Making science cool
Young people in Europe appear to be losing interest in science. Negative stereotypes about scientists and the work they do are common among today′s youth. This could have a serious long-term effect on Europe′s scientific skills base, which is crucial in maintaining a competitive economy in the global market place. Researchers from the Yosciweb consortium have carefully studied websites dedicated to popularising science. Searches of popular scientific websites (PSWs) have revealed that negative stereotypes of science and scientists predominate. A series of detailed personal interviews have also been conducted with youngsters between 12 and 17 years old. Following the findings, researchers have drawn up a set of recommendations for creating websites that would appeal to young people. These have included the use of positive images showing scientists as normal people. More informative and accessible text, interesting pictures, and links to school-related tasks should also used, according to the project team. Use of multimedia and easy navigation was also considered vital for a website's success. Results from the Yosciweb project indicate that science websites should incorporate interactive features to make the website more entertaining and appealing to youngsters. Yosciweb will provide tools and methods that can increase the impact and efficiency of scientific communication aimed at young people. The Yosciweb project is helping build Europe′s knowledge economy by encouraging youngsters to take a greater interest in science and technology.
