot topics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Tian; Li, Menghui; Wu, Chensheng; Yan, Xiao-Yong; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

    2013-01-01

    Do scientists follow hot topics in their scientific investigations? In this paper, by performing analysis to papers published in the American Physical Society (APS) Physical Review journals, it is found that papers are more likely to be attracted by hot fields, where the hotness of a field is measured by the number of papers belonging to the field. This indicates that scientists generally do follow hot topics. However, there are qualitative differences among scientists from various countries, among research works regarding different number of authors, different number of affiliations and different number of references. These observations could be valuable for policy makers when deciding research funding and also for individual researchers when searching for scientific projects.

  2. Social Data Analysis Tool

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hussain, Abid; Vatrapu, Ravi; Hardt, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    , analyze and visualize patterns of web activity. This volume profiles the latest techniques being employed by social scientists to collect and interpret data from some of the most popular social media applications, the political parties' own online activist spaces, and the wider system of hyperlinks...... and analyze web data in the process of investigating substantive questions....

  3. Climatic calibration of pollen data: a user's guide for the applicable computer programs in the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arigo, R.; Howe, S.E.; Webb, T. III

    1984-06-01

    Radiocarbon-dated pollen records are a source of quantitative estimates for climatic variables for the past 9000 years. Multiple regression is the main method for calculation of these estimates and requires a series of steps to gain equations that meet the statistical assumptions of the analysis. This manual describes these steps which include (1) selection of the region for analysis, (2) selection of the pollen types for statiscal analysis, (3) deletion of univariate outliers, (4) transformation to produce linear relationships, (5) selection of the regression equation, and (6) tests of the regression residuals. The input commands and the output from a series of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Scientists) programs are illustrated and described, and, as an example, modern pollen and climatic data from lower Michigan are used to calculate a regression equation for July mean temperature. 19 references, 1 table.

  4. The Journey of a Science Teacher: Preparing Female Students in the Training Future Scientists after School Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson-Hill, Rona M.

    2013-01-01

    What affect does female participation in the Training Future Scientist (TFS) program based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Maslow's Hierarchies of Needs have on female adolescents' achievement levels in science and their attitude toward science and interest in science-based careers? The theoretical framework for this study was developed…

  5. Risk for Researchers Studying Social Deviance or Criminal Behavior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia L. Brougham

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Researchers often encounter dangerous situations while conducting social research. The concept of risk to researchers refers to the possible harm that may occur to researchers while in the field or after leaving a research project. This study explores issues experienced by social scientists engaged in research on social deviance or criminal behavior. The goal of this research was to discover the types of risk experienced by social scientists and any mediating factors affecting the experience of risk. An online survey was conducted to gather data on issues experienced by social scientists. This study found that researchers experienced a variety of risks within the categories of physical/health, emotional, legal, and personal/professional. Each of the survey options for risk were reported by at least one respondent; however, the greatest number of risks reported were of an emotional or personal/professional nature. There were no mediating factors found to be significant in relation to the experience of risk. This was a surprising finding especially for the variable of gender as it is suggested that gender plays a role in the experience of difficulties.

  6. Scientists' coping strategies in an evolving research system: the case of life scientists in the UK

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Morris, Norma; Rip, Arie

    2006-01-01

    Scientists in academia have struggled to adjust to a policy climate of uncertain funding and loss of freedom from direction and control. How UK life scientists have negotiated this challenge, and with what consequences for their research and the research system, is the empirical entrance point of

  7. Scientists Reflect on Why They Chose to Study Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venville, Grady; Rennie, Léonie; Hanbury, Colin; Longnecker, Nancy

    2013-12-01

    A concern commonly raised in literature and in media relates to the declining proportions of students who enter and remain in the `science pipeline', and whether many countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have enough budding scientists to fill research and industry positions in the coming years. In addition, there is concern that insufficient numbers of students continue in science to ensure an informed, scientifically literate citizenry. The aim of the research presented in this paper was to survey current Australian and New Zealand scientists to explore their reasons for choosing to study science. An online survey was conducted via a link to SurveyGizmo. The data presented are from 726 respondents who answered 22 forced-choice items and an open-ended question about the reasons they chose to study science. The quantitative data were analysed using t tests and analyses of variance followed by Duncan's multiple range tests, and the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The quantitative data showed that the main reasons scientists reported choosing to study science were because they were interested in science and because they were good at science. Secondary school science classes and one particular science teacher also were found to be important factors. Of much less importance were the prestige of science and financial considerations. The qualitative data expanded on these findings and showed that passion for science and/or curiosity about the world were important factors and also highlighted the importance of recreational pursuits, such as camping when a child. In the words of one respondent, `People don't go into science for the money and glory. It's passion for knowledge and science that always attracted me to the field'.

  8. PERCEPCIONES DE BIENESTAR SOCIAL, ANOMIA, INTERÉS E IMPOTENCIA POLÍTICA EN RELACIÓN CON LAS ACTITUDES HACIA LA DEMOCRACIA/ PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL WELL-BEING, ANOMIE, POLITICAL INTEREST AND POWERLESSNESS IN RELATION WITH ATTITUDES TOWARDS DEMOCRACY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunuen Ochoa Madrigal***

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available RESUMENEste estudio empírico de corte transversal pone a prueba el supuesto de que las percepciones de bienestar social,anomia, interés político e impotencia política condicionan las actitudes hacia la democracia. Se tomó el modelo de cincodimensiones de Keyes (1998 para medir el bienestar social y se midió el constructo anomia desde la perspectiva psicosocialde Srole (1956. La muestra conformada por 568 sujetos mayores de edad de diferentes estados de México contestó unabatería que contenía cuatro cuestionarios: La Escala de Actitudes hacia la Democracia de Morales, Las Escalas de BienestarSocial de Keyes, La Escala de Anomia de Srole, La adaptación al español de la Escala de Impotencia Política y un ítem devalor único sobre Interés por la Política tomado de la Encuesta Social Europea 2006. Las correlaciones de bienestar social einterés por la política son positivas para la aceptación de la democracia. Los resultados muestran que a mayor percepciónde anomia e impotencia política mayor rechazo de la democracia.ABSTRACTThis empirical and transversal paper tests the hypothesis that perceived social well-being, anomie, political interest, andpolitical powerlessness condition attitudes towards democracy. We adopted the Keyes' five-dimension model to measuresocial well-being and the Srole's (1956 psychosocial perspective for anomie. A sample of 568 legally adult subjects ofdifferent states of Mexico filled out a battery containing four questionnaires: Morales' Attitudes Towards Democracy Scale,Keyes' Social Well-being Scales, Srole Anomie Scale, an adaptation into Spanish language of The Powerlessness Scale, andone item of unique value for Political Interest taken from the 2006 European Social Survey. Correlations between social wellbeing,political interest and acceptance of democracy were positives. Results show that higher perception of anomie andpolitical powerlessness indicates more rejection of democracy.

  9. Experts and consensus in social science

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martini, C.; Boumans, M.

    2014-01-01

    This book brings together the research of philosophers and social scientists. It examines those areas of scientific practice where reliance on the subjective judgment of experts and practitioners is the main source of useful knowledge to address, and, possibly, bring solutions to social problems. A

  10. [Professor Buytendijk's miracle drug. The vitamin preparation Eviunis and the risks of scientists doing publicity work].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huijnen, Pim

    2010-01-01

    The discovery of vitamins at the start of the 20th century not only stimulated new areas of scientific research in the field of nutrition and pharmacy; vitamins also turned out to be profitable products for new or existing industries. Consequently, vitamins drove scientists and commercial vitamin producers into each others' arms during the first decades of the century. Several publications--by Harmke Kamminga and Sally Horrocks for instance--deal with the causes and effects of forms of co-operation between science and industry in the nutritional and pharmaceutical sector. They mostly stress--using examples from Great-Britain--the interconnected interests from which both profited: industry-sponsored vitamin research made vitamins available to a larger public of consumers, with scientists authorizing the health claims of the products these companies tried to sell. This article shows how Dutch scientists and vitamin producers were concerned with the same issue in the inter-war period. Not only does it focus on the interconnected interests, but particularly on the conflicts of interests scientists were experiencing whilst performing advisory or research work for the industry. The article singles out E.J.J. Buytendijk, nowadays remembered for his pioneering research in the field of phenomenological psychology after the Second World War, and his involvement with the Swiss vitamin preparation Eviunis at the end of the nineteen-twenties. Buytendijk actively promoted the introduction of this particular preparation on the Dutch market. He was confronted with a growing number of critics, however, after tests demonstrated how the preparation could hardly sustain any of the claims that had been made with regard to its vitamin-like performance. Buytendijk's strongest critics accused him of misusing his scientific authority to sell a fraudulent product--after all, he that maintained his own tests had confirmed Eviunis' claims. A final, state-ordered counter test of Eviunis

  11. Public interests and corporate obligations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frederiksen, Claus Strue

    2016-01-01

    In this chapter, I discuss the division of labour between private enterprises and the state. According to stakeholder theorists, a state should take into account the interests of all of its citizens, whereas a company should focus on the interests of its stakeholders. I focus on a challenge......, and corporations) should try to promote the good, seen from an impartial perspective, meaning that everybody’s interest should be taken into account (Kagan 1989). I conclude that stakeholder theorists are unable to meet the challenge presented by consequentialism by traditional means, i.e. by referring to social...

  12. Reciprocal Engagement Between a Scientist and Visual Displays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nolasco, Michelle Maria

    In this study the focus of investigation was the reciprocal engagement between a professional scientist and the visual displays with which he interacted. Visual displays are considered inextricable from everyday scientific endeavors and their interpretation requires a "back-and-forthness" between the viewers and the objects being viewed. The query that drove this study was: How does a scientist engage with visual displays during the explanation of his understanding of extremely small biological objects? The conceptual framework was based in embodiment where the scientist's talk, gesture, and body position were observed and microanalyzed. The data consisted of open-ended interviews that positioned the scientist to interact with visual displays when he explained the structure and function of different sub-cellular features. Upon microanalyzing the scientist's talk, gesture, and body position during his interactions with two different visual displays, four themes were uncovered: Naming, Layering, Categorizing, and Scaling . Naming occurred when the scientist added markings to a pre-existing, hand-drawn visual display. The markings had meaning as stand-alone label and iconic symbols. Also, the markings transformed the pre-existing visual display, which resulted in its function as a new visual object. Layering occurred when the scientist gestured over images so that his gestures aligned with one or more of the image's features, but did not touch the actual visual display. Categorizing occurred when the scientist used contrasting categories, e.g. straight vs. not straight, to explain his understanding about different characteristics that the small biological objects held. Scaling occurred when the scientist used gesture to resize an image's features so that they fit his bodily scale. Three main points were drawn from this study. First, the scientist employed a variety of embodied strategies—coordinated talk, gesture, and body position—when he explained the structure

  13. Real Science, Real Learning: Bridging the Gap Between Scientists, Educators and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Y.

    2006-05-01

    Today as never before, America needs its citizens to be literate in science and technology. Not only must we only inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers and technologists, we must foster a society capable of meeting complex, 21st-century challenges. Unfortunately, the need for creative, flexible thinkers is growing at a time when our young students are lagging in science interest and performance. Over the past 17 years, the JASON Project has worked to link real science and scientists to the classroom. This link provide viable pipeline to creating the next generation scientists and researchers. Ultimately, JASON's mission is to improve the way science is taught by enabling students to learn directly from leading scientists. Through partnerships with agencies such as NOAA and NASA, JASON creates multimedia classroom products based on current scientific research. Broadcasts of science expeditions, hosted by leading researchers, are coupled with classroom materials that include interactive computer-based simulations, video- on-demand, inquiry-based experiments and activities, and print materials for students and teachers. A "gated" Web site hosts online resources and provides a secure platform to network with scientists and other classrooms in a nationwide community of learners. Each curriculum is organized around a specific theme for a comprehensive learning experience. It may be taught as a complete package, or individual components can be selected to teach specific, standards-based concepts. Such thematic units include: Disappearing Wetlands, Mysteries of Earth and Mars, and Monster Storms. All JASON curriculum units are grounded in "inquiry-based learning." The highly interactive curriculum will enable students to access current, real-world scientific research and employ the scientific method through reflection, investigation, identification of problems, sharing of data, and forming and testing hypotheses. JASON specializes in effectively applying

  14. Health and environment: social science perspectives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kopnina, H.; Keune, H.

    2010-01-01

    In this new book the authors examine the contribution of social scientists to the topics of health and environment. They present diverse perspectives on classical and contemporary debates by focusing on social scientific framing of environment and health, as well as on the potential contribution of

  15. Proceedings of international conference of young scientists 'Ecological problems of XXI century'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milyutin, A.A.; Chudakov, V.A.

