Bridging the gap between research and the public š
Wherever you are in the world of science, chances are you will have heard the terms public engagement (PE) and public involvement (PI).
However, you may not appreciate that we all have an important role to play in changing our research culture so that the public are viewed as key partners and making a real difference to the way research is done.
In biomedical research, there is no situation where PE and PI are not important, expected and possible. Whether you work on clinical trials or in the laboratory, all researchers have a duty to help break down barriers and demonstrate the added value that science brings to society.
In an article published in Immunology & Cell Biology today we highlight major challenges that exist to embed quality PE and PI in research and offer up solutions, including a step-by-step guide to set any researcher on the exciting journey towards embracing and recognising the benefits of PE and PI in their career, and a call to action for a cultural shift in research organisations to start embedding PE and PI in a modern academic environment.
[Figure taken from Eberl M et al., āOvercoming the disconnect between scientific research and the publicā. Immunology & Cell Biology 2023]
Interacting with the public
The public can be addressed, engaged and involved in many different ways.
This can be in the form of one-way science communication to inform the public or consultation to obtain feedback from the public, or via two-way public engagement and/or involvement using different means for mutual benefit.
The borders between these principles are naturally fluid, depending on the exact role of the public and the type of interaction. Note also that the terminology can vary across disciplines, organisations and countries ā for instance, public involvement in the strict sense as used here might in some contexts be defined as public engagement, ācitizen engagementā (e.g. by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research), or āresearch engagementā (e.g. by the Australian Research Council).
While individual researchers may wish to focus on only one or few of these approaches, successful outreach at an institutional level will ideally embrace all levels of interacting with the public, to help improve the quality and relevance of research overall.
The advantages of public engagement and public involvement in science are manifold and can be felt at four distinct levels: the benefits for the individual researcher, the gains for the research institution, the experience of members of the public taking part, and the impact on the wider society.
[Figure taken from Eberl M et al., āOvercoming the disconnect between scientific research and the publicā. Immunology & Cell Biology 2023]
A step-by-step guide to public engagement and involvement for researchers
There are many ways to engage and involve the public in research. But it all starts with the right idea, the right skill set and the right target audience, to develop a range of meaningful approaches for PE and PI.
Play to your strengths and your hidden talents!
Be passionate about your research and what you are trying to achieve, get the training you may need, and find creative and enthusiastic partners with complementary backgrounds. PE and PI is easier and more fun to plan and deliver in a team of like-minded spirits!
Learn how to explain complex research questions in lay terms to different audiences. Participate in ongoing activities (e.g. annual open days at your host institution or events organised by local charities) to get some experience in PE and PI before leading your own activity. Go to public spaces to present your research, and invite members of the public to visit your work place.
Talk to people with lived experience of the question your research is based on, and potential end users of your findings. What can you learn from them, and what aspect of your research is important to them? Consider recruiting public contributors and having regular meetings with them about your research, even embedding them in decision-making processes. Have all your grant applications and study protocols reviewed by members of the public.
Include PE and PI as part of your research grant applications, and write dedicated PE & PI-focused grants. Define objectives and learning outcomes for yourself and for your target group, and try to evaluate the quality and the impact of your PE and PI work. Present your PE and PI work alongside your research findings in seminars and at conferences, consider publishing it.
Inspire others!
[Figure taken from Eberl M et al., āOvercoming the disconnect between scientific research and the publicā. Immunology & Cell Biology 2023]
Embedding public engagement and public involvement in a modern research environment
Recognising, championing, investing and embedding PE and PI within an institution will help deliver on its civic duty and enhance all other core functions including research, teaching and innovation priorities. The challenge at hand is to start a cultural change in academic science as a whole, to change the perception of a researcherās productivity and status, to support the practice of PE and PI across the employing organisationās core business, and to constantly improve its quality, consistency and impact.
This includes the appointment of academic leads for PE and PI and public contributors at senior management level, and a close coordination of research, teaching, communication and PE and PI across the organisation.
A researcherās contribution to PE and PI should be covered in their job description, reflected in a flexible workload allocation, and celebrated in appointments, promotions and awards as well as press releases and meeting presentations, thereby moving away from a simple āpublish or perishā system that largely depends on easily quantifiable but fundamentally flawed research metrics to assess a researcherās performance.
A researcher is more than just the sum of their publications and grants!
Institutions should provide the necessary core support with respect to training and mentoring, central resources and activities, team building and employment of dedicated PE and PI professionals. This will ensure the creation of a vibrant, creative and productive working environment striving at research and teaching excellence at the same time as maximising clinical and societal impact, public outreach and an integration into the institutionās local and regional community.
We invite researchers and their employers to join us in this collaborative effort of making sure all biomedical research has the public at its core, encouraging and supporting meaningful partnerships with the very people their research will affect.
Information about selected Public Involvement and Engagement activities in South Wales:
Public engagement at Cardiff Universityās School of Medicine
Involving the public in your research (Health and Care Research Wales)
Patient and public involvement at the National Centre for Population Health & Wellbeing Research
Patient and public involvement at the Wales Cancer Research Centre
