Vol. 16, No. 8, 2021 swiss academies reports swiss-academies.ch Science in the Swiss Public The State of Science Communication and Public Engagement with Science in Switzerland Publication details PUBLISHER Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences • Laupenstrasse 7 • Postfach • 3001 Bern, Switzerland +41 31 306 92 20 • [email protected] • swiss-academies.ch academies_ch swiss_academies Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences CONTACT PERSON Prof. Dr. Mike S. Schäfer University of Zurich, IKMZ – Department of Communication & Media Research Andreasstrasse 15, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland +41 44 635 20 80 • [email protected] AUTHORS • Prof. Dr. Mike S. Schäfer, University of Zurich • Dr. Tobias Füchslin, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences • Gian-Andri Casutt, ETH-Board • Prof. Dr. L. Suzanne Suggs, Università della Svizzera italiana • Prof. Dr. Karl Aberer, EPFL • Dr. Philipp Burkard, Science et Cité • Dr. Ana Godinho, CERN • Prof. Dr. Caspar Hirschi, University of St. Gallen • Dr. Angelika Jacobs, Swiss Association of Science Journalism • Prof. Dr. Otfried Jarren, University of Zurich • Prof. Dr. Alain Kaufmann, University of Lausanne • Prof. Dr. Reto Knutti, ETH Zurich • Prof. Dr. Michaela Maier, University of Koblenz and Landau • Prof. Dr. Julia Metag, University of Münster • Thomas Müller, SRF Radio • Prof. Dr. Bruno Strasser, University of Geneva • Prof. Dr. Albert Weichselbraun, University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons EDITING/PROOFREADING • Salome Leandra Bosshard, University of Zurich • Elisabeth Alfs-Lapraz, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences TRANSLATION Carnegie Fund Services S.A. LAYOUT Push’n’Pull, Bern PRINTING Vögeli AG, Langnau 1st edition, 2021 (500 EN). Report can be obtained free of charge from the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. Copyright: ©2021 Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. This is an open-access publication, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The content of this publication may therefore be used, shared and reproduced without restriction and in all forms, provided that the author and source are appropriately acknowledged. PROPOSED CITATION Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (2021) Science in the Swiss Public. The State of Science Communication and Public Engagement with Science in Switzerland. Swiss Academies Reports 16 (8). http://doi.org/10.5281/zeno- do.4974312 ISSN (print) 2297-8275 ISSN (online) 2297-184X Science in the Swiss Public The State of Science Communication and Public Engagement with Science in Switzerland Report of the Expert Group “Communicating Sciences and Arts in Times of Digital Media” of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences SDGs: The international sustainability goals of the UNO With this publication, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences make a contribution to the SDG 4 „Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning and opportunities for all“ and to the SDG 9 „Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. > sustainabledevelopment.un.org > eda.admin.ch/agenda2030/de/home/agenda-2030/die-17-ziele-fuer-eine-nachhaltige-entwicklung.html Swiss Academies Reports, Vol. 16, N° 8, 2021 3 Executive Summary Background: Science communication and Results: Overall, the report covers a wide public engagement with science have repeat- range of facets of science communication and edly been called for in recent years, particu- public engagement in Switzerland, from pub- larly during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are lic attitudes towards science over individuals important because scientific expertise mat- and organizations engaging in science com- ters for many individual, organizational and munication and engagement formats to news societal decisions, but also because science and social media representations of science: and research rely on public acceptance and societal legitimation. But a comprehensive assessment of science communication and CHAPTER 1 → Science-related Perceptions public engagement with science in Switzer- of the Swiss Population and their Sources of land does not yet exist. Information and Contact with Science • The Swiss population associates “science Mandate of the Expert Group: The Swiss Acad- and research” mostly with medicine and emies of Arts and Sciences set up the expert STEM disciplines. group “Communicating Sciences and Arts in • The Swiss population perceives science Times of Digital Media” with a twofold man- positively. Trust in science and scientists date: First, it was asked to assess the status in Switzerland is high and seems stable quo of science communication and public en- over time. gagement with science in Switzerland broadly • Most Swiss residents are knowledgeable and systematically. Second, the expert group about science and well equipped to was mandated to identify potential improve- understand science-related content. ments as well as recommendation for how to • The Swiss population expects scientists to realize those improvements. Both the status communicate to the public. quo assessment and the recommendations • But while public attitudes towards science are part of this report. are favorable in general, perceptions vary between different scientific topics and Method: The report is based on a comprehen- different subgroups of the population. sive review of the available interdisciplinary • The Swiss population regularly encounters scholarship analyzing science communica- science in their lives and through a broad tion and public engagement with science in set of media – most often online. Switzerland. Selectively, the report also incor- porates original data, international findings, and secondary analyses where little or no CHAPTER 2 → From Individual to Organizational published scholarly work was available. A first Science Communicators: Who Engages with draft of the report was externally evaluated the Swiss Public? via pre-publication public review of preprint chapters on the “Open Science Framework” • Most scientists think it is necessary and repository. A second draft of the report was worthwhile to communicate and engage sent out for pre-publication peer review to with the public. four internationally renowned scholars with • Scientists’ actual communication and expertise in science communication and engagement efforts do not match these public engagement who are familiar with the positive views towards science communi- Swiss situation. cation, however. 4 Swiss Academies Reports, Vol. 16, N° 8, 2021 • Social and organizational factors influence CHAPTER 4 → Digital Platforms: The Role of scientists’ public communication and Google, Facebook and Co. engagement. • A lot of science-related content of strongly • Clear differences in public communication varying quality is available online and in and engagement exist between scholars social media. depending on their discipline, seniority, • Digital platforms have become important and gender. and strongly used but, for many, also • Institutions of higher education and less trusted sources of information about scientific organizations have strongly science. emphasized, professionalized and • For younger people, social media and expanded their public communication particularly YouTube are important efforts in recent years. sources of science-related content. • A broad range of other communicators • Platform architectures influence user – from museums over science centers to perceptions and actions, sometimes with political, corporate and other stakeholders undesirable consequences for science communicate about science-related issues. communication. • Only few Swiss influencers exist on social • Digital platforms facilitate mis- and media that focus on science. disinformation on scientific issues online, but also offer notable opportunities for science communication, e.g. for CHAPTER 3 → Science Journalism in movement mobilization. Switzerland • Journalists from various beats and back- grounds cover science-related topics and, CHAPTER 5 → How Science is Publicly thus, contribute to science journalism. Presented and Discussed in Switzerland • Most specialized science journalists aim • A variety of participatory and dialogical to provide objective information and science communication formats are orientation, and do not primarily aim to be available to the Swiss public. watchdogs of science. • The share of science-related news media • Science journalism is facing significant coverage has risen in Switzerland in past challenges in the changing media decades. Science-related topics account ecosystem in Switzerland, and specialized for 1-3% of Swiss news media coverage. science journalism is declining: There are • Scholars, themes, and disciplines from the about 100 specialized science journalists arts and social sciences are prominent in in the country, and only a small number Swiss media. of media houses featuring science • News media coverage focuses strongly on desks. Science journalists work under a small number of individual scientists. increasingly challenging conditions. • News media reporting on science seems • Several new models of science journalism to be mostly accurate, but is vulnerable are currently tried in Switzerland, aiming to biased framing and to the influence of to balance editorial independence and organizational PR. high quality with economic sustainability. Swiss Academies Reports, Vol. 16, N° 8, 2021 5 • The internet is the most likely source for the Swiss population to encounter inaccu- rate