An HCI Research Agenda for Online Science Communication

Abstract

Social media, blogs, podcasts, and other computer-mediated communication technology have become an integral way for the public to access and engage with research. However, despite the evolving challenges researchers face navigating these platforms, and the high stakes of online science communication, relatively little HCI research has focused on understanding and supporting online science communication through these participatory platforms. Through a review of the literature and a set of interviews with HCI researchers (n = 24), we identify challenges currently facing researchers who try to engage with the public about their work, and establish a research agenda for HCI to study, design, and evaluate technology to support science communication. Specifically, we advocate for the design of tools to support audience analytics, automated summary and outreach workflows, and providing quantitative and qualitative feedback about online outreach efforts, as well as additional research to elucidate the impacts of self-directed science communication efforts and the evolving roles of scientists on the participatory web. With shifting online platforms placing researchers in the role of advocates and participants in science communication, understanding and supporting these interactions is now more important than ever.