Engaging and Consulting with the Public Effectively

Public consultation is a difficult and multi-layered process, with no single approach working effectively for all situations (Doubleday & Wilsdon, 2013). Governments must implement clear goals and techniques when engaging in public consultation (OECD, 2001). Networking, using tools that are fit-for-purpose, and ensuring citizens are aware of their legal and ethical rights are elements needed […]

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The Communication of Research-Based Information in a Public Policy Context: Bridging the Divide

Research should be an essential component in the development and implementation of public policy. By informing decision makers of the potential costs and benefits of a particular action or inaction, research can contribute to sound decision making. However, the technical and scientific nature of research often may not obviously match the policy implications of decision […]

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Information Pathways: Charting Evidence-Based Policy

Policies are everywhere, and although often unseen and unknown, form the framework for how citizens work, play, and live their lives. At the heart of every policy is information, forming the basis of knowledge and evidence-based decision-making. Acquiring the information to make the right policy decision is by no means a simple task. In our […]

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Improving Use and Awareness of Scientific Information: An EIUI Study of the Gulfwatch Monitoring Program

Chemical contamination is a threat that impacts all waterways, especially those closest to human activity. Contamination of ecosystems can lead to consequences within trophic (food-web) structures and can percolate up trophic levels and impact human populations. Countless examples exist of mercury poisoning from contaminated fish overwhelming coastal communities. Other contaminants, such as other trace metals, […]

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Communication across Science-Policy Interfaces

Using research-based information to make informed decisions in policy-making is important in the creation of governmental policies. The use of evidence-based knowledge verifies and validates that appropriate decisions are made by policy makers. Within the science community, the use of scientific research in public policy is termed the science-policy interface. Van den Hove (2007) defines […]

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Information for Public Policy with a Focus on Health and Environmental Policy

The relationships among research, decision-making, and policy development are often complex due to the multifaceted processes that involve varying institutions, people, and information. For both scientific and health research fields these issues are common. Specifically, knowledge and evidence utilization are not static concepts; rather they occur within dynamic settings encompassing a spectrum of types of […]

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Grounding the Science-Policy Interface in Empirical Study

When studying the science-policy interface, it is easy to become lost in abstractions and forget that what is being examined is a living, breathing entity comprised of institutions and people immersed in the ebb and flow of complex forces. In a recent paper entitled “Balancing credibility, relevance and legitimacy: A critical assessment of trade-offs in […]

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6th Canadian Science Policy Conference – Highlights

The Canadian Science Policy Conference was held for the first time in Atlantic Canada on 15-17 October 2014 in Halifax, NS. The conference did not focus on a single special theme, but was organized as a forum consisting of a number of panels and invited speakers who discussed aspects of the current Canadian science-policy environment […]

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Advice or Advocacy: The Nuances of Scientific Communication

Undeniably, communication at the science-policy interface can be affected by numerous factors and in some cases result in controversy. Most scientists believe their primary role in research is to explore, discover, and analyze the world around them and to publish their findings. In contrast, the public may believe that scientist’s primary role, in general, is […]

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Vital Global Ocean Reports Must be Noticed to Have Influence

Reports written and published by major ocean organizations, by definition grey literature,  may be very influential if given coverage by the press, are noticed by politicians, policy makers and marine resource managers, and offer proposals for positive action. One such example is the recent report by the Global Ocean Commission (GOC) “From Decline to Recovery: […]

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