Public awareness research as an input to R&D strategy development
Jenifer North
CSIRO Australia
PP: 27
Article Text
It seems an odd proposition that public awareness campaigns would have anything to do with strategic planning of research and development. The two have rarely coincided in the past. But times are changing, and the 21st century is likely to see a need for greater public awareness of science - and more especially, greater science awareness of the public.
This century will see an increasing influence of public opinion on what R&D is carried out by scientists who are funded by both government and industry. The gap between science and 'normal' life is narrowing. Public awareness campaigns are now being used to try to make the results of this narrowing gap beneficial to all parties. Monitoring of public attitudes to certain technologies must become a regular input to R&D strategies.
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