Annual Ten Major Science Popularization Events (2012) Was Released

Recently, the annual ten major science popularization events (2012) was released by China Association for Science and Technology(CAST) to the media, which had become the focus of media coverage again. Thedetailed events are as follows:

1.  PM2.5was Recorded in National Standard (the Newly Amended Ambient Air QualityStandard by the State Council of China), Atmosphere Quality Attracted WidelyAttention;

2.  TheRumor of Doomsday Collapsed by Itself, the Enhancement of Scientific Spirit Shouldered Heavy Responsibilities;

3.  TheOutline of Science Popularization for Food Safety was Promulgated, Promoting the Development of SciencePopularization Work;

4.  TheDanger and Tragedy of Beijing Rainstorm Shocked the Whole Society,  the Education of Emergence SciencePopularization Became the Focal Point;

5.  ThePilot Activities of Science Camp of Colleges and Universities was Launched,Finding a Path for Carrying Out Science Popularization Activities with PublicWelfare of Colleges and Universities;

6.  TheProportion of China Citizen Possessing Basic Scientific Literacy was Broughtinto Line with the National Science and Technology Development Index, theConstruction of Scientific Literacy Received Effective Promotion;

7.  Scienceand China Activity Passed a Glorious Ten-Year Time, Scientists Took on theResponsibilities of Science Communication;

8.  ThePublic Welfare Program of Science and Technology Museums in Rural MiddleSchool was Launched, the Equalized Development of Education Resources wasFurther Promoted;

9.  TheFirst Astronautess of China Received Widely Admiration,  a New Round of Science Popularization ofSpace Flight was Set Off;

10.The Event of Golden Rice Led to theDiscussion on Research Ethics, the Safety of GM Food Received Closely Attention.

The release itself was a science communication activityfor the public and the media; through media coverage, the public couldunderstand the featured events of science communication in the past year. Andalso the events demonstrated the attention of science community.

Science communication in China is an increasing cause,which needs the cooperation among the governments, NGOs, practitioners andjournalists, etc.

The events in 2012 have some significant characters, whichalso demonstrate the trend of science communication in China. The social effectand science effect are profound.

The media has great influence on science communication.Media-driven is the important character of the final results. Media, as thebridge between scientists and the public, could communicate the “right” scienceto the public, and feedbacks what the public wants. Even some sciencecommunication events were enlarged by media coverage, in turn, sciencecommunity begun to carry out related activities to respond the coverage.

Citizen science is the concern of science communication.Launching science communication activities should keep in mind that the publicare the audiences, “people typically acquire scientific information for itssocial uses in conversation, to satisfy social norms that people should beinformed on public issues, or because the information is personally useful forsome reason”, and “people selectively use media content consistent with theirexisting values and beliefs, and these beliefs are the strengthened by thecontent”. So science communication events with the content of citizen scienceare gradually becoming the center of agenda setting.

The third character is the attention paid by thegovernment. In China, government exerts great function on science communication,so the attention paid by the government could provide policy guarantee forscience communication cause. The government integrated some science issues inpolicies and promulgated relevant policies of science communication, whichconveyed the resolution of promoting scientific literacy through science communication.

Emergency science communication always touched the stringof the public. When emergencies firstly occurred, the public were eager forseeking information and method for self-protection. During the happening ofemergent issues, the effectiveness of science communication would be maximized.Or else, the public would be confused or totally lost. So the emergency sciencecommunication also is a character of the final results deserving mention.

The final results shows that annual ten major science popularizationevents attracting the attention of scientists, some scientists also worked asthe members of evaluation committee. In China, scientists who undertake sciencecommunication activities would be scorned by the experts who are focusing onpure science research; when conferring of academic titles, their sciencecommunication work are exclusive. By means of selecting and releasing annualten major science popularization events, more and more scientists areencouraging to undertake science communication.

On the other hand, the selection and release couldtrigger off an upsurge of science communication in society. Furthermore, sciencecommunication is the relationship between science and society. Publicunderstanding science and research, and public engagement are issues of sciencecommunication in the social context. Through this kind of activity, theimportance of science communication is strengthened again; science culture, asan integral part of social culture, is accumulated to some extent for theadvancement of science communication in China.