Questioning researchers’ evaluation of communication experiences: A combined interview- and media-based study of communicating socially contestable research

Abstract

This case study examines researchers’ experiences with – and several media’s practices of – communicating a research project that is scientifically complex, potentially highly impactful and socially contestable: the NTNU Cyborg. The project’s researchers study human cells as components connected to a robot interfaced with biological neural networks. Key goals of our study are to understand challenges tied to communicating interdisciplinary research that tends to be regarded as pushing ethical barriers, and to contribute to critical reflection on how communication practices and media coverage may strengthen a dialogue between citizens and research communities on social issues tied to science-in-the- making.