Science Communication, A review on Importance, History, and Its Models

The article is an extended version of a talk on the issue given in Half-Day Seminar on the Complications of Scientific Publications held by Iranian Academy of Sciences, on July the ninth of 2019. Apparently, science communication, an old tradition and once very popular according to the literature reviewed, is not well advanced along with the magnificent scientific progress happened during the last two centuries. As a matter of fact, modern experts in scientific disciplines seem are not very much interested to share their knowledge with public in general, and the gap between scientific communities and lay public becomes more widened. However, the importance of science communication for public has emerged as a topic of interest for academics and administrations in last two decades, evidenced by advancement of public education plans and programs in several countries. It also appeared as a discipline of education in many universities around the world. Due the huge progress and fast moving advances in basic sciences, and their implications in everyday life, the requirement of communicating scientific knowledge is more evident both for the public and government officials. Since the gap between scientists enrolled in different disciplines, between them and the society and policy-makers considered to be a barrier to science progress in society and for sustainable development as well. This article reviews the history of scientific communication, the emergence of the “scientific revolution”, and present-day importance and models of science communication as a field of research and study.