Blakemore takes office

Colin Blakemore, the Oxford neuroscientist and Waynflete Professor of Physiology, begins his term as chief executive of the UK Medical Research Council today (October 1) by arguing that scientists should be rewarded for public communication, but warning that many have interests that could bias what they say.The big issue to be addressed is public trust in science, says Blakemore. "I think if you ask, 'Do you trust scientists?' in general, the MORI [Market and Opinion Research International] poll figures are rock solid with about two thirds of people saying, 'Yes,' as they have done for 6 or 7 years," Blakemore told The Scientist. "But what is clear—and I think this is a very healthy sign—is that the public qualify their trust according to the type of scientist and the issue on which scientists are speaking. They trust academics, and particularly—curiously!—professors, more than they trust government scientists, and them more than they trust industry scientists."But the distinctions among these groups are not as clear as the public would like to believe, Blakemore said, particularly as university scientists come under pressure to exploit their observations and discoveries. "The trend towards consultancies, start-up companies, and protecting intellectual property and so on is important for the economy of the country, but it does produce a dilemma that there are very few truly objective scientists left, who have no other motive than the purity of scientific evidence. Yet it is exactly those people that the public want to turn to most."Blakemore told The Scientist that the Medical Research Council (MRC) would be making more use of such objective scientists in communicating with the public. "I think it's important that the MRC does so, but more widely that the media does so too," he said. The public also needs to be informed, and reassured, about the strength of existing ethical and legal constraints on science, said Blakemore. "The polls clearly show that the public are very ill-informed about existing ethical guidelines and existing mechanisms for debate about ethical issues, and about the very strict legislation in place in areas such as animal research and embryo research. I think the onus is on us to explain those things to the public, so they know about the safeguards."Blakemore certainly has personal experience of the need for such explanations. In the past, animal rights activists have beaten him up, vandalized his home, and injured his secretary with razor blades. For a time, he had to travel with a police escort. "I hope that's completely in the past. I've had no trouble for the last 3 years, significantly since the principal local [Oxford] activist was arrested and successfully prosecuted for harassment," Blakemore told The Scientist. "But I believe passionately that it's an issue that has to be spoken about. And I think ought to be spoken about by people who are not themselves targets. Too much in the past we've left the communication about the need for animal research in the hands of individuals under attack, and I think that's quite inappropriate."Scientists should also be rewarded for public communication, said Blakemore. "I think incentives are crucial. I haven't thought through the details yet, but I'm thinking through various schemes to recognize scientists who are willing to give part of their time to public communication. And I think it's not just the responsibility of the research councils, I think it lies also with universities—particularly with the Research Assessment Exercise [RAE]." "With each RAE, we are told that credit will be given for public communications and dialogue, but I don't see any clear mechanism for doing that. And there ought to be one. Let's face it, the professional pressures on scientists, particularly young investigators, are already so great simply to deliver within the conventional constraints of science, anyone who does give time to public communication is losing time for promotion of their career in the normal ways. That needs to be recognized."He suggested that explicit recognition could be given for contributions to National Science Week or the British Association for the Advancement of Science Festival, and for articles for newspapers and activities in local schools.Asked what he was most proud of in his own extensive work in public communication, he decided it was time spent talking to schools. "Because one hopes that will have some influence on the next generation of scientists."

Blakemore takes office

Public needs more truly objective science communication, says new MRC chief

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