Dissemination
Science dissemination means letting others know of your research, and it is an essential part of that very same research.
Scientists who work in academia (universities, research centres) and in the R&D field (from big corporations to small firms and enterprises) have the compelling necessity to disseminate their results.
They do it to gain respect and credibility among their peers, boost their careers, create a market for the products they develop, to be able to attract talented students and build a network of collaborations with other groups.
All of this, ultimately, enhance the chances of scientists to get funds for their present and future research projects from public and private investors.
An effective communication strategy, besides, increases the possibility to attract decision-makers’ attention. It may eventually allow science to influence politicians’ strategic priorities and lead to an evidence-based policy which can better address the actual needs of citizens.
Scientists, indeed, have not only the duty to inform tax-payers and investors about how their money is spent, but also to show the positive impact research has on society’s health and wealth.
That dissemination be paramount for science is in fact something institutions are well aware of. The European Union, for example, has made mandatory for research proposals to include a dissemination plan in order for them to be eligible for submission to “Horizon 2020”, so far the biggest of the EU Research and Innovation programmers with its almost 80billion euros budget available over seven years (2014-2020).
Science dissemination, thus, is now at the core of science itself, and it can be done in many ways, as scientists communicate to their peers, update investors and evaluators, inform and dialogue with the public opinion.
Researchers can disseminate via peer-reviewed papers, workshops, poster and talks given at conferences, seminars, reports. Besides, they can use written and visual (video and infographics) materials for flyers, brochures, press releases, websites, newsletters, blogs, and all the wide spectrum of social media.
We, at WEBforSCIENCE, can help you, scientist, to plan, develop and implement your communication strategy, so that the dissemination of your research will be the most effective possible and you save time and fully maximize the impact of your work.