The news media is a powerful agent that translates information across the science-policy interface to inform the general public of decisions made by policy-makers. However, news coverage is all too often shaped by political or cultural biases and the realities of the news business. These realities include journalistic norms and preferences that lead to news […]
Information Use & Influence
Barriers and Enablers in Information Transfer at the Science-Policy Interface
The transfer of research information from providers to users is essential for management operations and decision-making. More specifically, users of information such as policy-makers and managers often use evidence from different sources to inform their decisions about local and global problems. It is important to highlight that different types of knowledge exist as well. For […]
Challenges and Benefits of Public Consultations as Advisory Processes
Stakeholder engagement in evidence-based policy and decision making is an important multifaceted advisory process, which is characterized by several challenges relating to information management. In complex areas such as public health or the environment, effective decision-making involves commitment from policymakers to understand the subject in question holistically as well as be aware that policies affect […]
Making Science Communication Personal: New EIUI Study Investigates Strategies for Encouraging Conversations between the Public and Scientists through Social Media
In this post, Curtis Martin, an EIUI team member, reports on his Master of Marine Management research about the strategies that individual scientists and marine non-governmental organization communicators use to engage the public in conversations about scientific subjects. The internet and social media have dramatically changed the way we communicate with one another today. More […]
Communication Pathways and Models: Bridging the Gap between Science and Policy
Effective research communication between scientists and policy-makers is becoming an increasingly important subject to consider when tackling some of the world’s most wicked problems. On one hand, scientists must become comfortable with translating their work into information products that can be used beyond scientific circles and understood by laypeople. On the other, policy-makers should attempt […]
Closing the Gap: Translating Information into Policy – Key Observations Drawn Primarily from the Health Sector
Understanding the relationship between research, information, and policy can be challenging. In the health sector, for example, the inter-relationship among the three can be particularly informative for exploring interactions between information and policy development. Discoveries from this area can be applicable to other fields. Traditionally, health was defined narrowly as being attributed to sickness or […]
Deep Ties: New EIUI Study Investigates the Connection between People and Marine Environments in Ocean Planning and Policy
A new Environmental Information: Use and Influence study suggests that social values tied to the ocean are under-represented in the valuation of marine ecosystems, and proposes a public perceptions frame work to gauge place-based attachments in coastal planning and policy decision processes. Simon Ryder-Burbidge, an EIUI team member and a recent graduate of the Master […]
New Essays on Ocean Governance by EIUI Team Members in Honour of Elizabeth Mann Borgese
The Environmental Information: Use and Influence (EIUI) research team is pleased to announce the contributions by Bertrum MacDonald, Suzuette Soomai, and Peter Wells to the new book, The Future of Ocean Governance and Capacity Development: Essays in Honor of Elisabeth Mann Borgese (1918-2002). Prepared under the editorship of the International Ocean Institute-Canada (IOI-Canada) and published […]
Science in Public life – Panel Sessions, 9 & 11 October 2018
The Environmental Information: Use and Influence (EIUI) research program is very pleased to announce that two public panel sessions on the subject of Science in Public Life will be presented on 9 and 11 October 2018 in Halifax. EIUI is hosting these panels, along with co-sponsors, to address key questions about the role of information […]
Benefits and Misuse of Research Impact Indicators: Three New Books on Metrics
Does research output have any impact? Do the investments in personnel and other research resources actually advance understanding and contribute to societal and environmental well-being? These questions have captivated the minds of researchers, funders, and policy makers for decades. While some quantifiable indicators, such as citations, have been widely adopted, debates about the merits and […]