The public understanding of science

Abstract

Science and technology (S&T) shapes the everyday lives of individuals. Therefore, there has been widespread recognition of the need to promote greater engagement between the public and the scientific community. The purpose of these engagements is to facilitate mutual understanding, sharing of information, and critical public participation in the future of S&T policy development and practice. The nature of this relationship is influenced by the levels of education and development within each society, how 'science' is defined, and the scope and scale of national science communication efforts. In order to identify ways of enhancing the relationship between the public and S&T, much research has investigated the public understanding of science.