John T. O’Connor

Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries - Nature Human Behaviour

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

This international survey “challenges the idea that there is a widespread lack of public trust in scientists. In most countries, scientists and scientific methods are trusted”. Ireland 🇮🇪#2 in Europe 👏https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02090-5

What is the state of trust in scientists around the world? To answer this question, the authors surveyed 71,922 respondents in 68 countries and found that trust in scientists is moderately high.

Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA)

@ingsa.org

Why should everyone at #MuscatISC be curious about INGSA? Because weall now work across evidence/policy/society. And INGSA is the global network for science-policy-society interfaces, including capacity building, knowledge sharing and regional networking.

It's free to join!! buff.ly/3RBig3s

The enablers of effective knowledge exchange between science and policy

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

Enablers of knowledge echange between science and policy i2insights.org/2025/01/14/e...

By Vivian Nguyen and Chris Cvitanovic. What are the practical enabling conditions necessary for effectively implementing strategies to enhance knowledge exchange at the science-policy interface? To…

i2insights.org

Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol - Clarke, N - 2025 | Cochrane Library

Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Gareth Hollands

@gjhollands.bsky.social

🔊 Published today, our new Cochrane review on the impact of calorie labelling on people’s selection and consumption of food (including non-alcoholic drinks) and alcohol:
www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10....

Short thread below 👇

Select your preferred language for Cochrane reviews and other content. Sections without translation will be in English.

www.cochranelibrary.com

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Biodiversa+ (European Biodiversity Partnership)

@biodiversa.eu

How can science better inform biodiversity policy? This paper analyzes the evolving role of biodiversity science-policy interfaces, arguing for a shift from information provision to active facilitation of transformative change.

Transformative science–policy interfacing: the case of biodiversity and ecosystem services - Sustainability Science

Science–policy interfaces (SPI), such as IPCC and IPBES, are key mechanisms by which scientists can contribute to policy making to tackle socio-environmental problems. To capture recent and ongoing…

link.springer.com

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Irish rugby following the data to protect big stars

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

Can science for policy learn anything from science for sport?
www.rte.ie/sport/united...

Neil Treacy speaks to Stephen Smith of Kitman Labs about how one of the world's leading sports science companies grew from Michael Cheika's Leinster team in the late 2000s.

www.rte.ie

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor, Ana Nuño

Denis Karcher

@deniskarcher.bsky.social

Just published - led by @chriscvitanovic.bsky.social we conducted a systematic lit review to identify the top barriers and enablers for knowledge brokers at the interface of environmental science and policy
(..and all the ‘invisible’ work they do) 🔍

doi.org/10.1016/j.en...

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Everyone at the table - Publications Office of the EU

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

Interesting report that ‘assess the needs and options for strengthening the sciencepolicy interface for improved food systems governance’.
op.europa.eu/en/publicati...

The European Commission (EC) established a High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) to assess the needs and options for strengthening the sciencepolicy interface (SPI) for improved food systems governance. The ...

op.europa.eu

by Jonathan A. Foley — Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Dr. Jonathan Foley

@globalecoguy.bsky.social

We can’t look at climate change, biodiversity loss, and human wellbeing in separate silos anymore.

Next — we need to look for effective, evidence-based solutions at the intersection of climate, nature, and people.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

IPBES report sees climate, nature and food challenges interlinked

A new approach is needed to tackle the interlinked crises afflicting the planet, scientists warn.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor, Christina C. Hicks, Mikko Sipilä , and 8 more John T. O’Connor, Christina C. Hicks, Mikko Sipilä, Han Olff, Anping Chen, Martin Jung, Carolyn J. Lundquist, Laura Pereira, Hanno Seebens, Riikka Paloniemi, Minna Kaljonen

IPBES

@ipbes.net

🚨 OUT NOW 🚨

📚 The @ipbes.bsky.social #NexusAssessment Summary for Policymakers is now available!

➡️ Explore the most comprehensive assessment ever of the interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health & climate.

🌏 Options for a just & sustainable future!
www.ipbes.net/node/85582

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Timothy Caulfield

@caulfieldtim.bsky.social

Given that politicians seem to care less and less about science, this is just gonna get worse...👇

Why aren’t governments using science? www.nature.com/articles/d41...

80% of scientists say science-advice system broken.

80% say "policymakers lack sufficient understanding of science."

