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All Outputs (50)

Science communication practices and trust in information sources amongst Nigerian scientists and journalists (2023)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E., Larbey, R., Maina, M. B., Petherick, K., Muhammad, M. S., Tsanni, A., …Al-Gazali, A. (2023). Science communication practices and trust in information sources amongst Nigerian scientists and journalists. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 22(5), Article A04. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.22050204

Relatively few studies have explored the communication practices of researchers and journalists working in African contexts. We set out to explore the communication activities undertaken by Nigerian health researchers and journalists, their motivatio... Read More about Science communication practices and trust in information sources amongst Nigerian scientists and journalists.

Exploring ‘quality’ in science communication online: Expert thoughts on how to assess and promote science communication quality in digital media contexts (2023)
Journal Article
Fähnrich, B., Weitkamp, E., & Kupper, F. (in press). Exploring ‘quality’ in science communication online: Expert thoughts on how to assess and promote science communication quality in digital media contexts. Public Understanding of Science, 32(5), 605-621. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625221148054

In recent years, the public visibility of science has greatly increased. In the digital media landscape, a wide range of players is now engaged in science communication via various online channels. While these developments offer opportunities, they a... Read More about Exploring ‘quality’ in science communication online: Expert thoughts on how to assess and promote science communication quality in digital media contexts.

Motivations and deterrents in contemporary science communication: A questionnaire survey of actors in seven European countries (2022)
Journal Article
Wilkinson, C., Milani, E., Ridgway, A., & Weitkamp, E. (2023). Motivations and deterrents in contemporary science communication: A questionnaire survey of actors in seven European countries. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 13(2), 131-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2139165

As the ecosystem of actors communicating science has become more complex, there is a need to understand the motivations and deterrents of those involved in the communication of science, technology and health topics. This article reports on a survey o... Read More about Motivations and deterrents in contemporary science communication: A questionnaire survey of actors in seven European countries.

Roles, incentives, training and audiences for science communication: Perspectives from female science communicators (2022)
Journal Article
Wilkinson, C., Milani, E., Ridgway, A., & Weitkamp, E. (2022). Roles, incentives, training and audiences for science communication: Perspectives from female science communicators. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 21(4), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21040204

Both research and anecdote in science communication suggests that it is a field where women feel ‘at home’, with high numbers of women science communicators and students on training programmes, but why might this be the case? Using data gathered from... Read More about Roles, incentives, training and audiences for science communication: Perspectives from female science communicators.

RETHINKING Science communication education and training: Towards a competence model for science communication (2021)
Journal Article
Fähnrich, B., Wilkinson, C., Weitkamp, E., Heintz, L., Ridgway, A., & Milani, E. (2021). RETHINKING Science communication education and training: Towards a competence model for science communication. Frontiers in Communication, 6, Article 795198. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.795198

Science communication is at a pivotal stage in its development due to the emergence of digital communication platforms that are not only presenting new opportunities but are also leading to new challenges. In this context, science communicators, who... Read More about RETHINKING Science communication education and training: Towards a competence model for science communication.

Exploring the digital media ecology: Insights from a study of healthy diets and climate change communication on digital and social media (2021)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E., Milani, E., Ridgway, A., & Wilkinson, C. (2021). Exploring the digital media ecology: Insights from a study of healthy diets and climate change communication on digital and social media. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 20(3), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.20030202

This study explores the types of actors visible in the digital science communication landscape in the Netherlands, Serbia and the UK. Using the Koru model of science communication as a basis, we consider how science communicators craft their messages... Read More about Exploring the digital media ecology: Insights from a study of healthy diets and climate change communication on digital and social media.

Communicating the hidden: Toward a framework for drought risk communication in maritime climates (2020)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E., McEwen, L., & Ramirez, P. (2020). Communicating the hidden: Toward a framework for drought risk communication in maritime climates. Climatic Change, 163, 831-850. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02906-z

This paper explores stakeholder perspectives on the drought discourse in the UK, where climate change is predicted to increase drought risk. This study took a co-productive, mixed-methods approach to investigate drought risk communication issues thro... Read More about Communicating the hidden: Toward a framework for drought risk communication in maritime climates.

Water scarcity communication in the UK: Learning from water company communications following the 2018 heatwave (2020)
Journal Article
Larbey, R., & Weitkamp, E. (2020). Water scarcity communication in the UK: Learning from water company communications following the 2018 heatwave. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, Article 578423. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.578423

When communicating about water scarcity, public water companies in the UK operate within a fine balance. There is a legal obligation on water companies in the UK to promote efficient water use, and pressure on water resources means that water compani... Read More about Water scarcity communication in the UK: Learning from water company communications following the 2018 heatwave.

The visual vaccine debate on Twitter: A social network analysis (2020)
Journal Article
Milani, E., Weitkamp, E., & Webb, P. (2020). The visual vaccine debate on Twitter: A social network analysis. Media and Communication, 8(2), 364-375. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v8i2.2847

Pro- and anti-vaccination users use social media outlets, such as Twitter, to join conversations about vaccines, disseminate information or misinformation about immunization, and advocate in favour or against vaccinations. These users not only share... Read More about The visual vaccine debate on Twitter: A social network analysis.