    1999-11-01

    Now various ecological problems are rather topical practically for all fields of human activity. The amplification artificial influences on various ecosystems leads to modification and violation of their integrity. Therefore investigations of scientists in different fields are directed to study of both various aspects of ecology and correlation of natural singularities of ecosystems with activity of a man, and also directed to search of paths of environment rehabilitation etc. The present publication represents the collection of materials of a scientific conference of the young scientists, which was organized by Ministry for Education of the Republic of Belarus on the basis of International Sakharov Ecological University (Minsk, Republic of Belarus). The ecological problems were viewed on the following directions: ecology, radioecology, ecological monitoring, ecological information systems, eco priority power engineering, eco biology, medical ecology, molecular medicine, social ecology. The materials of a conference are intended for wide circle of the experts occupied with scientific and practical activity

  16. History and Outcomes of 50 Years of Physician-Scientist Training in Medical Scientist Training Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harding, Clifford V; Akabas, Myles H; Andersen, Olaf S

    2017-10-01

    Physician-scientists are needed to continue the great pace of recent biomedical research and translate scientific findings to clinical applications. MD-PhD programs represent one approach to train physician-scientists. MD-PhD training started in the 1950s and expanded greatly with the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), launched in 1964 by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health. MD-PhD training has been influenced by substantial changes in medical education, science, and clinical fields since its inception. In 2014, NIGMS held a 50th Anniversary MSTP Symposium highlighting the program and assessing its outcomes. In 2016, there were over 90 active MD-PhD programs in the United States, of which 45 were MSTP supported, with a total of 988 trainee slots. Over 10,000 students have received MSTP support since 1964. The authors present data for the demographic characteristics and outcomes for 9,683 MSTP trainees from 1975-2014. The integration of MD and PhD training has allowed trainees to develop a rigorous foundation in research in concert with clinical training. MSTP graduates have had relative success in obtaining research grants and have become prominent leaders in many biomedical research fields. Many challenges remain, however, including the need to maintain rigorous scientific components in evolving medical curricula, to enhance research-oriented residency and fellowship opportunities in a widening scope of fields targeted by MSTP graduates, to achieve greater racial diversity and gender balance in the physician-scientist workforce, and to sustain subsequent research activities of physician-scientists.

  17. The Local-Cosmopolitan Scientist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barney G. Glaser, Ph.D., Hon. Ph.D.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In contrast to previous discussions in the literature treating cosmopolitan and local as two distinct groups of scientists, this paperi demonstrates the notion of cosmopolitan and local as a dual orientation of highly motivated scientists. This dual orientation is derived from institutional motivation, which is a determinant of both high quality basic research and accomplishment of non-research organizational activities. The dual orientation arises in a context of similarity of the institutional goal of science with the goal of the organization; the distinction between groups of locals and cosmopolitans derives from a conflict between two goals.

  18. Data mining for the social sciences an introduction

    CERN Document Server

    Attewell, Paul

    2015-01-01

    We live in a world of big data: the amount of information collected on human behavior each day is staggering, and exponentially greater than at any time in the past. Additionally, powerful algorithms are capable of churning through seas of data to uncover patterns. Providing a simple and accessible introduction to data mining, Paul Attewell and David B. Monaghan discuss how data mining substantially differs from conventional statistical modeling familiar to most social scientists. The authors also empower social scientists to tap into these new resources and incorporate data mining

  19. Chinese, US scientists find new particle

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    "Chinese and US scientists have discovered a new particle at the Beijing Electron Position Collider, which is hard to be explained with any known particles, according to scientists from the Institute of High Energy Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wednesday" (1/2 page).

  20. The Cosmopolitanization of Science: Experience from Chinese Stem Cell Scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Joy Yueyue

    2010-09-01

    It is commonly perceived that the 'globalization of science' may result in a 'Westernization of science'. In this paper, however, I use the case of stem cell science in China to demonstrate that developing countries are sometimes able to effectively shape the norms of global/local scientific exchange. Based on interviews with 38 stem cell scientists in six Chinese cities in early 2008, this paper elucidates Chinese scientists' outlook towards cross-border collaborations and the effects that the internationalization of science has had on everyday laboratory operations. Findings suggest that although there still exists an asymmetry of scientific influence, and in many aspects China is still 'catching-up' to the West, there is also a changing nature of communication beyond borders. One key aspect of recent international scientific development is the growing necessity for local stakeholders to acquire a global mindset and to compare, reflect and accommodate diverse interests. This is what I define as the 'cosmopolitanization of science'. The study empirically examines the sociological and methodological implications of the cosmopolitanization process and further develops Ulrich Beck's cosmopolitan theory by delineating four main features of the 'cosmopolitanization of science': shared future benefits, passive ethicization, reflexive negotiation, and continuous performance.

  1. Agent 2003 Conference on Challenges in Social Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Margaret Clemmons, ed.

    2003-01-01

    Welcome to the Proceedings of the fourth in a series of agent simulation conferences cosponsored by Argonne National Laboratory and The University of Chicago. Agent 2003 is the second conference in which three Special Interest Groups from the North American Association for Computational Social and Organizational Science (NAACSOS) have been involved in planning the program--Computational Social Theory; Simulation Applications; and Methods, Toolkits and Techniques. The theme of Agent 2003, Challenges in Social Simulation, is especially relevant, as there seems to be no shortage of such challenges. Agent simulation has been applied with increasing frequency to social domains for several decades, and its promise is clear and increasingly visible. Like any nascent scientific methodology, however, it faces a number of problems or issues that must be addressed in order to progress. These challenges include: (1) Validating models relative to the social settings they are designed to represent; (2) Developing agents and interactions simple enough to understand but sufficiently complex to do justice to the social processes of interest; (3) Bridging the gap between empirically spare artificial societies and naturally occurring social phenomena; (4) Building multi-level models that span processes across domains; (5) Promoting a dialog among theoretical, qualitative, and empirical social scientists and area experts, on the one hand, and mathematical and computational modelers and engineers, on the other; (6) Using that dialog to facilitate substantive progress in the social sciences; and (7) Fulfilling the aspirations of users in business, government, and other application areas, while recognizing and addressing the preceding challenges. Although this list hardly exhausts the challenges the field faces, it does identify topics addressed throughout the presentations of Agent 2003. Agent 2003 is part of a much larger process in which new methods and techniques are applied to

  2. Uncovering Scientist Stereotypes and Their Relationships with Student Race and Student Success in a Diverse, Community College Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinske, Jeffrey; Cardenas, Monica; Kaliangara, Jahana

    2015-01-01

    A number of studies have identified correlations between children's stereotypes of scientists, their science identities, and interest or persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Yet relatively few studies have examined scientist stereotypes among college students, and the literature regarding these issues in predominantly nonwhite and 2-yr college settings is especially sparse. We piloted an easy-to-analyze qualitative survey of scientist stereotypes in a biology class at a diverse, 2-yr, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. We examined the reliability and validity of the survey, and characterized students' comments with reference to previous research on stereotypes. Positive scientist stereotypes were relatively common in our sample, and negative stereotypes were rare. Negative stereotypes appeared to be concentrated within certain demographic groups. We found that students identifying nonstereotypical images of scientists at the start of class had higher rates of success in the course than their counterparts. Finally, evidence suggested many students lacked knowledge of actual scientists, such that they had few real-world reference points to inform their stereotypes of scientists. This study augments the scant literature regarding scientist stereotypes in diverse college settings and provides insights for future efforts to address stereotype threat and science identity. © 2015 J. Schinske et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  3. The Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whyte, John; Boninger, Michael; Helkowski, Wendy; Braddom-Ritzler, Carolyn

    2016-01-01

    Physician scientists are seen as important in healthcare research. However, the number of physician scientists and their success in obtaining NIH funding have been declining for many years. The shortage of physician scientists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is particularly severe, and can be attributed to many of the same factors that affect physician scientists in general, as well as to the lack of well developed models for research training. In 1995, the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program (RMSTP) was funded by a K12 grant from the National Center of Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), as one strategy for increasing the number of research-productive physiatrists. The RMSTP's structure was revised in 2001 to improve the level of preparation of incoming trainees, and to provide a stronger central mentorship support network. Here we describe the original and revised structure of the RMSTP and review subjective and objective data on the productivity of the trainees who have completed the program. These data suggest that RMSTP trainees are, in general, successful in obtaining and maintaining academic faculty positions and that the productivity of the cohort trained after the revision, in particular, shows impressive growth after about 3 years of training. PMID:19847126

  4. Writing social psychology: fictional things and unpopulated texts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Billig, Michael

    2011-03-01

    This paper presents the author's position on the question how to write social psychology. It reflects the author's long-term interest in rhetoric and his more recent concerns about the writing of social scientists. The author argues that social psychologists tend to produce unpopulated texts, writing about 'fictional things' rather than people. Social psychologists assume that their technical terms are more precise than ordinary language terms. The author contests this assumption. He suggests that when it comes to describing human actions, ordinary language on the whole tends to be more precise. The paper analyses why this should be the case, drawing on ideas from linguistics and Vaihinger's notion of fictions. The author presents examples to show how psychological writers, by using passives and nominals, can omit information about the agents of action and the nature of the actions that they are performing. Although their texts may appear impressively technical, they can, in fact, be highly imprecise. Moreover, social psychologists, by using this nominal style of writing, tend to write about processes as if they were things and then attribute actions to these things. In so doing, they create 'fictional things', which they treat as if they were real things. The author offers six recommendations for writing in simpler, clearer ways. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  5. Exploring Scientists' Working Timetable: A Global Survey

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Xianwen; Peng, Lian; Zhang, Chunbo; Xu, Shenmeng; Wang, Zhi; Wang, Chuanli; Wang, Xianbing

    2013-01-01

    In our previous study (Wang et al., 2012), we analyzed scientists' working timetable of 3 countries, using realtime downloading data of scientific literatures. In this paper, we make a through analysis about global scientists' working habits. Top 30 countries/territories from Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, Latin America and Africa are selected as representatives and analyzed in detail. Regional differences for scientists' working habits exists in different countries. Besides differen...

  6. Elements of ethics for physical scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Greer, Sandra C

    2017-01-01

    This book offers the first comprehensive guide to ethics for physical scientists and engineers who conduct research. Written by a distinguished professor of chemistry and chemical engineering, the book focuses on the everyday decisions about right and wrong faced by scientists as they do research, interact with other people, and work within society. The goal is to nurture readers’ ethical intelligence so that they know an ethical issue when they see one, and to give them a way to think about ethical problems. After introductions to the philosophy of ethics and the philosophy of science, the book discusses research integrity, with a unique emphasis on how scientists make mistakes and how they can avoid them. It goes on to cover personal interactions among scientists, including authorship, collaborators, predecessors, reviewers, grantees, mentors, and whistle-blowers. It considers underrepresented groups in science as an ethical issue that matters not only to those groups but also to the development of scien...

  7. The Dilemma of Scientists in the Nuclear Age

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broda, E.

    1982-01-01

    Scientists have made possible the nuclear arms race. The cases of some of the individual scientists are discussed. Most scientists on military work were and are not only justifying their work, but they are enjoying their lives. A general strike of the military scientists against the arms race is an illusion. A pragmatic approach to the problem is need. In any case it is imperative that concerned scientists concentrate on the struggle against the threat of nuclear war. They must interact with the people at large, especially the people in the mass organizations, and help them to judge the situation and to evolve suitable countermeasures. A few words are said about the possibility of world government. (author)

  8. Connecting Scientists, College Students, Middle School Students & Elementary Students through Intergenerational Afterschool STEM Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, N. A.; Paglierani, R.; Raftery, C. L.; Romero, V.; Harper, M. R.; Chilcott, C.; Peticolas, L. M.; Hauck, K.; Yan, D.; Ruderman, I.; Frappier, R.

    2015-12-01

    The Multiverse education group at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab created the NASA-funded "Five Stars Pathway" model in which five "generations" of girls and women engage in science together in an afterschool setting, with each generation representing one stage in the pathway of pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). The five stages are: elementary-age students, middle-school-age students, undergraduate-level college students, graduate-level college students and professional scientists. This model was field-tested at two Girls Inc. afterschool locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and distributed to Girls Inc. affiliates and other afterschool program coordinators nationwide. This presentation will explore some of the challenges and success of implementing a multigenerational STEM model as well as distributing the free curriculum for interested scientists and college students to use with afterschool programs.

  9. Scientists as role models in space science outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, D.

    The direct participation of scientists significantly enhances the impact of any E/PO effort. This is particularly true when the scientists come from minority or traditionally under-represented groups and, consequently, become role models for a large number of students while presenting positive counter-examples to the usual stereotypes. In this paper I will discuss the impact of scientists as role models through the successful implementation of a set of space physics games and activities, called Solar Week. Targetted at middle-school girls, the key feature of Solar Week is the "Ask a Scientist" section enabling direct interaction between participating students and volunteer scientists. All of the contributing scientists are women, serving as experts in their field and providing role models to whom the students can relate. Solar Week has completed four sessions with a total of some 140 edcuators and 12,000+ students in over 28 states and 9 countries. A major success of the Solar Week program has been the ability of the students to learn more about the scientists as people, through online biographies, and to discuss a variety of topics ranging from science, to careers and common hobbies.

  10. Crowd-sourcing, Communicating, and Improving Auroral Science at the Speed of Social Media through Aurorasaurus.org

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, K.; MacDonald, E.; Case, N.; Hall, M.; Clayton, J.; Heavner, M.; Tapia, A.; Lalone, N.; McCloat, S.