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by Sam Illingworth — Reposted by: John T. O’Connor, Jana Lasser

Prof Sam Illingworth

@samillingworth.com

🌍 Why Don’t Governments Use Science?

A @natureportfolio.bsky.social survey found 80% of science-policy experts think governments lack robust systems for science advice - despite crises like COVID-19 showing its value.

How can we bridge the gap?

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

#SciComm 🧪

Science could solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Why aren’t governments using it?

A Nature global survey finds that most specialists are unhappy with systems to provide science advice to policymakers.

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What skills do knowledge brokers need?

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

What skills do knowledge brokers need?
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Reporting on a study of knowledge brokers’ views on the attributes required to be good at their job, Denis Karcher and Chris Cvitanovic present four attributes and styles of working that underpin g…

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Helen Pearson

@helenpearson.bsky.social

How does science advice to governments need to change over the next 10 years?

In a Nature survey, respondents said that training scientists in politics & policy is top of the list.

Our editorial outlines what's required
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Advising governments about science is essential but difficult. So train people to do it

A great scientist doesn’t necessarily make an effective science adviser — but schooling and practice can help to bridge the gap.

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Unanswered questions in research assessment 2 – Can we apply the scientific method to research assessment?

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

“one of the most common criticisms levelled at research assessment is that it does not adhere to the same standards of rigour we apply to academic research”

blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Noemie Aubert Bonn and Haley Hazlett discuss the importance of applying scholarly standards to research assessment reform efforts and the value of creating space for experimentation, transpare…

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Transforming Evidence

@transformevidence.bsky.social

The value of a research function in a Knowledge Brokering Organisation: what we've learnt so far.

📝 Eleanor MacKillop, Hannah Durrant & James Downe share lessons from the Wales Centre for Public Policy research team.

Latest on our blog 👇🏼
transforming-evidence.org/blog/the-val...

The value of a research function in a Knowledge Brokering Organisation

What we've learnt so far

transforming-evidence.org

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor, Jeremy Grimshaw

Helen Pearson

@helenpearson.bsky.social

In a Nature survey, 80% of science-policy experts say their country’s science advice system is poor or patchy.

I've written about the state of global science advice & what should change.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Thnx to @ingsa.bsky.social @transformevidence.bsky.social @jperkel.bsky.social

Science could solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Why aren’t governments using it?

A Nature global survey finds that most specialists are unhappy with systems to provide science advice to policymakers.

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How to set up an academic think tank

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

‘the core idea that a university has is to establish a boundary spanning entity that helps to translate academic research into policy impacts.’

wonkhe.com/blogs/how-to...

How and why should universities set up a think tank? That is the question that Jonathan Grant is often asked on his travels around the sector How and why should universities set up a think tank? That ...

wonkhe.com

Four challenges for funding research with societal goals

John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

‘Funders find it challenging to design funding programs with societal goals alongside academic and economic ones’
#science4policy

blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Drawing on a recent study of systemic challenges to delivering research funding for societal change and evidence from a recent meeting of research funders, Andreas Kjær Stage, Carter Walter Bloch, …

blogs.lse.ac.uk

‘Systematic reviews’ that aim to extract broad conclusions from many studies are in peril

Reposted by: John T. O’Connor, Anatoly Oleksiyenko

Richard Van Noorden

@richvn.bsky.social

A growing problem --- fake papers polluting systematic reviews. And interesting point that the gold-standard protocols that Cochrane is developing to weed out untrustworthy studies, are too much of an effort for systematic-review authors looking at 100s of papers. www.science.org/content/arti...

Fake papers are “poisoning the well” for these gold-standard syntheses, researchers say

www.science.org

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John O’Connor

@johnoconnor10.bsky.social

Fine example of academic-policy engagement, strengthening the creation, sharing and use of scientific knowledge in public policy.

Research Ireland @researchireland.ie · Nov 27

Research Ireland was delighted to welcome our current Public Service Fellows to Three Park Place earlier this week. It was wonderful to hear about the many interesting projects they are currently working on across several Government departments and agencies.

Public service fellows stand side by side for photo at the networking event

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Reposted by: John T. O’Connor

Research Ireland

@researchireland.ie

Research Ireland was delighted to welcome our current Public Service Fellows to Three Park Place earlier this week. It was wonderful to hear about the many interesting projects they are currently working on across several Government departments and agencies.

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