Why Engage with the Public?

What is Public Engagement?

Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk from the University of Dundee leading a Cafe Science Dundee discussion on Autism and Imitation to an audience of over ninety members of the public, mostly adults Put quite simply, public engagement is any two-way interaction between specialists (researchers) and non-specialist audiences that benefits both groups.

Audiences could include: general public, families, adult audience, school children, teachers, politicians and policy makers.

Reasons to Engage the Public

The Moral Case – Civic Responsibility
The Business Case – generate additional income, enhance their reputation, motivate their staff and students, contribute to their professional development, improve the quality of their teaching and research, and improve the recruitment and retention of staff and students. Public engagement also helps ensure that young people are attracted to research-based and academic careers.
The Academic Case – inspiring learning, empowering individuals, influencing policy and helping to generate prosperity

This page to include links to the RCUK publication What's in it for me? The benefits of public engagement for researchers and Vitae's July 2010 publication The Engaging Researcher.