    2015-12-01

    On March 17, 2015, a geomagnetic storm—the largest of the solar cycle to date— hit Earth and gave many sky watchers around the world a beautiful auroral display. People made thousands of aurora-related tweets and direct reports to Aurorasaurus.org, an interdisciplinary citizen science project that tracks auroras worldwide in real-time through social media and the project's apps and website. Through Aurorasaurus, researchers are converting these crowdsourced observations into valuable data points to help improve models of where aurora can be seen. In this presentation, we will highlight how the team communicates with the public during these global, sporadic events to help drive and retain participation for Aurorasaurus. We will highlight some of the co-produced scientific results and increased media interest following this event. Aurorasaurus uses mobile apps, blogging, and a volunteer scientist network to reach out to aurora enthusiasts to engage in the project. Real-time tweets are voted on by other users to verify their accuracy and are pinned on a map located on aurorasaurus.org to help show the instantaneous, global auroral visibility. Since the project launched in October 2014, hundreds of users have documented the two largest geomagnetic storms of this solar cycle. In some cases, like for the St. Patrick's Day storm, users even reported seeing aurora in areas different than aurora models suggested. Online analytics indicate these events drive users to our page and many also share images with various interest groups on social media. While citizen scientists provide observations, Aurorasaurus gives back by providing tools to help the public see and understand the aurora. When people verify auroral sightings in a specific area, the project sends out alerts to nearby users of possible auroral visibility. Aurorasaurus team members around the world also help the public understand the intricacies of space weather and aurora science through blog articles

  11. Building the Next Generation of Earth Scientists: the Deep Carbon Observatory Early Career Scientist Workshops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratt, K.; Fellowes, J.; Giovannelli, D.; Stagno, V.

    2016-12-01

    Building a network of collaborators and colleagues is a key professional development activity for early career scientists (ECS) dealing with a challenging job market. At large conferences, young scientists often focus on interacting with senior researchers, competing for a small number of positions in leading laboratories. However, building a strong, international network amongst their peers in related disciplines is often as valuable in the long run. The Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) began funding a series of workshops in 2014 designed to connect early career researchers within its extensive network of multidisciplinary scientists. The workshops, by design, are by and for early career scientists, thus removing any element of competition and focusing on peer-to-peer networking, collaboration, and creativity. The successful workshops, organized by committees of early career deep carbon scientists, have nucleated a lively community of like-minded individuals from around the world. Indeed, the organizers themselves often benefit greatly from the leadership experience of pulling together an international workshop on budget and on deadline. We have found that a combination of presentations from all participants in classroom sessions, professional development training such as communication and data management, and field-based relationship building and networking is a recipe for success. Small groups within the DCO ECS network have formed; publishing papers together, forging new research directions, and planning novel and ambitious field campaigns. Many DCO ECS also have come together to convene sessions at major international conferences, including the AGU Fall Meeting. Most of all, there is a broad sense of camaraderie and accessibility within the DCO ECS Community, providing the foundation for a career in the new, international, and interdisciplinary field of deep carbon science.

  12. Scientists' Prioritization of Communication Objectives for Public Engagement.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Dudo

    Full Text Available Amid calls from scientific leaders for their colleagues to become more effective public communicators, this study examines the objectives that scientists' report drive their public engagement behaviors. We explore how scientists evaluate five specific communication objectives, which include informing the public about science, exciting the public about science, strengthening the public's trust in science, tailoring messages about science, and defending science from misinformation. We use insights from extant research, the theory of planned behavior, and procedural justice theory to identify likely predictors of scientists' views about these communication objectives. Results show that scientists most prioritize communication designed to defend science from misinformation and educate the public about science, and least prioritize communication that seeks to build trust and establish resonance with the public. Regression analyses reveal factors associated with scientists who prioritize each of the five specific communication objectives. Our findings highlight the need for communication trainers to help scientists select specific communication objectives for particular contexts and audiences.

  13. Intelligence, genes, and success scientists respond to the bell curve

    CERN Document Server

    Fienberg, Stephen; Resnick, Daniel; Roeder, Kathryn

    1997-01-01

    This is author-approved bcc. If it is too long, delete the last sentence in each of the biographies. THE BELL CURVE by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray, a best selling book published in 1994, set off a hailstorm of controversy about the relationships among IQ, genetics, and various social outcomes, including welfare dependency, crime, and earnings. Much of the public reaction to the book was polemical and did not focus on the details of the science and in particular on the validity of the statistical arguments that underlie the books's conclusions. A detailed understanding of the arguments in THE BELL CURVE requires knowledge about (i) statistical models for genetic heritability, (ii) factor analysis, especially as it has been applied to the analysis of IQ tests, (iii) logistic regression and multiple regression analyses,and (iv) causal modelling and alternative statistical frameworks for making inference from longitudinal data. In this volume a group of statisticians and social scientists have assembled...

  14. The Maturation of a Scientist: An Autobiography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roizman, Bernard

    2015-11-01

    I was shaped by World War II, years of near starvation as a war refugee, postwar chaos, life in several countries, and relative affluence in later life. The truth is that as I was growing up I wanted to be a writer. My aspirations came to an end when, in order to speed up my graduation from college, I took courses in microbiology. It was my second love at first sight-that of my wife preceded it. I view science as an opportunity to discover the designs in the mosaics of life. What initiates my search of discovery is an observation that makes no sense unless there exists a novel design. Once the design is revealed there is little interest in filling all the gaps. I was fortunate to understand that what lasts are not the scientific reports but rather the generations of scientists whose education I may have influenced.

  15. [Social actors in HIV/AIDS prevention: opposition and interests in educational policy in Mexico, 1994-2000].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granados-Cosme, José Arturo; Nasaiya, Kittipong; Brambila, Alberto Torres

    2007-03-01

    Studies and recommendations by health agencies have emphasized the importance of education in HIV-AIDS prevention. Mexico has included topics on sexuality and HIV-AIDS in school programs, triggering resistance by some social actors. The current study seeks to clarify the various positions and interests and their influence on the textbook content. A literature search was conducted on the period during which the last educational reform was implemented in Mexico. The discourse analysis focused on the ethnography of communication, which identified: the various actors' positions, arguments, actions, economic and political power, and relations to others. The results show that those who oppose the inclusion of these themes in the school curriculum base their position on tradition, contrary to modernization and secularization of social life, and that their positions range from refusal to raising conditions. Networks have been formed that provide such groups with significant economic and political power. Government has given in to some demands by partially modifying the textbook contents. The current analysis proposes to reflect on the potential repercussions of such actions on the control of the epidemic.

  16. Fundamental care and knowledge interests: Implications for nursing science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granero-Molina, José; Fernández-Sola, Cayetano; Mateo-Aguilar, Ester; Aranda-Torres, Cayetano; Román-López, Pablo; Hernández-Padilla, José Manuel

    2017-11-09

    To characterise the intratheoretical interests of knowledge in nursing science as an epistemological framework for fundamental care. For Jürgen Habermas, theory does not separate knowledge interests from life. All knowledge, understanding and human research is always interested. Habermas formulated the knowledge interests in empirical-analytical, historical-hermeneutic and critical social sciences; but said nothing about health sciences and nursing science. Discursive paper. The article is organised into five sections that develop our argument about the implications of the Habermasian intratheoretical interests in nursing science and fundamental care: the persistence of a technical interest, the predominance of a practical interest, the importance of an emancipatory interest, "being there" to understand individuals' experience and an "existential crisis" that uncovers the individual's subjectivity. The nursing discipline can take on practical and emancipatory interests (together with a technical interest) as its fundamental knowledge interests. Nurses' privileged position in the delivery of fundamental care gives them the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the patient's experience and illness process through physical contact and empathic communication. In clinical, academic and research environments, nurses should highlight the importance of fundamental care, showcasing the value of practical and emancipatory knowledge. This process could help to improve nursing science's leadership, social visibility and idiosyncrasy. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. The how and why of societal publications for citizen science projects and scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Vliet, Arnold J H; Bron, Wichertje A; Mulder, Sara

    2014-05-01

    In the scientific community, the importance of communication to society is often underestimated. Scientists and scientific organisations often lack the skills to organise such communication effectively. The Dutch citizen science phenology network Nature's Calendar has been successful in communicating to the general public via numerous newspaper articles, television appearances, presentations, websites and social media. We refer to these publications as societal publications. Due to active communication to mass media, we frequently reach millions of people. This communication helped us to involve thousands of volunteers in recording the timing of phenological events like the start of flowering, leaf unfolding and bird migration, but also several health-related events like hay fever symptoms and tick bites. In this paper, we analyse and present our experiences with the Nature's Calendar project regarding societal publications. Based on this analysis, we explain the importance of societal publications for citizen science projects and scientists in general, and we show how scientists can increase the news worthiness of scientific information and what factors and activities can increase the chances of media paying attention to this news. We show that societal publications help phenological networks by facilitating the recruitment, retention and instruction of observers. Furthermore, they stimulate the generation of new ideas and partners that lead to an increase in knowledge, awareness and behavioural change of the general public or specific stakeholders. They make projects, and scientists involved, better known to the public and increase their credibility and authority. Societal publications can catalyse the production of new publications, thereby enforcing the previous mentioned points.

  18. The how and why of societal publications for citizen science projects and scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Vliet, Arnold J. H.; Bron, Wichertje A.; Mulder, Sara

    2014-05-01

    In the scientific community, the importance of communication to society is often underestimated. Scientists and scientific organisations often lack the skills to organise such communication effectively. The Dutch citizen science phenology network Nature's Calendar has been successful in communicating to the general public via numerous newspaper articles, television appearances, presentations, websites and social media. We refer to these publications as societal publications. Due to active communication to mass media, we frequently reach millions of people. This communication helped us to involve thousands of volunteers in recording the timing of phenological events like the start of flowering, leaf unfolding and bird migration, but also several health-related events like hay fever symptoms and tick bites. In this paper, we analyse and present our experiences with the Nature's Calendar project regarding societal publications. Based on this analysis, we explain the importance of societal publications for citizen science projects and scientists in general, and we show how scientists can increase the newsworthiness of scientific information and what factors and activities can increase the chances of media paying attention to this news. We show that societal publications help phenological networks by facilitating the recruitment, retention and instruction of observers. Furthermore, they stimulate the generation of new ideas and partners that lead to an increase in knowledge, awareness and behavioural change of the general public or specific stakeholders. They make projects, and scientists involved, better known to the public and increase their credibility and authority. Societal publications can catalyse the production of new publications, thereby enforcing the previous mentioned points.

  19. Bridges in social capital: a review of the definitions and the social capital of social capital researchers

    OpenAIRE

    Akcomak, S.

    2009-01-01

    There has been a recent surge of interest in social economics and social capital. Articles on social capital that are published in the last five years constitute more than 60 percent of all articles on social capital. Research on social capital is now massive and spans sociology, economics, management, political science and health sciences. Despite this interest there is still not a consensus on the definition and the measurement of social capital. This paper argues that this is due to lack o...

  20. Consultancy research as a barrier to strengthening social science research capacity in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wight, Daniel; Ahikire, Josephine; Kwesiga, Joy C

    2014-09-01

    There is a shortage of senior African social scientists available to lead or manage research in Africa, undermining the continent's ability to interpret and solve its socio-economic and public health problems. This is despite decades of investment to strengthen research capacity. This study investigated the role of individually commissioned consultancy research in this lack of capacity. In 2006 structured interviews (N = 95) and two group discussions (N = 16 total) were conducted with a fairly representative sample of Ugandan academic social scientists from four universities. Twenty-four senior members of 22 Ugandan and international commissioning organizations were interviewed. Eight key actors were interviewed in greater depth. Much of Ugandan social science research appears to take the form of small, individually contracted consultancy projects. Researchers perceived this to constrain their professional development and, more broadly, social science research capacity across Uganda. Conversely, most research commissioners seemed broadly satisfied with the research expertise available and felt no responsibility to contribute to strengthening research capacity. Most consultancy research does not involve institutional overheads and there seems little awareness of, or interest in, such overheads. Although inequalities in the global knowledge economy are probably perpetuated primarily by macro-level factors, in line with Dependency Theory, meso-level factors are also important. The current research market and institutional structures in Uganda appear to create career paths that seriously impede the development of high quality social science research capacity, undermining donor investments and professional effort to strengthen this capacity. These problems are probably generic to much of sub-Saharan Africa. However, both commissioning and research organizations seem ready, in principle, to establish national guidelines for institutional research consultancies. These

  1. One year after Chernobyl. Physical and social aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehmler, W.; Schmitz-Veltin, G.

    1987-01-01

    The exhibition has been induced by the observation that psychologists and social scientists remained relatively mute in the public discussion about the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the hazards involved for mankind. Did they really, or did the public just not listen to them. This question initiated the search for publications by experts in the two fields, and the present exhibition and relevant bibliographic material point to statements and other publications by well-known authors, showing the psychological and social aspects of the problem. The material covers citations, references, and supplementing texts from political or medical publications, and it becomes clear that there have been mechanisms of suppression that put aside many an important aspect. A bibliography of literature by social scientists is given. (HSCH) [de

  2. Improving Communication Skills in Early Career Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saia, S. M.

    2013-12-01

    The AGU fall meeting is a time for scientists to share what we have been hard at work on for the past year, to share our trials and tribulations, and of course, to share our science (we hope inspirational). In addition to sharing, the AGU fall meeting is also about collaboration as it brings old and new colleagues together from diverse communities across the planet. By sharing our ideas and findings, we build new relationships with the potential to cross boundaries and solve complex and pressing environmental issues. With ever emerging and intensifying water scarcity, extreme weather, and water quality issues across the plant, it is especially important that scientists like us share our ideas and work together to put these ideas into action. My vision of the future of water sciences embraces this fact. I believe that better training is needed to help early career scientists, like myself, build connections within and outside of our fields. First and foremost, more advanced training in effective storytelling concepts and themes may improve our ability to provide context for our research. Second, training in the production of video for internet-based media (e.g. YouTube) may help us bring our research to audiences in a more personalized way. Third, opportunities to practice presenting at highly visible public events such as the AGU fall meeting, will serve to prepare early career scientists for a variety of audiences. We hope this session, ';Water Sciences Pop-Ups', will provide the first steps to encourage and train early career scientists as they share and collaborate with scientists and non-scientists around the world.

