And the winner is...science
As European science and technology week (ESTW) is about to kick off, CORDIS News caught up with an organiser of one of the week's most exciting projects - the European science and technology television awards. Andrew Kurzfeld, head of communications at the Council for the central laboratory of the research councils (CCLRC), UK, was asked how the project could help bring science closer to people, especially the young. He explained the rationale behind the idea, its possible development and his role in the project in the interview below. CORDIS News: Please outline how your project started and what it aims to accomplish. Andrew Kurzfeld: The CASTED [Communication of science and technology through television and European drama] consortium began its work in earnest earlier this year with a call for new script ideas and nominations for excellence in TV drama which were based on scientific material. The five partners Omni Communications (OC), Communique PR (CP), EURO-MEI (EM), Euroscience (ES) and CCLRC (CC) bring a range of skills to the project, for example, experience of a similar national activity (OC/CP), marketing and events skills (CP/OC), wide contacts with European writers, producers and broadcasters (EM), experience of running European projects (CC) and excellent contacts with the science and technology research community (ES). The EuroPAWS [European public awareness of science] project is a natural development of UK PAWS, applying the same tested concepts and best practice learnt in the national context to the wider European level. The partners already had experience of working across Europe, for example in the Leafon and AlphaGalileo projects which stimulated the idea of mapping UK PAWS on to European science and technology week. The overall aim of the project is to get TV writers to address science and technology themes, becoming more aware of the potential afforded by the excitement of discovery and the personal interactions, conflicts, triumphs and disappointments that go to make up RTD [research, technology and demonstration] activities. By showcasing the best examples across Europe, we hope to engender interest in other countries in programmes and themes developed in one country and engage the interest of broadcasters across Europe in good dramas of this genre. In addition, we aim to stimulate a wider awareness by scientists of the broader communication processes to the public, and the benefits of participating in such activities. CORDIS News: How do you feel that the EuroPAWS science week project will help in the Commission's mission of bringing science and society closer together? AK: The key here is that much of TV is taken by the viewing public to be a reflection of life in all its various facets. And yet how often do you see science and scientists portrayed as normal people, how often is science shown as 'cool'? We have to get away from the distant 'boffin' image that is the norm and demonstrate that science IS a part of everyday society. We can only do this effectively by engaging the public with science, making it a normal topic of conversation for a wide range of people. And what better way to stimulate this than to get people talking about science through them talking about the latest TV drama that has caught their imagination? CORDIS News: What do you feel are the advantages that the use of TV brings to spreading information on scientific progress? AK: TV is still the prime mass medium, even if moving images are becoming increasingly possible on the Internet. It reaches all sections of the population of Europe, and TV drama, together with news, are the key ways of communicating science to huge audiences. TV drama also touches the emotions, and so can engage and help all sections including notably the young, in identifying science with excitement, challenge and feeling part of humanity. As someone at JET [Joint European Torus] once said that being a scientist participating in an international team with an exciting goal is a special feeling - and she met her husband on that team! CORDIS News: What are the criteria which are viewed as the most important in scientific news and information dissemination (clarity, accuracy, new areas, practicality, etc)? AK: In television, to reach large audiences with science three criteria are often quoted. These are risk, money and everyday life; a good story has to hit at least one of these. It's not watertight, but it is a useful guide. Clarity and accuracy are important, of course, but they apply after the main criteria. Another way of expressing it is that news stories should touch an emotion; big science can evoke awe, wham bang technology can evoke excitement, everyday life stories can arouse self-interest. Although some news is 'important', it still needs to relate the story to one of the other criteria if it is to stick in the mind of the viewer. CORDIS News: How can TV link into other ways of creating a greater understanding of science and research? Is it complementary with, or alternative to, these other forms? AK: TV is a great motivator. In education, it can inspire students to other forms of study, for example, Open University distance learning or at school level. It can also motivate the public to other media, like the Internet. We view the interaction of TV and other media as two way; newspapers, websites, etc can interest people in watching TV; TV can inspire people to read or visit more sites. TV is also very good at communicating a lot in a short time, and can illuminate issues simultaneously at a number of levels. We found that CERN documentaries were viewed in just this way; a general viewer wouldn't know what a hadron is, but would appreciate that there is a type of particle which is important, which can motivate further 'study'. TV also has experiential value, because it's transmitted and scheduled. The web in its non-live mode is like a book in that it has to be picked up and read. TV is generally complementary to these other forms of communication. CORDIS News: What role do you see the European Commission playing in helping to facilitate the use of media to help create better understanding in this area? Firstly, to have events which bring a focus and thus give the media something to bite on. European science and technology week provides such an opportunity - activities have to be big and different to have the impact that is needed across Europe. The Commission needs to encourage people to think at a European level by taking science and technology to places where it is not normally seen. This can be achieved through occasions at attractive locations, as our Paris Festival for example. Everyone wants to come to the Eiffel Tower. Or take science to the home of art, provoking thought by putting on displays which have both artistic and scientific merit so that a new audience is engaged in the subject. Secondly, to offer co-production funding for key TV projects. One of the CASTED partners has tried to get EC funds for developing some of its work for a series of broadcasts on the only science TV channel with a European footprint, Einstein TV, but there seems to be no funding channel for this sort of activity. For people with proven credentials, keep the bidding processes as simple as possible for EC funding for communication projects (just as we keep outlines required from writers to 4 pages + CV) and have a permanently open fund for media people to bid for without huge forms, as in the Media programme for Festivals, for example. In this way, media professionals will be able to address the relatively unfashionable issues of RTD in their programming, instead of having to concentrate on the staple diet of crime, medical and other social dramas which will only pay a passing reference to the fact that science and technology is fundamental to all that you see in life itself. The key here is being willing and able to back ideas quickly as they arise - and to take some risks. Not all projects will work but if you don't have some that fail, you are being too safe and will miss the potential big winners. So the EC could do two things; it can create and support events and occasions to act as foci and stimuli for communicators to stage high impact activities, and it can create user friendly mechanisms to provide the funds that are needed for media people to take risks and push through initiatives at a European level.