View in EDS

A tale of two forests: strategic public engagement requires leaders.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: A tale of two forests: strategic public engagement requires leaders.
Authors: Besley, John C.1 (AUTHOR) jbesley@msu.edu, Tiffany, Leigh Anne1 (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement. Jun2026, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p201-215. 15p.
Subject Terms: *Community involvement, *Scientific communication, Leadership, Communication planning, Environmental research
Abstract: Understanding scientists' public engagement experiences within their organizations seems necessary to enhancing their ability to have impact through communication efforts. This study uses three rounds of semi-structured interviews conducted between 2017 and 2021 with scientists at two Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in the United States to explore scientists' views about communication over several years during which engagement planning and discussion were scheduled. The central lesson for which we provide novel data was that improving science-focused public engagement requires buy-in from organizational leadership, along with access to specialists to manage and support efforts. Unexpected changes in both leadership and support infrastructure at one of the sites were especially valuable in highlighting the importance of sustained attention to science communication infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication & Public Engagement is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:Understanding scientists' public engagement experiences within their organizations seems necessary to enhancing their ability to have impact through communication efforts. This study uses three rounds of semi-structured interviews conducted between 2017 and 2021 with scientists at two Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in the United States to explore scientists' views about communication over several years during which engagement planning and discussion were scheduled. The central lesson for which we provide novel data was that improving science-focused public engagement requires buy-in from organizational leadership, along with access to specialists to manage and support efforts. Unexpected changes in both leadership and support infrastructure at one of the sites were especially valuable in highlighting the importance of sustained attention to science communication infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:21548455
DOI:10.1080/21548455.2025.2551291