  3. Facial appearance affects science communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gheorghiu, Ana I; Callan, Mitchell J; Skylark, William J

    2017-06-06

    First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist's work, and those that create the impression of a "good scientist" who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with "interesting-looking" scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like "good scientists." Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society.

  4. Does Facebook promote self-interest? Enactment of indiscriminate one-to-many communication on online social networking sites decreases prosocial behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiou, Wen-Bin; Chen, Szu-Wei; Liao, Da-Chi

    2014-02-01

    Abstract Communication tools on social networking sites (SNSs) provide users with an efficient way to distribute information to the public and/or their friends simultaneously. In this article, we show that this kind of indiscriminate one-to-many (i.e., monologue) communication, in which the diverse interests of recipients are not considered, may induce a tendency toward egocentrism that interferes with other-oriented concerns, resulting in a reduced inclination to display prosocial behavior. In Experiment 1, participants induced to post a public communication subsequently allocated less money to anonymous strangers in the dictator game than did control participants. In Experiment 2, participants directing a post about participation in an experiment to their Facebook friends volunteered to help code fewer data sheets than did controls. Moreover, an egocentric state was shown to mediate the relationship between indiscriminate one-to-many communication and helping behavior. We provide the first demonstration that indiscriminate one-to-many communication on online social networks may be associated with a tendency toward self-interest. Our results suggest that the prevalence of monologue communication on SNSs may induce an egocentric tendency that undermines the likelihood of prosocial behavior.

  5. Ethical Evaluation of Mental Health Social Research: Agreement Between Researchers and Ethics Committees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondragón Barrios, Liliana; Guarneros García, Tonatiuh; Jiménez Tapia, Alberto

    2017-07-01

    The objective of this article is to compare various ethical issues considered by social scientists and research ethics committees in the evaluation of mental health social research protocols. We contacted 47 social scientists and 10 members of ethics committees in Mexico with two electronic national surveys that requested information from both groups related to the application of ethical principles in mental health social research. The results showed no significant difference between these groups in the value placed on the ethical issues explored. Based on this finding, we make proposals to strengthen the collaboration between the two groups.

  6. The Relations of Vocational Interests and Mathematical Literacy: On the Predictive Power of Interest Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warwas, Jasmin; Nagy, Gabriel; Watermann, Rainer; Hasselhorn, Marcus

    2009-01-01

    This study examines the relationships of vocational interests and mathematical literacy both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Extending previous research, the results of Holland's RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional) scale scores are compared with results from a reductionist approach using…

  7. Forecasting Social Unrest Using Activity Cascades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cadena, Jose; Korkmaz, Gizem; Kuhlman, Chris J; Marathe, Achla; Ramakrishnan, Naren; Vullikanti, Anil

    2015-01-01

    Social unrest is endemic in many societies, and recent news has drawn attention to happenings in Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Civilian populations mobilize, sometimes spontaneously and sometimes in an organized manner, to raise awareness of key issues or to demand changes in governing or other organizational structures. It is of key interest to social scientists and policy makers to forecast civil unrest using indicators observed on media such as Twitter, news, and blogs. We present an event forecasting model using a notion of activity cascades in Twitter (proposed by Gonzalez-Bailon et al., 2011) to predict the occurrence of protests in three countries of Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela. The basic assumption is that the emergence of a suitably detected activity cascade is a precursor or a surrogate to a real protest event that will happen "on the ground." Our model supports the theoretical characterization of large cascades using spectral properties and uses properties of detected cascades to forecast events. Experimental results on many datasets, including the recent June 2013 protests in Brazil, demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

  8. Forecasting Social Unrest Using Activity Cascades.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Cadena

    Full Text Available Social unrest is endemic in many societies, and recent news has drawn attention to happenings in Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Civilian populations mobilize, sometimes spontaneously and sometimes in an organized manner, to raise awareness of key issues or to demand changes in governing or other organizational structures. It is of key interest to social scientists and policy makers to forecast civil unrest using indicators observed on media such as Twitter, news, and blogs. We present an event forecasting model using a notion of activity cascades in Twitter (proposed by Gonzalez-Bailon et al., 2011 to predict the occurrence of protests in three countries of Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela. The basic assumption is that the emergence of a suitably detected activity cascade is a precursor or a surrogate to a real protest event that will happen "on the ground." Our model supports the theoretical characterization of large cascades using spectral properties and uses properties of detected cascades to forecast events. Experimental results on many datasets, including the recent June 2013 protests in Brazil, demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

  9. Scientists want more children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Lincoln, Anne E

    2011-01-01

    Scholars partly attribute the low number of women in academic science to the impact of the science career on family life. Yet, the picture of how men and women in science--at different points in the career trajectory--compare in their perceptions of this impact is incomplete. In particular, we know little about the perceptions and experiences of junior and senior scientists at top universities, institutions that have a disproportionate influence on science, science policy, and the next generation of scientists. Here we show that having fewer children than wished as a result of the science career affects the life satisfaction of science faculty and indirectly affects career satisfaction, and that young scientists (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) who have had fewer children than wished are more likely to plan to exit science entirely. We also show that the impact of science on family life is not just a woman's problem; the effect on life satisfaction of having fewer children than desired is more pronounced for male than female faculty, with life satisfaction strongly related to career satisfaction. And, in contrast to other research, gender differences among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows disappear. Family factors impede talented young scientists of both sexes from persisting to research positions in academic science. In an era when the global competitiveness of US science is at risk, it is concerning that a significant proportion of men and women trained in the select few spots available at top US research universities are considering leaving science and that such desires to leave are related to the impact of the science career on family life. Results from our study may inform university family leave policies for science departments as well as mentoring programs in the sciences.

  10. Scientists want more children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Howard Ecklund

    Full Text Available Scholars partly attribute the low number of women in academic science to the impact of the science career on family life. Yet, the picture of how men and women in science--at different points in the career trajectory--compare in their perceptions of this impact is incomplete. In particular, we know little about the perceptions and experiences of junior and senior scientists at top universities, institutions that have a disproportionate influence on science, science policy, and the next generation of scientists. Here we show that having fewer children than wished as a result of the science career affects the life satisfaction of science faculty and indirectly affects career satisfaction, and that young scientists (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have had fewer children than wished are more likely to plan to exit science entirely. We also show that the impact of science on family life is not just a woman's problem; the effect on life satisfaction of having fewer children than desired is more pronounced for male than female faculty, with life satisfaction strongly related to career satisfaction. And, in contrast to other research, gender differences among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows disappear. Family factors impede talented young scientists of both sexes from persisting to research positions in academic science. In an era when the global competitiveness of US science is at risk, it is concerning that a significant proportion of men and women trained in the select few spots available at top US research universities are considering leaving science and that such desires to leave are related to the impact of the science career on family life. Results from our study may inform university family leave policies for science departments as well as mentoring programs in the sciences.

  11. Globalization and Social Justice in OECD Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Björn Kauder; Niklas Potrafke

    2015-01-01

    Social justice is a topic of importance to social scientists and also political decision makers. We examine the relationship between globalization and social justice as measured by a new indicator for 31 OECD countries. The results show that countries that experienced rapid globalization enjoy social justice. When the KOF index of globalization increases by one standard deviation, the social justice indicator increases by about 0.4 points (on a scale from 1 to 10). The policy implication is t...

  12. EGU's Early Career Scientists Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts Artal, L.; Rietbroek, R.

    2017-12-01

    The EGU encourages early career scientists (ECS) to become involved in interdisciplinary research in the Earth, planetary and space sciences, through sessions, social events and short courses at the annual General Assembly in April and throughout the year. Through division-level representatives, all ECS members can have direct input into matters of the division. A Union-wide representative, who sits on the EGU Council, ensures that ECS are heard at a higher level in the Union too. After a brief introduction as to how the network is organised and structured, this presentation will discuss how EGU ECS activities have been tailored to the needs of ECS members and how those needs have been identified. Reaching and communicating opportunities to ECS remains an ongoing challenge; they will be discussed in this presentation too, as well as some thoughts on how to make them more effective. Finally, the service offered to EGU ECS members would certainly benefit from building links and collaboration with other early career networks in the geosciences. This presentation will outline some of our efforts in that direction and the challenges that remain.

  13. Educating the Next Generation of Lunar Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaner, A. J.; Shipp, S. S.; Allen, J. S.; Kring, D. A.

    2010-12-01

    lunar scientists. This panel judges the presentations and selects one team to present their research at the annual NLSI Forum. In addition to research, teams interact with lunar scientists during monthly webcasts in which scientists present information on lunar science and careers. Working with school guidance counselors, the CLSE staff assists interested students in making connections with lunar science faculty across the country. Evaluation data from the pilot program revealed that the program influenced some students to consider a career in science or helped to strengthen their current desire to pursue a career in science. The most common feedback from both teachers and mentors was that they would like more direction from CLSE staff. In light of these findings, a few questions arise when looking ahead. How do we meet the needs of our participants without compromising the program’s open inquiry philosophy? Are our expectations simply not clear? How do we keep students excited once the program ends? Is it feasible, as a community, to support them from the moment the program ends until they enter college? Finally, do we have a responsibility as a community to work together to connect students with university faculty?

  14. Academic and non-academic career options for marine scientists. - Support measures for early career scientists offered at MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hebbeln, Dierk; Klose, Christina

    2015-04-01

    Early career scientists at MARUM cover a wide range of research topics and disciplines including geosciences, biology, chemistry, social sciences and law. Just as colourful as the disciplinary background of the people, are their ideas for their personal careers. With our services and programmes, we aim to address some important career planning needs of PhD students and early career Postdocs, both, for careers in science and for careers outside academia. For PhD students aiming to stay in science, MARUM provides funding opportunities for a research stay abroad for a duration of up to 6 months. A range of courses is offered to prepare for the first Postdoc position. These include trainings in applying for research funding, proposal writing and interview skills. Following MARUM lectures which are held once a month, early career scientists are offered the opportunity to talk to senior scientists from all over the world in an informal Meet&Greet. Mentoring and coaching programmes for women in science are offered in cooperation with the office for equal opportunities at the University of Bremen. These programmes offer an additional opportunity to train interpersonal skills and to develop personal career strategies including a focus on special challenges that especially women might (have to) face in the scientific community. Early career scientists aiming for a non-academic career find support on different levels. MARUM provides funding opportunities for placements in industry, administration, consulting or similar. We offer trainings in e.g. job hunting strategies or interview skills. For a deeper insight into jobs outside the academic world, we regularly invite professionals for informal fireside chats and career days. These events are organised in cooperation with other graduate programmes in the region to broaden the focus of both, the lecturers and the participants. A fundamental component of our career programmes is the active involvement of alumni of MARUM and our

  15. The "Self-Interested" Woman Academic: A Consideration of Beck's Model of the "Individualised Individual"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skelton, Christine

    2005-01-01

    The work of Ulrich Beck, particularly his concept of the "individualised individual", is increasingly cited by educational social scientists. As yet, there have been few empirical investigations that consider how applicable and relevant is the notion of the "individualised individual" in understanding how people make sense of…

  16. Natural hazards Early career scientist Team (NhET), a newborn group bridging science to a broader community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombardo, Luigi; Cigala, Valeria; Rizzi, Jonathan; Craciun, Iulya; Gain, Animesh Kumar; Albano, Raffaele

    2017-04-01

    Alongside with other major EGU divisions, Natural Hazard has recently formed his Early Career Scientist (ECS) team, known as NhET. NhET was born in 2016 and its scope includes various activities for the EGU members, the international scientific community as well as for the general public. We are a group of six early career researchers, either PhDs or Post-Docs, from different fields of Natural Hazard, keen to promote knowledge exchanges and collaborations. This is done by organizing courses, training sessions and social activities, especially targeting ECSs, during the EGU General Assembly for this year and the next to come. Outside the timeframe of the EGU conference, we constantly promote EGU contents for our division. This is done through the division website (http://www.egu.eu/nh), a mailing list (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/nhet) and social media. With respect to the latter, a new Facebook page will be launched shortly and other platforms such as Twitter will be used to reach a broader audience. These platforms will foster the transmission of Natural Hazard topics to anyone who is interested. The main content will be researchers' interviews, information about open positions, trainings, open source software, conferences together with news on hazards and their anthropic and environmental impacts. We are NhET and we invite you all to follow and collaborate with us for a more dynamic, efficient and widespread scientific communication.

  17. Ask a Scientist: What is Color Blindness?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Information Optical Illusions Printables Ask a Scientist Video Series Why can’t you see colors well in ... and more with our Ask a Scientist video series. Dr. Sheldon Miller answers questions about color blindness, ...

