(Artwork courtesy of Rachel M. Rieza, DOST-STII)

The 8th National Research and Development Conference (NRDC) held in July was not just a gathering of experts and the scientific community, but also a discussion on how to effectively communicate science and deal with the widespread misinformation and disinformation.

With the theme, “Leveraging Transdisciplinary R&D for Wealth Creation, Wealth Protection, Human Well-Being and Sustainability,” this year’s Research and Development (R&D) conference highlighted not only the ongoing and completed R&D projects and programs, but also the importance of communicating the results and benefits of the groundbreaking studies to the public.

“Misinformation, particularly unverified content circulated online and through different platforms, poses serious risks — it can endanger lives. It fosters distrust, fuels panic, and heightens safety hazards, most especially during public emergencies,” said DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr.

“We at DOST take this very seriously, as public trust is not something to be taken for granted. Science communications serves as the bridge between researchers, policymakers, and the public — empowering Filipinos to make informed choices,” Solidum added.

Michael Lim Ubac, Undersecretary for Integrated Presidential Messaging, Presidential Communications Office

Longtime journalist Michael Lim Ubac, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary for Integrated Presidential Messaging, shared that clarity was among the most important factors to consider in effectively communicating science.

“Researchers, those in the academic and government communication areas, should be able to convey effective messages by communicating that sense of clarity so that the end user can clearly understand the content of the lecture, whether talking about research abstracts, writing a report or a series, or producing content for social media, clarity is a top priority,” Usec. Ubac said in his talk.

He stressed that effective communication is not about how complicated the messages are. Instead, he said it's about how well the target audience receives and acts on the message.

“The key to this is to give our audience a clear and concise message that provides solutions to problems that empower people,” continued Usec. Ubac. He added: “Science must also provide a platform for a coherent and structured approach to many of the conversations that people already have, for it to be appreciated well and thus continue to be an agent of change.”

Moreover, in a talk titled “Breaking the Fake: Science Communication in the Fight Against Misinformation”, Dr. Shiela V. Siar consultant and former director of the Research Information Department, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) cited some examples on why people opt to share fake news in various social media platforms.

Dr. Shiela V. Siar, former director, Research Information Department, Philippine Institute for Development Studies.

“We easily tend to believe information coming from credible sources. And that is why most fake news creators use the names of celebrities, use the names of famous people, experts, in telling false information. The theory's lack of reflective reasoning simply says that people who lack critical thinking skills are susceptible to fake news,” Dr. Siar said.

According to her, fake news is actually not a phenomenon and that it has existed even in older times. However, the difference now is the way it can easily be produced, disseminated using social media platforms.

She added that research also provides explanations on why people share fake news intentionally (disinformation) or unintentionally (misinformation).

“There is a positive association between FOMO or the fear of missing out on sharing fake news. According to research, people experiencing the fear of missing out tend to share fake news or unknowingly because they would like to keep or maintain their online social connections,” Dr. Siar added.

Citing a common example of fake news, Dr. Siar said the topic of most of the viral postings are about sickness because it thrives emotional engagement.

One popular example of this is where people use manipulated videos of doctors or celebrities to promote a specific product that claims to treat certain diseases, which is very concerning.

According to Dr. Siar, 89 percent of internet users use online resources to identify treatments for everyday ailments and most of these postings are scams that are moving people to buy certain products that are promoted as effective cures for treatments.

With that, Dr. Siar proposed ways to the science research community in addressing issues like misinformation and disinformation.

“We really need to move away from the usual one-way model to the dialogic stakeholder engagement model. Let us engage our stakeholders in conversations about current issues and how science can help. We really need to bring science closer to the people, closer to communities, and come up with community-centered science education initiatives so that people can understand the importance of science and how they can benefit society,” Dr. Siar said.

According to experts in science journalism, science communication bridges the gap between scientists or experts and the public. It raises awareness on science-related topics to involve audiences outside the science community.

Moreover, Dr. Siar also emphasized the importance of the media in spreading good news about science, technology and innovation.

“We also need to actively reach out to the media to share research findings and have a productive relationship with them. Also, [let us] help the media understand research scientific information because not all journalists have a background in science,” Siar said.

She added that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and its attached agencies are in the best position to fact-check science and technology-related fake news because of its pool of experts.

Currently, the DOST, through the Science and Technology Information Institute, has been spearheading efforts on effectively sharing science communication through its programs and services such as the Science Journo Ako advocacy program and DOSTv.

In compliance with Section 19 of Article IX of Republic Act 10055, otherwise known as the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009, the DOST conducts an annual national conference of all government funding agencies (GFAs) and research and development institutes (RDIs) to promote transdisciplinary joint, and cross collaborative R&D and to harmonize all R&D agenda and priorities in the country.

The NRDC is an annual activity that aims to promote coordination and collaboration among stakeholders of research and development (R&D) and innovation. It highlights ongoing and completed R&D projects and programs that are aligned to the priority areas of the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA) that will be for the use or benefit of society, and those that may contribute to economic development.

This is among the many initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions, Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph.(By Claire Bernadette A. Mondares, DOST-STII)