Visualizing the invisible: Performing chaos theory (2020)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2021). Visualizing the invisible: Performing chaos theory. Leonardo, 54(3), 289-293. https://doi.org/10.1162/leon_a_01887

Edward Lorenz, a pioneering figure in the field of chaos theory, coined the phrase “butterfly effect” and posed the well-known question “Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?” In posing the question, Lorenz sought... Read More about Visualizing the invisible: Performing chaos theory.

Every city a food growing city? What food growing Schools London reveals about city strategies for food system sustainability (2018)
Journal Article
Pitt, H., Jones, M., & Weitkamp, E. (2018). Every city a food growing city? What food growing Schools London reveals about city strategies for food system sustainability. Sustainability, 10(8), Article 2924. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082924

© 2018 by the authors. Cities have emerged as leaders in food system innovation and transformation, but their potential can be limited by the absence of supportive governance arrangements. This study examined the value of Food Growing Schools London... Read More about Every city a food growing city? What food growing Schools London reveals about city strategies for food system sustainability.

Alter egos: An exploration of the perspectives and identities of science comic creators (2018)
Journal Article
Collver, J., & Weitkamp, E. (2018). Alter egos: An exploration of the perspectives and identities of science comic creators. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 17(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.17010201

© 2018 The Author(s). While academic interest in science comics has been growing in recent years, the creators of these materials remain understudied. This research aimed to explore the experiences and views of science comic creators through the lens... Read More about Alter egos: An exploration of the perspectives and identities of science comic creators.

Environmental consultants, knowledge brokering and policy-making: A case study (2017)
Journal Article
Sardo, M., & Weitkamp, E. (2017). Environmental consultants, knowledge brokering and policy-making: A case study. International Journal of Environmental Policy and Decision Making, 2(3), 221-235. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEPDM.2017.10006332

This small-scale exploratory study examined the role of environmental consultants in the policy-making process using one European country (Portugal) as a case study. The study focused particularly on the role of environmental consultants as knowledge... Read More about Environmental consultants, knowledge brokering and policy-making: A case study.

Synthetic biology: Below the radar [Book review] (2017)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2017). Synthetic biology: Below the radar [Book review]. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 16(1),

Englehard et al provide a wide-ranging look at synthetic biology, from discussion of how one might classify different synthetic approaches to consideration of risk and ethical issues. The chapter on public engagement considers why synthetic biology s... Read More about Synthetic biology: Below the radar [Book review].

Medical performance and the ‘inaccessible’ experience of illness: An exploratory study (2016)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E., & Mermikides, A. (2016). Medical performance and the ‘inaccessible’ experience of illness: An exploratory study. Medical Humanities, 42(3), 186-193. https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2016-010959

© 2016 Medical Humanities. All rights reserved. We report a survey of audience members’ responses (147 questionnaires collected at seven performances) and 10 in-depth interviews (five former patients and two family members, three medical practitioner... Read More about Medical performance and the ‘inaccessible’ experience of illness: An exploratory study.

Five years of JCOM — inclusive, comprehensive or could we do better? (2016)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2016). Five years of JCOM — inclusive, comprehensive or could we do better?. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 15(4),

Looking back over the past 5 years of articles published in JCOM, this editorial looks at the topics covered and the geographies represented and asks: are we tackling all main contemporary issues in science communication/popularisation or public enga... Read More about Five years of JCOM — inclusive, comprehensive or could we do better?.

Telling stories about our research (2016)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2016). Telling stories about our research. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 15(2),

The academic journal paper has been around for several hundred years and during that time has seen shifts in style and structure. This editorial explores the traditional research paper and considers whether thinking about the research paper as a stor... Read More about Telling stories about our research.

From planning to motivations: Citizen science comes to life (2016)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2016). From planning to motivations: Citizen science comes to life. JCOM: Journal of Science Communication, 15(3),

This issue forms Part II of JCOM’s collection of articles and essays exploring the field of citizen science. Here I introduce the articles in Part II, outlining how they contribute to our understanding of the ways that volunteers participate in citiz... Read More about From planning to motivations: Citizen science comes to life.

A question of (audience) reach (2015)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2015). A question of (audience) reach. Journal of Science Communication, 14(3),

Taking the International Science in Popular Culture conference as a starting point, this editorial considers audiences for cultural products, considering the size of audiences (from blockbuster films, to intimate science slams), their pre-existing (o... Read More about A question of (audience) reach.

Between ambition and evidence (2015)
Journal Article
Weitkamp, E. (2015). Between ambition and evidence. Journal of Science Communication, 14(2),

Measuring impact may be challenging, but does that mean we should accept a lack of ambition? Researchers in all fields are grappling with the challenge of how to measure impact (in many different contexts, which naturally leads to many different appr... Read More about Between ambition and evidence.