  18. Ask a Scientist: What is Color Blindness?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ask a Scientist Video Series Listen All About Vision About the Eye Ask a Scientist Video Series ... Eye Health and Safety First Aid Tips Healthy Vision Tips Protective Eyewear Sports and Your Eyes Fun ...

  19. Variation in information use in the evaluation of the social acceptability of nuclear waste management options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, P.T.

    1991-01-01

    This article considers how technical information is used in forming judgements about such complex technological phenomena as nuclear waste management. Public understanding and acceptance of innovations is also considered, particularly where health and safety issues are involved. Education of the public is not a total solution. Many problems include political, social or ethical aspects which impinge on how they are judged by non-scientists. In addition, the vested interests of various parties must be weighed. A field-based experiment is described which is designed to illustrate the difference between ''normal'' and ''normative'' evaluation procedures used by both technically experienced and lay participants. (UK)

  20. Evolving the theory and praxis of knowledge translation through social interaction: a social phenomenological study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Forbes Dorothy

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background As an inherently human process fraught with subjectivity, dynamic interaction, and change, social interaction knowledge translation (KT invites implementation scientists to explore what might be learned from adopting the academic tradition of social constructivism and an interpretive research approach. This paper presents phenomenological investigation of the second cycle of a participatory action KT intervention in the home care sector to answer the question: What is the nature of the process of implementing KT through social interaction? Methods Social phenomenology was selected to capture how the social processes of the KT intervention were experienced, with the aim of representing these as typical socially-constituted patterns. Participants (n = 203, including service providers, case managers, administrators, and researchers organized into nine geographically-determined multi-disciplinary action groups, purposefully selected and audiotaped three meetings per group to capture their enactment of the KT process at early, middle, and end-of-cycle timeframes. Data, comprised of 36 hours of transcribed audiotapes augmented by researchers' field notes, were analyzed using social phenomenology strategies and authenticated through member checking and peer review. Results Four patterns of social interaction representing organization, team, and individual interests were identified: overcoming barriers and optimizing facilitators; integrating 'science push' and 'demand pull' approaches within the social interaction process; synthesizing the research evidence with tacit professional craft and experiential knowledge; and integrating knowledge creation, transfer, and uptake throughout everyday work. Achieved through relational transformative leadership constituted simultaneously by both structure and agency, in keeping with social phenomenology analysis approaches, these four patterns are represented holistically in a typical

  1. Managing scientists leadership strategies in research and development

    CERN Document Server

    Sapienza, Alice M

    1995-01-01

    Managing Scientists Leadership Strategies in Research and Development Alice M. Sapienza "I found ...this book to be exciting ...Speaking as someone who has spent 30 years grappling with these issues, I certainly would be a customer." -Robert I. Taber, PhD Senior Vice President of Research & Development Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation In today's climate of enormous scientific and technologic competition, it is more crucial than ever that scientists involved in research and development be managed well. Often trained as individual researchers, scientists can find integration into teams difficult. Managers, from both scientific and nonscientific backgrounds, who are responsible for these teams frequently find effective team building a long and challenging process. Managing Scientists offers strategies for fostering communication and collaboration among scientists. It shows how to build cohesive, productive, and focused teams to succeed in the competitive research and development marketplace. This book wil...

  2. Object interest in autism spectrum disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    MCDUFFIE, ANDREA S.; LIEBERMAN, REBECCA G.; YODER, PAUL J.

    2014-01-01

    A randomized control trial comparing two social communication treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder examined the effect of treatment on object interest. Thirty-two children, 18–60 months, were randomly assigned to the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or Responsive Education and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching (RPMT) condition. Assessment of object interest was conducted in an unstructured play session with different toys, activities, adult, and location than experienced in treatment. Results indicated children in the RPMT condition showed greater increases in object interest as compared to children in the PECS condition. Because child characteristics such as interest in objects may influence response to interventions using object play as contexts for treatment, it is important to improve our understanding of whether intervention can affect object interest. PMID:22133872

  3. Situational interest in engineering design activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dohn, Niels Bonderup

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present mixed-method study was to investigate task-based situational interest of sixth grade students (n=46), between 12 and 14 years old, during an eight-week engineering design programme in a Science & Technology-class. Students’ interests were investigated by means...... of a descriptive interpretative analysis of qualitative data from classroom observations and informal interviews. The analysis was complemented by a self-report survey to validate findings and determine prevalence. The analysis revealed four main sources of interest: designing inventions, trial......-and-error experimentation, achieved functionality of invention, and collaboration. These sources differ in terms of stimuli factors, such as novelty, autonomy (choice), social involvement, self-generation of interest, and task goal orientation. The study shows that design tasks stimulated interest, but only to the extent...

  4. Crawling Big Data in a New Frontier for Socioeconomic Research: Testing with social tagging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan D. Borrero

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Tags, keywords freely chosen by users for annotating resources, offers a new way for organizing and retrieving web resources that closely reflect the users’ interests and preferences, and also automatically generate folksonomies. Social tagging systems have gained increasing popularity as a method for annotating and categorizing a wide range of different web resources. They also attract researchers in social sciences because they offer a huge quantity of user-generated annotations that reveal the interests of millions of people. To date, the study using digital trace data methods continues to lack a theoretical framework, particularly in social science research. This paper presents a methodology to use big data from Web 2.0 in social research. At the same time, it applies a method to extract data from a particular social bookmarking site (Delicious and shows the sort of results that this type of analysis can offer to social scientists. The illustration is made around the topic globalization of agriculture Using data crawled from a large social tagging system, can have an important impact in the discovering of latent patterns, which is basic in order to provide effective recommendations to different actors. In this paper a sample of 851 users, 526 URLs and 1,700 tags from the Delicious classification system on the subject of globalization were retrieved and analysed. Through the analysis main users and websites around globalization issues in Delicious emerged, and also the most important tags that were applied by users to describe the globalization of agriculture were discovered. The implications of these methodology and findings for further research are discussed.

  5. Education and Outreach: Advice to Young Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, R. M. C.

    2005-08-01

    Carl Sagan set an example to all scientists when he encouraged us to reach out to the public and share the excitement of discovery and exploration. The prejudice that ensued did not deter Sagan and, with the passing of years, more and more scientists have followed his example. Although at present scientists at all ranks are encouraged by their institutions to do outreach, the balancing of a successful scientific career with teaching and outreach is often not an easy one. Young scientists, in particular, may worry about how their outreach efforts are viewed in the community and how they will find the time and energy for these efforts. This talk will offer suggestions on how to balance an active science research program with outreach activities, the many different ways to engage in education and public outreach, and how the rewards are truly priceless.

  6. Women Young Scientists of INSA | Women in Science | Initiatives ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Initiatives; Women in Science; Women Young Scientists of INSA. Women Young Scientists of INSA. INSA - Indian National Science Academy .... Charusita Chakravarty, one of the stars of our community of women scientists, at a young ...

  7. Global climate change: Social and economic research issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rice, M.; Snow, J.; Jacobson, H.

    1992-05-01

    This workshop was designed to bring together a group of scholars, primarily from the social sciences, to explore research that might help in dealing with global climate change. To illustrate the state of present understanding, it seemed useful to focus this workshop on three broad questions that are involved in coping with climate change. These are: (1) How can the anticipated economic costs and benefits of climate change be identified; (2) How can the impacts of climate change be adjusted to or avoided; (3) What previously studied models are available for institutional management of the global environment? The resulting discussions may (1) identify worthwhile avenues for further social science research, (2) help develop feedback for natural scientists about research information from this domain needed by social scientists, and (3) provide policymakers with the sort of relevant research information from the social science community that is currently available

  8. Ask a Scientist: What is Color Blindness?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Stuff Cool Eye Tricks Links to More Information Optical Illusions Printables Ask a Scientist Video Series Why can’ ... a scientist? Click to Watch What is an optical illusion? Click to Watch What is color blindness? Click ...

  9. Corporate social responsibility: an assessment of the enlightened self-interest model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keim, G D

    1978-01-01

    Much recent discussion of corporate social responsibility has concerned operationality. Many activities subsumed under corporate social responsibility can be shown to be public or partially public goods. The theory of public goods can clarify and explain some complex problems of operationalizing the social responsibility doctrine. An examination of philanthropy provides some behavioral applications.

  10. Depression and creativity - the case of the German poet, scientist and statesman J. W. v. Goethe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holm-Hadulla, Rainer M; Roussel, Martin; Hofmann, Frank-Hagen

    2010-12-01

    Goethe was one of the most creative poets, scientists and statesmen ever existing. Since the age of fourteen, he suffered from severe mood swings. His descriptions of feelings, emotions, and mental states related to temperamental and poetic melancholy, depressive episodes, dysthymic phases, and creativity are unique in respect to their phenomenological precision and richness. Furthermore, his (self-) therapeutic strategies and his self transformation in literature remain interesting until today for psychopathology, psychotherapy and creativity research. Goethe's self-assessments in his works and letters as well as the description of him by others are analysed by phenomenological and hermeneutic methods from the perspective of current psychiatric classification and psychotherapeutic knowledge. From a modern scientific perspective Goethe's mood swings are not to be regarded as expressions of a "poet's melancholy" in fashion at his time but as symptoms of depressive episodes. Several distinctive depressive episodes can be diagnosed which were characterized by long lasting depressive mood, lack of drive, interests and self-esteem combined with social retreat and physical illness. Moreover, Goethe described a mood disorder which fits into the modern concept of "driven dysthymia" or Bipolar II disorder. Goethe's depressive moods were associated with eminent poetic creativity whereas in times of scientific and political productivity Goethe seemed to be protected against depressive episodes. Phenomenological and hermeneutic analysis cannot offer causal explanations but only reasons for understanding and communicative action. In Goethe's life poetic incubation, illumination and elaboration seemed to be associated with psychic labilisation and dysthymia, sometimes with depressive episodes in a clinical sense. Thus, creative work was on the one hand triggered by depressive and dysthymic moods and served on the other hand to cope with depressive moods as well as with suicidal

  11. Conflict of interest and bias in publication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macklin, Ruth

    2016-01-01

    In his excellent article about commercial conflict of interest, Mark Wilson quotes Dennis Thompson, a political scientist who provided a searching analysis of the concept of conflict of interest (Col). Using Thompson's analysis, Wilson writes: "Determining whether factors such as ambition, the pursuit of fame and financial gain had biased a judgment was challenging. Motives are not always clear to either the conflicted party or to an outside observer." In this commentary, I aim to broaden the discussion beyond the narrowly commercial aspects of Col. I argue that bias can be introduced in major scientific journals by the editors' choices and policies. The context is a controversy that erupted in 2013 over the adequacy of informed consent in a clinical trial involving extremely premature infants. In this, as in Wilson's example, the players included the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), as well as the highest officials of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

  12. Self-interest and the theory of action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbalet, Jack

    2012-09-01

    The concept of self-interest remains underdeveloped in sociology although central to economics. Recent methodological and social trends render sociological indifference to the concept untenable. The term has enjoyed historical predominance in the West since the sixteenth century. While it is seen in modern economics as a singular motivating force, Adam Smith regarded self-interest in economic action as necessarily moderated by sympathy. In addition to its problematic economic conceptualization self-interest has an experiential basis in unequal power relations. An alternative to the concept of self-interest is presented by Amartya Sen in his account of commitment; its inconsistencies, however, render Sen's statement unsatisfactory. Differences between present and future interests indicate that the distinction between self-interested and other-interested action is not sustainable. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2012.

  13. Engaging science communication that are time-saving for scientists using new online technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lilja Bye, Bente

    2016-04-01

    Science communication is a time consuming and challenging task. Communicating scientific results comes on top of doing science itself and the administrative work the modern day scientists have to cope with. The competition on peoples time and attention is also fierce. In order to get peoples attention and interest, it is today often required that there is a two-way communication. The audience needs and wants to be engaged, even in real-time. The skills and times required to do that is normally not included in the university curricula. In this presentation we will look at new technologies that can help scientists overcome some of those skills and time challenges. The new online technologies that has been tested and developed in other societal areas, can be of great use for research and the important science communication. We will illustrate this through an example from biodiversity, wetlands and these fields use of Earth observations. Both the scientists themselves representing different fields of research and the general public are being engaged effectively and efficiently through specifically designed online events/seminars/workshops. The scientists are able to learn from each other while also engaging in live dialogues with the audience. A cooperation between the Group of Earth Observations and the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands will be used to illustrate the method. Within the global Earth observation community, where this example comes from, there is a great potential for efficient capacity building, targeting both experts, decision-makers and the general public. The method presented is demonstrating one way of tapping into that potential using new online technologies and it can easily be transferred to other fields of geoscience and science in general.

  14. The Military Accessions Vital to National Interest Program: What It Is and How It Can Be Made Relevant

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-19

    of Soldiers from the Civil Affairs branch and civilian social scientists who specialize in a particular culture.104 In the context of...111 Ibid., 10. 34 physical terrain with synthesis of the social , cultural and economic factors that...Arabic Tunisian (BW) Arabic Yemeni (AU) Azerbaijani (AX) Bengali (BN) Burmese (BY) Cambodian-Khmer (CA) Cebuano (VB) Chinese Cantonese (CC) Chinese

  15. Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, K. A.; Langendijk, G.; Bahar, F.; Huang-Lachmann, J. T.; Osman, M.; Mirsafa, M.; Sonntag, S.

