Following a year of public engagement activities associated with the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, Alison Woollard explains why scientists need to communicate with the public.

By examining the longer history of engagement between academics and those outside the academy and reflecting on recent experiences of collaboration, this paper provides a critical perspective on understandings of engagement and the 'impact' of historical research today. Considering in particular the UK higher education landscape and the recent Research Excellence Framework measurement exercise,...

UK scientific advice on the possible health risks of mobile phones has embraced (or seems to be embracing) broader engagement with interested non-experts. This paper explains the context of lost credibility that made such a development necessary, and the implications of greater engagement for the construction (and expert control) of "public concern." I narrate how scientific advice matured from...

Abstract Objective Visualisation methods, primarily color-coded representation of sequence data, have been a predominant means DNA data. Algorithmic conversion data to sound—sonification—represents an alternative that uses different range human sensory perception. We propose sonification has value for public engagement with information because it potential be entertaining as well informative. c...