Public understanding of science must start with a greater understanding of public concerns, argues esf president

Scientists must put themselves in the shoes of the public to understand popular concerns about science, argued Sir Dai Rees in his presidential address to the ESF General Assembly on 27th November 1997. "It is what people feel about science that is decisive," he said, and scientists can’t hope to win their arguments with scientists’ logic alone. "The result is likely to be irritation and hostility rather than sympathy and understanding."

Similarly, in their dealings with governments and the European Commission scientists need to be aware of the different and complex pressures acting on them. For instance, "in doing business with the Commission, ESF must put itself in their shoes and understand what this means," he said.

Outlining the thinking behind the development of the ESF’s four-year plan (1998-2001), Sir Dai said that the Foundation’s specificity lay in its commitment to supporting activities that aim "to break really new ground in the advancement of science or in building new bridges between emergent disciplines". In doing so the ESF’s activities focusing on the health of science will be complementary to those of the European Commission which focus on the practical benefits to be obtained from science.

But this didn’t mean that the Commission should take care of applied research while the ESF looks after pure research. "ESF has a big stake in applied research too," commented Sir Dai. "The European Medical Research Councils applies biology to medicine, the Standing Committee for the Social Sciences deals with real problems in social structures and economics, the Life and Environmental Sciences Standing Committee with agriculture and the environment, the Physical and Engineering Sciences Standing Committee with engineering sciences and information technology. Even the Humanities use their insights into European and other cultures to illuminate the problems of today." He added that: "The specificity of ESF is not in areas of science but in approaches to science. ESF must address itself to the health of science as its overriding priority, which of course includes a healthy attitude to our societal responsibilities."

Sir Dai also spoke of the Foundation’s plans to ‘build bridges’ with industry and commerce.

He ended by paying tribute to Professor Peter Fricker who is stepping down as ESF secretary general in June 1998 and was attending his last assembly in that role.

Notes for editors:

1. The European Science Foundation is an association of 62 major national funding agencies devoted to basic research in 21 countries. The ESF assists its member organisations in two main ways: by bringing scientists together in its scientific programmes, networks and European research conferences, to work on topics of common concern, and through the joint study of issues of strategic importance in European science policy.

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Category: Media Centre, Press Releases 1997