    2017-12-01

    The Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) community is compiled of early career researchers (including students) coming from a range of scientific backgrounds, spanning both natural and social sciences. YESS unifies young researchers in an influential network to give them a collective voice and leverage within the geosciences community, while supporting career development. The YESS community has used its powerful network to provide a unified perspective on the future of Earth system science (Rauser et al. 2017), to be involved in the organization of international conferences, and to engage with existing international structures that coordinate science. Since its founding in Germany in 2010, the YESS community has grown extensively across the globe, with currently almost 1000 members from over 80 countries, and has become truly interdisciplinary. Recently, the organization has carried elections for Regional Representatives and the Executive Committee as part of its self-sustained governance structure. YESS is ready to continue pioneering crucial areas of research which provide solutions to benefit society for the long-term advancement of Earth system science.

  16. Crocodile years: the traditional image of science and physical scientists' participation in weapons research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crews, R.J.

    1985-01-01

    This thesis examines one dimension of the relationship between science and the arms race. More specifically, it develops and empirically examines a theoretical model of the relationship between the social demand for defense-related and weapons research, traditional scientific values related to the worldview of classical physics, and differential participation by physical scientists in such research. The theoretical model suggests that an antiquated traditional image of science exists, and that it may explain, in part, participation by physical scientists in defense-related or weapons research. Two major hypotheses are suggested by the model: first, that a constellation of values representing a traditional image of science obtains today among young physical scientists; and second, that those who currently engage (or are willing to engage) in defense-related or weapons research are more likely to agree with the values implicit in the traditional image of science than those who do not (or would not) engage in such research. The theoretical model is located within the sociologies of knowledge and science. This study includes chapters that provide an overview of the literature of these subdisciplines. This investigation concludes with an empirical examination of the model and hypotheses.

  17. Creatiing a Collaborative Research Network for Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunn, W.

    2012-12-01

    This abstract proposes a discussion of how professional science communication and scientific cooperation can become more efficient through the use of modern social network technology, using the example of Mendeley. Mendeley is a research workflow and collaboration tool which crowdsources real-time research trend information and semantic annotations of research papers in a central data store, thereby creating a "social research network" that is emergent from the research data added to the platform. We describe how Mendeley's model can overcome barriers for collaboration by turning research papers into social objects, making academic data publicly available via an open API, and promoting more efficient collaboration. Central to the success of Mendeley has been the creation of a tool that works for the researcher without the requirement of being part of an explicit social network. Mendeley automatically extracts metadata from research papers, and allows a researcher to annotate, tag and organize their research collection. The tool integrates with the paper writing workflow and provides advanced collaboration options, thus significantly improving researchers' productivity. By anonymously aggregating usage data, Mendeley enables the emergence of social metrics and real-time usage stats on top of the articles' abstract metadata. In this way a social network of collaborators, and people genuinely interested in content, emerges. By building this research network around the article as the social object, a social layer of direct relevance to academia emerges. As science, particularly Earth sciences with their large shared resources, become more and more global, the management and coordination of research is more and more dependent on technology to support these distributed collaborations.

  18. Increasing both the public health potential of basic research and the scientist satisfaction. An international survey of bio-scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorrentino, Carmen; Boggio, Andrea; Confalonieri, Stefano; Hemenway, David; Scita, Giorgio; Ballabeni, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Basic scientific research generates knowledge that has intrinsic value which is independent of future applications. Basic research may also lead to practical benefits, such as a new drug or diagnostic method. Building on our previous study of basic biomedical and biological researchers at Harvard, we present findings from a new survey of similar scientists from three countries. The goal of this study was to design policies to enhance both the public health potential and the work satisfaction and test scientists' attitudes towards these factors. The present survey asked about the scientists' motivations, goals and perspectives along with their attitudes concerning  policies designed to increase both the practical (i.e. public health) benefits of basic research as well as their own personal satisfaction. Close to 900 basic investigators responded to the survey; results corroborate the main findings from the previous survey of Harvard scientists. In addition, we find that most bioscientists disfavor present policies that require a discussion of the public health potential of their proposals in grants but generally favor softer policies aimed at increasing the quality of work and the potential practical benefits of basic research. In particular, bioscientists are generally supportive of those policies entailing the organization of more meetings between scientists and the general public, the organization of more academic discussion about the role of scientists in the society, and the implementation of a "basic bibliography" for each new approved drug.

  19. Researchgate Projects: Unregulated Academic Social Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teixeira da Silva Jaime A.

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ResearchGate (RG is one of the most popular academic social media platforms currently available to scientists. Allowing scientists, researchers and academics (SRAs to network through the creation of a free account. RG provides a virtually unlimited ability for SRAs to share research, contact each other through an integrated platform and share ideas. In recent times, projects have been increasing in scope and visibility, fortifying the RG network status. This paper examines some of the project-related features at RG and points out, within a wider examination of RG and other SRA-oriented academic social media platforms, the existing benefits and risks. The results of this work will allow SRAs to manage and invest their time in a better way.

  20. International scientific communication in the context of social networking sites for scientists

    OpenAIRE

    Stachowiak, Beata

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, the author considers the alterations that occurred in the international scientific communication. It is mainly technological development that exerts the influence over these alterations – particularly the emergence of new media. The major part of this paper is dedicated to the issue of the use of social networking sites in scientific communication. In her considerations, the author refers to the world-wide research pertaining to social media in the meantime demonstrating the at...

  1. Social Media - An Interactive and Engaging Approach to Bring the Science to the People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durscher, Romeo; Wawro, Martha

    2013-03-01

    NASA has embraced social media as a valuable tool to communicate the activities of the agency in fulfillment of its mission. Team SDO continues to be on the forefront of using social media in a very engaging and interactive way and share mission information, solar images and space weather updates via a variety of social media platforms and outlets. We will present the impact SDO's social media strategy has made, including follower, friends and fan statistics from Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and other outlets. We will discuss the various social media outlets and the techniques we use for reaching and engaging our audience. Effectiveness is measured through the use of various automatically gathered statistics and level of public engagement. Of key importance to effective social media use is having access to scientists who can quickly respond to questions and express their answers in meaningful ways to the public. Our presentation will highlight the importance of scientist involvement and suggest ways for encouraging more scientists to support these efforts. We will present some of the social media plans for 2012 and discuss how we can continue to educate, inform, engage and inspire.

  2. Scientists' Perceptions of Communicating During Crises

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dohaney, J. A.; Hudson-Doyle, E.; Brogt, E.; Wilson, T. M.; Kennedy, B.

    2015-12-01

    To further our understanding of how to enhance student science and risk communication skills in natural hazards and earth science courses, we conducted a pilot study to assess the different perceptions of expert scientists and risk communication practitioners versus the perceptions of students. These differences will be used to identify expert views on best practice, and improve the teaching of communication skills at the University level. In this pilot study, a perceptions questionnaire was developed and validated. Within this, respondents (geoscientists, engineers, and emergency managers; n=44) were asked to determine their agreement with the use and effectiveness of specific communication strategies (within the first 72 hours after a devastating earthquake) when communicating to the public. In terms of strategies and information to the public, the respondents were mostly in agreement, but there were several statements which elicited large differences between expert responses: 1) the role and purpose of the scientific communication during crises (to persuade people to care, to provide advice, to empower people to take action); 2) the scientist's delivery (showing the scientists emotions and enthusiasm for scientific concepts they are discussing); and 3) the amount of data that is discussed (being comprehensive versus 'only the important' data). The most disagreed upon dimension was related to whether to disclose any political influence on the communication. Additionally, scientists identified that being an effective communicator was an important part of their job, and agreed that it is important to practice these skills. Respondents generally indicated that while scientists should be accountable for the science advice provided, they should not be held liable.

  3. NASA's Earth Observatory: 16 Years of Communicating with and for Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, K.; Carlowicz, M. J.; Allen, J.; Voiland, A.; Przyborski, P.; Hansen, K.; Stevens, J.

    2015-12-01

    For the past 16 years NASA's Earth Observatory website has featured stories that are driven by strong visualization and in-depth reporting and storytelling. The Earth Observatory Image of the Day is published 365 days a year and is a syndication staple for major news outlets, science-related publications, blogs and social media outlets. The daily publication pace requires that we cover a wide range of topics within NASA's portfolio of Earth science research. To meet our deadlines, and to do so competently and with the authority that a NASA-branded publication warrants, we have developed relationships with scientists from throughout the agency who both provide us with ideas for stories and review our content for accuracy. This symbiotic relationship insures that the Earth Observatory has a quality product that is syndicated, repurposed and sourced throughout popular media, resulting in science content reaching the public that might not otherwise be reported. We will discuss how we have developed our relationships and processes over the years, how we work with scientists to see the potential stories in their data, and how we package and promote these stories and visualizations for maximum exposure and reuse.

  4. Social insects inspire human design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holbrook, C. Tate; Clark, Rebecca M.; Moore, Dani; Overson, Rick P.; Penick, Clint A.; Smith, Adrian A.

    2010-01-01

    The international conference ‘Social Biomimicry: Insect Societies and Human Design’, hosted by Arizona State University, USA, 18–20 February 2010, explored how the collective behaviour and nest architecture of social insects can inspire innovative and effective solutions to human design challenges. It brought together biologists, designers, engineers, computer scientists, architects and businesspeople, with the dual aims of enriching biology and advancing biomimetic design. PMID:20392721

  5. Photonics4All Crossword: Light Scientist

    OpenAIRE

    Dr. Adam, Aurèle

    2015-01-01

    Photonics4All developed the quiz “The Optics Scientist“. It tests our knowledge regarding famous people in optics & photonics. 14 famous scientists you should know, if you consider yourself a photoncis experts, are presented! For instance: Do you know the Dutch scientist who lived in Delft and invented the microscope? …find our more & test yourself, your friends, co-workers, students or family members!

  6. THE GREAT RUSSIAN SCIENTIST M.V. LOMONOSOV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.L. Mikirtichan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This article presents reflections on the contribution of the great Russian scientist, one of the most prominent world science stars Mikhail Lomonosov (8/19.11.1711–4/15.04.1765 in connection with the 300th anniversary of his birth celebrated in 2011. Particular attention is paid to his role as an advocate for the development of domestic education and science, and his views on medicine. In the same year we are celebrating the 250 years anniversary since M. Lomonosov’s writing the letter to I.I. Shuvalov, «On the saving and reproduction of the Russian People» (1761, which contained an extensive program of increasing the country's population,  which included a range of legal, social and medical measures to help increase fertility and reduce child mortality. Key words: M. V. Lomonosov, I. I. Shuvalov, Moscow University, «On the saving and reproduction of the Russian people». (Pediatric pharmacology. — 2011; 8 (6: 136–140.

  7. Integrating social science into empirical models of coupled human and natural systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey D. Kline

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Coupled human and natural systems (CHANS research highlights reciprocal interactions (or feedbacks between biophysical and socioeconomic variables to explain system dynamics and resilience. Empirical models often are used to test hypotheses and apply theory that represent human behavior. Parameterizing reciprocal interactions presents two challenges for social scientists: (1 how to represent human behavior as influenced by biophysical factors and integrate this into CHANS empirical models; (2 how to organize and function as a multidisciplinary social science team to accomplish that task. We reflect on these challenges regarding our CHANS research that investigated human adaptation to fire-prone landscapes. Our project sought to characterize the forest management activities of land managers and landowners (or "actors" and their influence on wildfire behavior and landscape outcomes by focusing on biophysical and socioeconomic feedbacks in central Oregon (USA. We used an agent-based model (ABM to compile biophysical and social information pertaining to actor behavior, and to project future landscape conditions under alternative management scenarios. Project social scientists were tasked with identifying actors' forest management activities and biophysical and socioeconomic factors that influence them, and with developing decision rules for incorporation into the ABM to represent actor behavior. We (1 briefly summarize what we learned about actor behavior on this fire-prone landscape and how we represented it in an ABM, and (2 more significantly, report our observations about how we organized and functioned as a diverse team of social scientists to fulfill these CHANS research tasks. We highlight several challenges we experienced, involving quantitative versus qualitative data and methods, distilling complex behavior into empirical models, varying sensitivity of biophysical models to social factors, synchronization of research tasks, and the need to

  8. Women scientists reflections, challenges, and breaking boundaries

    CERN Document Server

    Hargittai, Magdolna

    2015-01-01

    Magdolna Hargittai uses over fifteen years of in-depth conversation with female physicists, chemists, biomedical researchers, and other scientists to form cohesive ideas on the state of the modern female scientist. The compilation, based on sixty conversations, examines unique challenges that women with serious scientific aspirations face. In addition to addressing challenges and the unjustifiable underrepresentation of women at the higher levels of academia, Hargittai takes a balanced approach by discussing how some of the most successful of these women have managed to obtain professional success and personal happiness. Women Scientists portrays scientists from different backgrounds, different geographical regions-eighteen countries from four continents-and leaders from a variety of professional backgrounds, including eight Nobel laureate women. The book is divided into three sections: "Husband and Wife Teams," "Women at the Top," and "In High Positions." Hargittai uses her own experience to introduce her fi...

