Science and Technology Communication Research Cluster

There is a growing interest among lay citizens to interact via online sites or other new technology-facilitated platforms, to learn more about everyday science. These interactions facilitate the co-creation of knowledge by sharing information. However, they also create risks for users, since the knowledge produced by often anonymous contributors is not accredited.

What we do

Researching how humans and technology together co-create a system as a network of relations, remains an important research gap. This research cluster promotes interdisciplinary work to:

1. understand the social psychological, cultural, and social network aspects of technology as a system of social relations in organisations, particularly in relation to emerging economies, and how they adapt new technologies to implement state-mandated policies, and
2. to engage in science communication activities to increase the scientific literacy of citizens among various subjects such as health, environment and new technologies.

Cluster members bring their expert knowledge on topics such as “social network theory”, “institutional theory”, “practice theory”, “communities of practice”, and “science communication”, to develop citizen science-focused research and associated methodologies, including text mining and social network analysis.

Contact us

If you are interested in the work of the cluster or attending one of our regular meetings, please contact the cluster leader Soydan Soylu S.Soylu@mdx.ac.uk.

Featured Research

Knowledge sharing in Turkish health forums: developing a decision support system to tackle the epidemic dissemination of pseudo-scientific claims. Role: UK PI Soylu with Dr E. Usenmez (Istanbul University, Turkey). Funded by Newton Advanced Fellowship, The British Academy September 2018 – August 2021, £72,239.

Individual action through social organisations. Soylu (consortium member), with Prof H. Barkema. Funded by ERC Advanced Grant, European Research Council September 2016 – October 2021, €3,000,000.

Open social innovation platform system design for encouraging young education volunteers to put their creative ideas in science teaching project. (PI) Soydan Soylu. Funded by Newton Institutional Links, British Council April 2016 – September 2018, £84,957.