Demystifying science: a path to a policy of scientific dissemination

• Grant number: 19/21570-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: March 15, 2022
• End date: September 14, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Communications
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Hengler Corrêa Bernardo
• Grantee: Cristiane Hengler Corrêa Bernardo
• Host Investigator: Marcelo Gleiser
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Engenharia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Tupã. Tupã , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Dartmouth College, United States

Abstract

There is a direct cause and effect relationship between a country's socioeconomic development and its investment in science and technology. In Brazil, besides the low investment, we also notice that science and technology dissemination initiatives are punctual and depend more on the researcher's will than projects or programs aimed at the scientific awareness of the population. Since there is no culture of scientific dissemination or a program that joins efforts in the pursuit of effective scientific literacy, science is increasingly distant from society. Research on public perception of science indicates that in Brazil, although the population believes in science, it does not know researchers, research institutions and not even very simple concepts about science. In this context, this project aims to propose a program of scientific dissemination for the government of the state of São Paulo, which integrates public educational and research institutions. As a result, we hope that the program will be able to bring together scattered efforts and bring science closer to citizens in order to make them active participants in science and technology discussions and aware of how science and technology affect their daily lives. (AU)