Science works for society. Much of it is funded by society. A failure to listen to the fears and concerns of society endangers the trust people have in scientists and the success of research itself. Therefore, public engagement must become an intrinsic part of research and fully integrated into the work of universities. To meet this challenge, there needs to be a change in both the processes and culture of research organisations. Scientists and policy makers in the main do not recognise how vital public engagement is to research success. How do we make researchers themselves believe in and initiate engagement activities?
An expert panel will present current research and sociological thinking. There will also be round table discussions between experts and the audience on the issues involved, and the potential impact this wider and deeper dialogue between science and society could have on the culture of our universities.