Prof. Nazife Güngör: "Science and intellectuals serve society and humanity"
Rector of Üsküdar University, Prof. Nazife Güngör, focused on the topic of science communication in her weekly column at 12 Punto this week. Here is Güngör's article titled "Science Communication for the Transformation of Scientific Knowledge into Life":
There has always been a gap between scientists, intellectuals, and society. Since ancient times, scientists and thinkers have positioned themselves above the public, often preferring to look down on them. The phrase "producing theories in an ivory tower" illustrates the distance between scientists, intellectuals, and the general public. Because of this gap, the work of scientists and intellectuals does not always translate into societal benefit. It is well known that, particularly in human-centered sciences, scientific knowledge often does not reach the public or impact their lives. Without empathy and interaction with the public, knowledge production and intellectual work struggle to make a real impact on life. Expecting scientific knowledge that does not engage with society, the public, or ordinary people to transform into social benefit is in vain. Many of us have witnessed how complex scientific texts can be. I sometimes wonder if scientists and intellectuals deliberately write in such a complicated and incomprehensible manner to conceal knowledge. Moreover, how do they manage to do this? After all, writing in such a convoluted and unintelligible manner in one's native language requires a special skill. Of course, this is not the case. The real issue here is that scientists and intellectuals do not sufficiently value the public and ordinary people, looking down on them with arrogance. However, the value of a scientist or intellectual does not come from withholding knowledge from the public. On the contrary, scientists and intellectuals gain value as they reach the public and transfer scientific and intellectual knowledge to them. What truly matters is not the self-proclaimed value of a scientist or intellectual but the transfer of value to society and humanity. The essence of science lies in its transformation into human and social value.
To ensure that scientific and intellectual outputs translate into social benefits, the Council of Higher Education has launched a comprehensive project called the "Science Nation Project." The fundamental aim of the Science Nation Project is to strengthen the interaction between universities and society, open campuses to the public, and facilitate meetings between scientists, intellectuals, and the public. As part of the Science Nation Project, all universities have mobilized to actively conduct science communication-focused activities. The project's objective is to ensure that the scientific output produced at universities is transferred to society and transformed into societal benefit.
Within the scope of the project, universities are expected to establish communication offices to effectively utilize mechanisms and tools that facilitate the transfer of scientific knowledge to the public. For this, it is crucial to transform scientific outputs into a language, narrative, and communication style understandable to ordinary people and ensure their dissemination through various platforms. In other words, the science communication project aims to open campuses to the public.Much of the work done in universities remains archived and does not extend beyond campus boundaries. However, scientific production gains value as it transforms into societal benefit and adds value to human life. Information stored in archives serves little purpose beyond providing academic performance points to scholars. Therefore, sharing scientific outputs with society is both important and valuable.
Scientists and intellectuals serve society and humanity. To provide quality service, they must interact with people and society. It is impossible for someone disconnected from society and unaware of the reality in which ordinary people live to produce useful scientific knowledge. The impact of scientific knowledge on human and societal problems, and the value it adds to human and social life, is shaped by the awareness of its creator. The science communication project aims to establish the necessary communication and increase interaction between those engaged in science and thought and society.
The implementation of the science communication project is based on the idea that science should be discussed in every environment, location, setting, and opportunity. It is planned to integrate scientific outputs into everyday narratives and make them part of everyday discourse. To achieve this, it is proposed that science be discussed everywhere, including cafes, restaurants, parks, city squares, and shopping malls. Scientists, academics, and university students should be encouraged to integrate with the public and engage in ordinary lives. Creating suitable environments to bring together people inside and outside campuses is crucial. This will initially eliminate barriers that have persisted for centuries between the two groups. The next step is to establish a common language and a shared narrative. Instead of forcing people to understand a doctor's prescription, efforts should be made to ensure prescriptions are written in a language the public can comprehend.
It is essential for scientists to interact with people from all segments of society. Intellectuals and scientists often exhibit an arrogant attitude toward ordinary people and the public. However, there is no place for arrogance in science. Science exists to serve humanity. Therefore, arrogance must be replaced with empathy. Removing barriers between scientists and the public and fostering integration between the two groups will facilitate the transformation of scientific knowledge into life.In the age we live in, the means of transmitting and communicating information are highly diverse and numerous. If the actors, mechanisms, and tools of science are not sufficiently effective, other actors, mechanisms, and tools will be eager to fill the void. The gap left by scientific knowledge is easily filled by baseless knowledge producers and charlatans. This greatly harms the process of societal and human development and progress. Therefore, universities and all institutions and individuals engaged in scientific production must take action and strive to transform the outputs of scientific production into societal contributions. Science communication is crucial in this regard. Creating awareness among scientists and making them conscious of their responsibilities to society, the world, and humanity is of great importance.
As Üsküdar University, we have also established a Science Communication Coordination Unit to facilitate the systematic and institutionalized transfer of scientific knowledge to society. We are making great efforts to transform the knowledge produced within the university into social responsibility projects, establish collaborations with non-governmental organizations, and enhance science-focused interactions between the university and society through seminars, conferences, and symposiums aimed at different social groups. In this regard, Üsküdar University continues to bring knowledge to life with its city-based campuses, media channels (ÜÜTV, ÜÜ Radio, ÜÜ News Agency), popular science periodicals, scientific journals, social media accounts, media shares, and its commitment to social engagement.