𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🇭🇺
Over the past few days, I had the privilege and opportunity to attend the #WorldScienceForum in Budapest, Hungary, organized by UNESCO, International Science Council, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
At this meeting, scientists, academics, policymakers and diplomats came together to talk about the state of global science and policy. The venues, music, and cultural experiences were equally profound and impressive.
On the plane ride home, I reflected on what I heard, and five main points stood out to me (as a scientist in academia):
⚖️ 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻, 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. We need to publish in open-access journals and involve underprivileged scientists and institutions, especially from the Global South.
📣 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. This is important to foster understanding, trust and value for the impact of our work.
🏫 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲. Outreach, teaching, engagement, and impactful research should be incentivised. Metrics and quantity of papers published should be devalued.
📚 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲. We need to teach the scientific method from an early age, not presenting science as a list of unassailable facts but as a body of empirical evidence that evolves over time.
📱𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿. These tools should be used responsibly, for the benefit of humanity and our planet, to make peace not war.
There's a lot more to say, after I've had more time to digest. For now, you can read the final Declaration here: https://lnkd.in/dMA7JwAJ
I'm very grateful to the organizers and their partners for the gracious invitation to this important event.
#WSF2024 #sciencepolicy #openscience #DEI #scienceoutreach
