One of the things that I find it necessary to remind scientists about from time to time is that much of their research is paid for by the public, either through taxation or donation. Public engagement is not an act of altruism where scientists condescend to explain their work but an essential condition for sustaining the material base of the whole scientific enterprise by convincing the public of its value to them. Social media, particularly Twitter, can be a bruising experience, but it has a reach beyond any scientific journal or popular scientific magazine and the ability to present unfiltered accounts of research and scientific debates.
It was certainly very useful for rapid dissemination. However it also had its drawbacks - it was largely through SoMe that things like the early intubation protocols became popular, which were later found to likely have caused harm.
One of the things that I find it necessary to remind scientists about from time to time is that much of their research is paid for by the public, either through taxation or donation. Public engagement is not an act of altruism where scientists condescend to explain their work but an essential condition for sustaining the material base of the whole scientific enterprise by convincing the public of its value to them. Social media, particularly Twitter, can be a bruising experience, but it has a reach beyond any scientific journal or popular scientific magazine and the ability to present unfiltered accounts of research and scientific debates.
Thanks very much for this interesting article; I think I will use it in my new undergrad course on social media in biology/ ecology.
I couldn't agree more
In some ways it ways so helpful as an intensivist early in the pandemic.
It was certainly very useful for rapid dissemination. However it also had its drawbacks - it was largely through SoMe that things like the early intubation protocols became popular, which were later found to likely have caused harm.
Yes, if used correctly, not self-referential or self-celebratory, but to disseminate science and knowledge