By: Luisa Massarani
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[BUENOS AIRES] Latin American scientists should make a greater effort to engage with wider society, according to the Argentinean secretary of science, technology and innovation, Tulio Del Bono.
Speaking last week at a meeting “Science, technology and communication: in search of a common language” held in Buenos Aires, Del Bono stressed that scientists and those that manage scientific activities should be responsive to society’s opinion of their work.
“They should know what society wants and thinks about them, and should modify their actions accordingly,” he said.
A common language should be developed between scientists and society, he said, in order for information to be accessible to the public, and to facilitate two-way communication between the scientific community and society in general. He stressed that the media have a key role in aiding these relationships.
Jorge Crisci, of Argentina’s Universidad Nacional de La Plata, and head of the organising committee of the meeting says that it highlighted “the clear need – particularly in developing nations – to promote capacity building in three separate areas: developing communication skills for scientists, professional skills for public information officers, and comparable skills for journalist interested in writing about science”.
He adds the meeting was “a step ahead in Argentina to promoting better practice in the professional communication of science and technology to the public”.
About 450 people attended the meeting, which was organised by the Argentinean National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, the Science and Development Network and Club 21 (the Argentinean Public Officers Association).
Link to full report of the meeting (in Spanish) by Ariel Barrios Medina
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