4.1. Conducting and communicating useful science
From water contamination to floods, hydrology is a scientific discipline
with particular importance for society. Many Canadian hydrological
studies have resulted in useful infrastructure and engineering projects
such as hydropower dams and irrigation systems, all of which require
knowledge of the local hydrology (Woo, 2019). Furthermore, the impact of
climate change on water quality and quantity is increasingly important
for local and regional water security. Accordingly, there was a
consensus among most workshop participants that scientific knowledge
should be useful to society and for decision-making. There is, however,
a disconnect between the current scientific process and how new research
findings are communicated to stakeholders.
One barrier is how academics typically disseminate their research
findings, through academic journals. Having a multitude of publications
in high-impact journals is critical for academic career development
(Nicholas et al., 2019). However, journal articles are not usually
accessible to the general public, due to technical jargon and
prohibitively expensive paywalls (Schiltz, 2018).
Interacting with traditional media (e.g. radio and newspapers) can be a
daunting task for ECRs, who typically lack science communication
training. There is a risk, with anecdotal evidence (Lutz et al., 2018),
for the presented facts to be taken out of context and misrepresented,
or to draw criticism against the scientist. Moreover, for ECRs willing
to interact with journalists, getting in touch can be difficult, as
media outlets typically reach out to long-established contacts within
academia, or well-known scientists (Peters, 2013), and less to ECRs and
underrepresented groups.
ECRs at the workshop expressed interest in involvement in science
education and communication initiatives. However, an increased
involvement in science communication may represent a large time
commitment on top of already strenuous graduate studies. Outside of the
benefit to some scholarships and fellowships, science outreach does not
appear to be highly valued professionally. With the added time
commitment and perceived lack of professional development, this can
represent a large barrier to ECR involvement in science education and
communication.