  9. Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignments Shift Students' Stereotypes of Scientists and Enhance Science Identity in a Diverse Introductory Science Class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinske, Jeffrey N.; Perkins, Heather; Snyder, Amanda; Wyer, Mary

    2016-01-01

    Research into science identity, stereotype threat, and possible selves suggests a lack of diverse representations of scientists could impede traditionally underserved students from persisting and succeeding in science. We evaluated a series of metacognitive homework assignments ("Scientist Spotlights") that featured counterstereotypical…

  10. Scholars and Social Media: Tweeting in the Conference Backchannel for Professional Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiahang; Greenhow, Christine

    2015-01-01

    Social media are fundamentally changing core practices in various industries. Although surveys indicate that social media are impacting social scientists, we know little about how education scholars, specifically, use social media for their work or professional learning. This article explores how educational scholars incorporated the social media,…

  11. Establishing an agenda for social studies research in marine renewable energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerr, Sandy; Watts, Laura; Colton, John; Conway, Flaxen; Hull, Angela; Johnson, Kate; Jude, Simon; Kannen, Andreas; MacDougall, Shelley; McLachlan, Carly; Potts, Tavis; Vergunst, Jo

    2014-01-01

    To date, academic research relating to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) has largely focused on resource assessment, technical viability and environmental impact. Experiences from onshore renewable energy tell us that social acceptability is equally critical to project success. However, the specific nature of the marine environment, patterns of resource distribution and governance means experiences from onshore may not be directly applicable to MRE and the marine environment. This paper sets out an agenda for social studies research linked to MRE, identifying key topics for future research: (i) economic impacts; (ii) wealth distribution and community benefits; (iii) communication and knowledge flow; (iv) consultation processes; (v) dealing with uncertainty; (vi) public attitudes; and (vii) planning processes. This agenda is based on the findings of the first workshop of ISSMER, an international research network of social scientists with interests in marine renewable energy. Importantly, this research agenda has been informed by the experiences of developers, regulators and community groups in Orkney. The Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, is home to the most intense cluster of MRE research, development and deployment activity in the world today. - Highlights: • Existing marine renewable energy (MRE) research fails to address many social issues. • Social acceptability is essential to the future viability of the MRE industry. • An agenda is established for social science research into MRE

  12. Introduction to the Social and Psychological Dynamics of Collective Action

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Zomeren, Martijn; Iyer, Aarti

    2009-01-01

    Collective action is one of the core mechanisms of social change, and thus of major importance to social scientists, practitioners, and policy-makers. Our goal in editing this issue is to bring together recent advances on the social and psychological dynamics of collective action among members of

  13. New Frontiers in Analyzing Dynamic Group Interactions : Bridging Social and Computer Science

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lehmann-Willenbrock, Nale; Hung, H.S.; Keyton, Joann

    2017-01-01

    This special issue on advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and social scientists documents the joint results of the international Lorentz workshop, “Interdisciplinary Insights into Group and Team Dynamics,” which took place in Leiden, The Netherlands, July 2016.

  14. Relationships among Middle-School Adolescents' Vocational Skills, Motivational Approaches, and Interests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Sherri L.; Conkel, Julia; Starkey, Michael T.; Landgraf, Rachel

    2010-01-01

    This study examined gender differences in relationships among vocational skills, motivational approaches, and same-gender and cross-gender interests for urban adolescents. Results showed gender differences in interests, with males having greater Realistic interests and females having greater Artistic and Social interests, based on Holland's (1997)…

  15. Situational Interest in Engineering Design Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonderup Dohn, Niels

    2013-08-01

    The aim of the present mixed-method study was to investigate task-based situational interest of sixth grade students (n = 46), between 12 and 14 years old, during an eight-week engineering design programme in a Science & Technology-class. Students' interests were investigated by means of a descriptive interpretative analysis of qualitative data from classroom observations and informal interviews. The analysis was complemented by a self-report survey to validate findings and determine prevalence. The analysis revealed four main sources of interest: designing inventions, trial-and-error experimentation, achieved functionality of invention, and collaboration. These sources differ in terms of stimuli factors, such as novelty, autonomy (choice), social involvement, self-generation of interest, and task goal orientation. The study shows that design tasks stimulated interest, but only to the extent that students were able to self-regulate their learning strategies.

  16. Cold War salons, social science, and the cure for modern society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen-Cole, Jamie

    2009-06-01

    This essay examines how post-World War II Americans linked their understanding of domestic society and international affairs by using a common lens of psychological and characterological analysis for both. That lens was fashioned by social scientists and developed to study conformity and its opposite, creative and autonomous selfhood. Creativity offered a means to achieve the liberal national society they desired. Social scientists managed their technical definitions of conformity and autonomy as a way of defining reasonable political sentiment. This essay details how, ultimately, the forms of self and sociality they advocated for America were grounded in the kinds of community and interpersonal interaction they valued in their own professional lives.

  17. Exploring the Potential of Using Stories about Diverse Scientists and Reflective Activities to Enrich Primary Students' Images of Scientists and Scientific Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharkawy, Azza

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the potential of using stories about diverse scientists to broaden primary students' images of scientists and scientific work. Stories featuring scientists from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds (i.e., physical ability, gender, ethnicity) were presented to 11 grade one students over a 15-week…

  18. What can scientific practice look like in a classroom? Insights from scientists' critique of high school students' climate change argumentation practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, E.; McGowan, V. C.

    2015-12-01

    The Next Generation Science Standards promote a vision in which learners engage in authentic knowledge in practice to tackle personally consequential science problems in the classroom. However, there is not yet a clear understanding amongst researchers and educators of what authentic practice looks like in a classroom and how this can be accomplished. This study explores these questions by examining interactions between scientists and students on a social media platform during two pilot enactments of a project-based curriculum focusing on the ecological impacts of climate change. During this unit, scientists provided feedback to students on infographics, visual representations of scientific information meant to communicate to an audience about climate change. We conceptualize the feedback and student work as boundary objects co-created by students and scientists moving between the school and scientific contexts, and analyze the structure and content of the scientists' feedback. We find that when giving feedback on a particular practice (e.g. argumentation), scientists would provide avenues, critiques and questions that incorporated many other practices (e.g. data analysis, visual communication); thus, scientists encouraged students to participate systemically in practices instead of isolating one particular practice. In addition, scientists drew attention to particular habits of mind that are valued in the scientific community and noted when students' work aligned with scientific values. In this way, scientists positioned students as capable of participating "scientifically." While traditionally, incorporating scientific inquiry in a classroom has emphasized student experimentation and data generation, in this work, we found that engaging with scientists around established scientific texts and data sets provided students with a platform for developing expertise in other important scientific practices during argment construction.

  19. Bats and Academics: How Do Scientists Perceive Their Object of Study?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boëte, Christophe; Morand, Serge

    2016-01-01

    Bats are associated with conflicting perceptions among humans, ranging from affection to disgust. If these attitudes can be associated with various factors among the general public (e.g. social norms, lack of knowledge), it is also important to understand the attitude of scientists who study bats. Such reflexive information on the researchers community itself could indeed help designing adequate mixed communication tools aimed at protecting bats and their ecosystems, as well as humans living in their vicinity that could be exposed to their pathogens. Thus, we conducted an online survey targeting researchers who spend a part of their research activity studying bats. Our aim was to determine (1) how they perceive their object of study, (2) how they perceive the representation of bats in the media and by the general population, (3) how they protect themselves against pathogen infections during their research practices, and (4) their perceptions of the causes underlying the decline in bat populations worldwide. From the 587 completed responses (response rate of 28%) having a worldwide distribution, the heterogeneity of the scientists' perception of their own object of study was highlighted. In the majority of cases, this depended on the type of research they conducted (i.e. laboratory versus field studies) as well as their research speciality. Our study revealed a high level of personal protection equipment being utilised against pathogens during scientific practices, although the role bats play as reservoirs for a number of emerging pathogens remains poorly known. Our results also disclosed the unanimity among specialists in attributing a direct role for humans in the global decline of bat populations, mainly via environmental change, deforestation, and agriculture intensification. Overall, the present study suggests the need for better communication regarding bats and their biology, their role within the scientific community, as well as in the general public

  20. What can Citizen Science do for Ocean Science and Ocean Scientists?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, M.; Hoeberechts, M.; Mangin, A.; Oggioni, A.; Orcutt, J. A.; Parrish, J.; Pearlman, J.; Piera, J.; Tagliolato, P.

    2016-12-01

    The ocean represents over 70% of our planet's surface area, over 90% of the living space. Humans are not marine creatures, we therefore have fundamentally not built up knowledge of the ocean in the same way we have on land. The more we learn about the ocean, the more we understand it is the regulatory engine of our planet…How do we catch up? Answers to this question will need to come from many quarters; A powerful and strategic option to complement existing observation programs and infrastructure is Citizen Science. There has been significant and relevant discussion of the importance of Citizen Science to citizens and stakeholders. The missing effective question is sometimes what is the potential of citizen science for scientists? The answers for both scientists and society are: spatial coverage, remote locations, temporal coverage, event response, early detection of harmful processes, sufficient data volume for statistical analysis and identification of outliers, integrating local knowledge, data access in exchange for analysis (e.g. with industry) and cost-effective monitoring systems. Citizens can be involved in: instrument manufacture and maintenance, instrument deployment/sample collection, data collection and transmission, data analysis, data validation/verification, and proposals of new topics of research. Such opportunities are balanced by concern on the part of scientists about the quality, the consistency and the reliability of citizen observations and analyses. Experience working with citizen science groups continues to suggest that with proper training and mentoring, these issues can be addressed, understanding both benefits and limitations. How to do it- implementation and maintenance of citizen science: How to recruit, engage, train, and maintain Citizen Scientists. Data systems for acquisition, assessment, access, analysis, and visualisation of distributed data sources. Tools/methods for acquiring observations: Simple instruments, Smartphone Apps

  1. Bats and Academics: How Do Scientists Perceive Their Object of Study?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christophe Boëte

    Full Text Available Bats are associated with conflicting perceptions among humans, ranging from affection to disgust. If these attitudes can be associated with various factors among the general public (e.g. social norms, lack of knowledge, it is also important to understand the attitude of scientists who study bats. Such reflexive information on the researchers community itself could indeed help designing adequate mixed communication tools aimed at protecting bats and their ecosystems, as well as humans living in their vicinity that could be exposed to their pathogens. Thus, we conducted an online survey targeting researchers who spend a part of their research activity studying bats. Our aim was to determine (1 how they perceive their object of study, (2 how they perceive the representation of bats in the media and by the general population, (3 how they protect themselves against pathogen infections during their research practices, and (4 their perceptions of the causes underlying the decline in bat populations worldwide. From the 587 completed responses (response rate of 28% having a worldwide distribution, the heterogeneity of the scientists' perception of their own object of study was highlighted. In the majority of cases, this depended on the type of research they conducted (i.e. laboratory versus field studies as well as their research speciality. Our study revealed a high level of personal protection equipment being utilised against pathogens during scientific practices, although the role bats play as reservoirs for a number of emerging pathogens remains poorly known. Our results also disclosed the unanimity among specialists in attributing a direct role for humans in the global decline of bat populations, mainly via environmental change, deforestation, and agriculture intensification. Overall, the present study suggests the need for better communication regarding bats and their biology, their role within the scientific community, as well as in the general

  2. Assessing scientists for hiring, promotion, and tenure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moher, David; Naudet, Florian; Cristea, Ioana A; Miedema, Frank; Ioannidis, John P A; Goodman, Steven N

    2018-03-01

    Assessment of researchers is necessary for decisions of hiring, promotion, and tenure. A burgeoning number of scientific leaders believe the current system of faculty incentives and rewards is misaligned with the needs of society and disconnected from the evidence about the causes of the reproducibility crisis and suboptimal quality of the scientific publication record. To address this issue, particularly for the clinical and life sciences, we convened a 22-member expert panel workshop in Washington, DC, in January 2017. Twenty-two academic leaders, funders, and scientists participated in the meeting. As background for the meeting, we completed a selective literature review of 22 key documents critiquing the current incentive system. From each document, we extracted how the authors perceived the problems of assessing science and scientists, the unintended consequences of maintaining the status quo for assessing scientists, and details of their proposed solutions. The resulting table was used as a seed for participant discussion. This resulted in six principles for assessing scientists and associated research and policy implications. We hope the content of this paper will serve as a basis for establishing best practices and redesigning the current approaches to assessing scientists by the many players involved in that process.

  3. Assessing scientists for hiring, promotion, and tenure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naudet, Florian; Cristea, Ioana A.; Miedema, Frank; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Goodman, Steven N.

    2018-01-01

    Assessment of researchers is necessary for decisions of hiring, promotion, and tenure. A burgeoning number of scientific leaders believe the current system of faculty incentives and rewards is misaligned with the needs of society and disconnected from the evidence about the causes of the reproducibility crisis and suboptimal quality of the scientific publication record. To address this issue, particularly for the clinical and life sciences, we convened a 22-member expert panel workshop in Washington, DC, in January 2017. Twenty-two academic leaders, funders, and scientists participated in the meeting. As background for the meeting, we completed a selective literature review of 22 key documents critiquing the current incentive system. From each document, we extracted how the authors perceived the problems of assessing science and scientists, the unintended consequences of maintaining the status quo for assessing scientists, and details of their proposed solutions. The resulting table was used as a seed for participant discussion. This resulted in six principles for assessing scientists and associated research and policy implications. We hope the content of this paper will serve as a basis for establishing best practices and redesigning the current approaches to assessing scientists by the many players involved in that process. PMID:29596415

  4. Developmental Changes in Learning: Computational Mechanisms and Social Influences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Bolenz

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Our ability to learn from the outcomes of our actions and to adapt our decisions accordingly changes over the course of the human lifespan. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in using computational models to understand developmental changes in learning and decision-making. Moreover, extensions of these models are currently applied to study socio-emotional influences on learning in different age groups, a topic that is of great relevance for applications in education and health psychology. In this article, we aim to provide an introduction to basic ideas underlying computational models of reinforcement learning and focus on parameters and model variants that might be of interest to developmental scientists. We then highlight recent attempts to use reinforcement learning models to study the influence of social information on learning across development. The aim of this review is to illustrate how computational models can be applied in developmental science, what they can add to our understanding of developmental mechanisms and how they can be used to bridge the gap between psychological and neurobiological theories of development.

  5. Mendeley as an integral tool in the arsenal of modern scientist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taras Kotyk

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the possibilities of Mendeley – a reference manager and social network for researchers. The key aspects of using this software as an effective reference manager as well as a tool for organizing full-text archive of publications and processing scientific sources when conducting research are highlighted. The possibilities of Mendeley as a social network, namely a means of communication and collaboration between researchers, sharing of reference database and search for new scientific publications are presented as well. In general, Mendeley, due to its functionality, is an integral part of the scientific research carried out by students, scientists or laboratory research groups. The use of Mendeley by all members of the research project will allow them to effectively search for original sources and analyze them; to quickly create the reference list according to different styles; to follow other researchers in order to view relevant papers; to greatly enhance the quality of the research; to expand the potential readership of their publications.

  6. Thinking like a scientist: innateness as a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knobe, Joshua; Samuels, Richard

    2013-01-01

    The concept of innateness appears in systematic research within cognitive science, but it also appears in less systematic modes of thought that long predate the scientific study of the mind. The present studies therefore explore the relationship between the properly scientific uses of this concept and its role in ordinary folk understanding. Studies 1-4 examined the judgments of people with no specific training in cognitive science. Results showed (a) that judgments about whether a trait was innate were not affected by whether or not the trait was learned, but (b) such judgments were impacted by moral considerations. Study 5 looked at the judgments of both non-scientists and scientists, in conditions that encouraged either thinking about individual cases or thinking about certain general principles. In the case-based condition, both non-scientists and scientists showed an impact of moral considerations but little impact of learning. In the principled condition, both non-scientists and scientists showed an impact of learning but little impact of moral considerations. These results suggest that both non-scientists and scientists are drawn to a conception of innateness that differs from the one at work in contemporary scientific research but that they are also both capable of 'filtering out' their initial intuitions and using a more scientific approach. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Use of scientific social networking to improve the research strategies of PubMed readers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evdokimov, Pavel; Kudryavtsev, Alexey; Ilgisonis, Ekaterina; Ponomarenko, Elena; Lisitsa, Andrey

    2016-02-18

    Keeping up with journal articles on a daily basis is an important activity of scientists engaged in biomedical research. Usually, journal articles and papers in the field of biomedicine are accessed through the Medline/PubMed electronic library. In the process of navigating PubMed, researchers unknowingly generate user-specific reading profiles that can be shared within a social networking environment. This paper examines the structure of the social networking environment generated by PubMed users. A web browser plugin was developed to map [in Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms] the reading patterns of individual PubMed users. We developed a scientific social network based on the personal research profiles of readers of biomedical articles. A browser plugin is used to record the digital object identifier or PubMed ID of web pages. Recorded items are posted on the activity feed and automatically mapped to PubMed abstract. Within the activity feed a user can trace back previously browsed articles and insert comments. By calculating the frequency with which specific MeSH occur, the research interests of PubMed users can be visually represented with a tag cloud. Finally, research profiles can be searched for matches between network users. A social networking environment was created using MeSH terms to map articles accessed through the Medline/PubMed online library system. In-network social communication is supported by the recommendation of articles and by matching users with similar scientific interests. The system is available at http://bioknol.org/en/.

  8. Cooperation, Fast and Slow: Meta-Analytic Evidence for a Theory of Social Heuristics and Self-Interested Deliberation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rand, David G

    2016-09-01

    Does cooperating require the inhibition of selfish urges? Or does "rational" self-interest constrain cooperative impulses? I investigated the role of intuition and deliberation in cooperation by meta-analyzing 67 studies in which cognitive-processing manipulations were applied to economic cooperation games (total N = 17,647; no indication of publication bias using Egger's test, Begg's test, or p-curve). My meta-analysis was guided by the social heuristics hypothesis, which proposes that intuition favors behavior that typically maximizes payoffs, whereas deliberation favors behavior that maximizes one's payoff in the current situation. Therefore, this theory predicts that deliberation will undermine pure cooperation (i.e., cooperation in settings where there are few future consequences for one's actions, such that cooperating is not in one's self-interest) but not strategic cooperation (i.e., cooperation in settings where cooperating can maximize one's payoff). As predicted, the meta-analysis revealed 17.3% more pure cooperation when intuition was promoted over deliberation, but no significant difference in strategic cooperation between more intuitive and more deliberative conditions. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. How does Student Interest Influence Their Participation Pursuing Accounting Educational Profession?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ika Dewi Hartutik

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This purpose of this study is to determine the effect of career motivation, motivation quality, economic motivation, social motivation, and motivation on the interest of accounting students to enroll in education programs designed to produce professional accountants. Data analysis here involves descriptive statistics, classical assumptions, and hypothesis testing with multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the study clearly show (1 the motivation of career affects the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk; (2 quality motivation does not affect the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk; (3 economic motivation does not affect the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk; (4 social motivation does not affect the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk; (5 the degree motivation does not affect the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk.   Keywords: motivation, interests, education accounting profession, PPAk

  10. Taking the Scientist's Perspective - The Nonfiction Narrative Engages Episodic Memory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Scientists and Their Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larison, Karen D.

    2018-03-01

    The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) mandates that schools provide students an understanding of the skills and knowledge that scientists use to engage in scientific practices. In this article, I argue that one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is to have students take the perspective of the scientist by reading nonfiction narratives written by scientists and science writers. I explore the anthropological and neurological evidence that suggests that perspective-taking is an essential component in the learning process. It has been shown that by around age 4, the human child begins to be able to take the perspective of others—a process that neuroscientists have shown engages episodic memory, a memory type that some neurocognitive scientists believe is central in organizing human cognition. Neuroscientists have shown that the brain regions in which episodic memory resides undergo pronounced anatomical changes during adolescence, suggesting that perspective-taking assumes an even greater role in cognition during adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, I argue that the practice of science itself is narrative in nature. With each new observation and experiment, the scientist is acting to reveal an emerging story. It is the story-like nature of science that motivates the scientist to push onward with new experiments and new observations. It is also the story-like nature of the practice of science that can potentially engage the student. The classroom studies that I review here confirm the power of the narrative in increasing students' understanding of science.

  11. Taking the Scientist's Perspective. The Nonfiction Narrative Engages Episodic Memory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Scientists and Their Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larison, Karen D.

    2018-03-01

    The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) mandates that schools provide students an understanding of the skills and knowledge that scientists use to engage in scientific practices. In this article, I argue that one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is to have students take the perspective of the scientist by reading nonfiction narratives written by scientists and science writers. I explore the anthropological and neurological evidence that suggests that perspective-taking is an essential component in the learning process. It has been shown that by around age 4, the human child begins to be able to take the perspective of others—a process that neuroscientists have shown engages episodic memory, a memory type that some neurocognitive scientists believe is central in organizing human cognition. Neuroscientists have shown that the brain regions in which episodic memory resides undergo pronounced anatomical changes during adolescence, suggesting that perspective-taking assumes an even greater role in cognition during adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, I argue that the practice of science itself is narrative in nature. With each new observation and experiment, the scientist is acting to reveal an emerging story. It is the story-like nature of science that motivates the scientist to push onward with new experiments and new observations. It is also the story-like nature of the practice of science that can potentially engage the student. The classroom studies that I review here confirm the power of the narrative in increasing students' understanding of science.

  12. How Scientists Develop Competence in Visual Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostergren, Marilyn

    2013-01-01

    Visuals (maps, charts, diagrams and illustrations) are an important tool for communication in most scientific disciplines, which means that scientists benefit from having strong visual communication skills. This dissertation examines the nature of competence in visual communication and the means by which scientists acquire this competence. This…

  13. Global climate change: Social and economic research issues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rice, M.; Snow, J.; Jacobson, H. [eds.

    1992-05-01

    This workshop was designed to bring together a group of scholars, primarily from the social sciences, to explore research that might help in dealing with global climate change. To illustrate the state of present understanding, it seemed useful to focus this workshop on three broad questions that are involved in coping with climate change. These are: (1) How can the anticipated economic costs and benefits of climate change be identified; (2) How can the impacts of climate change be adjusted to or avoided; (3) What previously studied models are available for institutional management of the global environment? The resulting discussions may (1) identify worthwhile avenues for further social science research, (2) help develop feedback for natural scientists about research information from this domain needed by social scientists, and (3) provide policymakers with the sort of relevant research information from the social science community that is currently available. Individual papers are processed separately for the database.

  14. Scientists vs. the administration

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    Article denouncing the supposed impartiality of signatories of a report released by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), which accused the Bush administration of systemically suborning objective science to a political agenda (1 page).

  15. What are the major global threats and impacts in marine environments? Investigating the contours of a shared perception among marine scientists from the bottom-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boonstra, W.J.; Maj Ottosen, Katharina; Ferreira, Ana Sofia

    2015-01-01

    academics in marine science this article explores if a shared research agenda in relation to global change in marine environments exists. The analysis demonstrates that marine scientists across disciplines are largely in agreement on some common features of global marine change. Nevertheless, the analysis...... also highlights where natural and social scientists diverge in their assessment. The article ends discussing what these findings imply for further improvement of interdisciplinary marine science......Marine scientists broadly agree on which major processes influence the sustainability of marine environments worldwide. Recent studies argue that such shared perceptions crucially shape scientific agendas and are subject to a confirmation bias. Based on these findings a more explicit engagement...

  16. Editors’ Overview Perspectives on Teaching Social Responsibility to Students in Science and Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zandvoort, Henk; Bird, Stephanie J.; Børsen, Tom

    2013-01-01

    . If the social responsibility of scientists and engineers implies a duty to safeguard or promote a peaceful, just and sustainable world society, then science and engineering education should empower students to fulfil this responsibility. The contributions to this special issue present European examples...... of teaching social responsibility to students in science and engineering, and provide examples and discussion of how this teaching can be promoted, and of obstacles that are encountered. Speaking generally, education aimed at preparing future scientists and engineers for social responsibility is presently...... very limited and seemingly insufficient in view of the enormous ethical and social problems that are associated with current science and technology. Although many social, political and professional organisations have expressed the need for the provision of teaching for social responsibility, important...

  17. Conceptual analysis of social responsibility of the person and its integration in pharmaceutical practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. O. Tkachenko

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The modern development of the social policy of pharmaceutical organizations in Ukraine, focused on the needs of society, is characterized by the lag in practical implementation of appropriate social responsibility (SR from the increased interest of pharmaceutical scientists in its various aspects. Issues of personal identity, its role and place in the system of socially responsible behavior of pharmaceutical organizations and the professional activity of pharmacists remain insufficiently studied. The purpose research. Conceptual analysis of the social responsibility of the individual with the integration into pharmacy and the rationale for strategic directions for the formation of social responsibility as a professional competence of pharmacists in the system of continuous pharmaceutical education. Materials and methods. We used the methods of information retrieval, comparison, systematization, analysis, synthesis and modeling. Materials for research were publications of fundamental and applied research of domestic and foreign scientists on issues of social responsibility, international standards. Results. Personality in the process of activity is both the subject and the object of responsibility, since social responsibility is a condition for interaction between the individual and the society. The social responsibility of pharmacy specialists directed to primary and secondary social groups, society and the individual, as well as to oneself. In the latter case, the self-concept is important, that is, the individual's complete self-image and the readiness of the individual to act in a certain way in certain situations, as well as the possible social roles of the pharmacist. The process of forming the social responsibility of pharmacy specialists is a complex level system that continuously educates, develops and improves the skill of social responsibility throughout professional life. Conclusions. On the basis of theoretical generalization of the

  18. Tens of Romanian scientists work at CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    Silian, Sidonia

    2007-01-01

    "The figures regarding the actual number of Romanian scientists working at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, differ. The CERN data base lists some 30 Romanians on its payroll, while the scientists with the Nuclear Center at Magurele, Romania, say they should be around 50." (1 page)

  19. How Middle Schoolers Draw Engineers and Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fralick, Bethany; Kearn, Jennifer; Thompson, Stephen; Lyons, Jed

    2009-01-01

    The perceptions young students have of engineers and scientists are often populated with misconceptions and stereotypes. Although the perceptions that young people have of engineers and of scientists have been investigated separately, they have not been systematically compared. The research reported in this paper explores the question "How are…

  20. Ask a Scientist: What is Color Blindness?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ask a Scientist Video Series Glossary The Visual System Your Eyes’ Natural Defenses Eye Health and Safety First Aid Tips Healthy Vision Tips Protective Eyewear Sports and Your Eyes Fun Stuff Cool Eye Tricks Links to More Information Optical Illusions Printables Ask a Scientist Video Series ...