Communicating research

An important part of research is communication. The challenge for many researchers is that it requires a very different set of skills compared to run tests and analysing the result. The traditional output of research is written papers/articles. I few years ago I would never have thought I would say it but I have to admit; It is very satisfying to read and understand a well written paper on an important subject. It is clearly formulated, the question is easy to understand, the method is well chosen and the study itself is well performed, analysed and discussed. It is often super-nerdy and it sort of have to be. Because the most of the audience are the fellow researchers.

BUT

For the rest of the world, the interesting thing is what implications the research result might lead to and this is an important question. Who communicates the research to people outside the research-community without the required nerdy knowledge and interest in the subject as the author of the paper has? My conviction is that this is a super-important question. Maybe more now than ever. There is a big temptation for anyone to grab a result from a study and use it for their own interest. It might apply to commercial interests, journalists or twitters alike. It’s easy to call anything “scientifically proved” without asking all the difficult and critical questions we have to ask.

THEREFORE

It made me so happy when The Swedish Public Service “Utbildningsradion – UR” asked me and my colleagues from Kungl. Musikhögskolan – KMH to record a series of talks where we present our research and special interests as a part of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Swedish Royal Music Academy. I brought some music production gear to the recording session in the Royal Hall at KMH and talked about human beings, music, history, musical instruments, computers, the game industry, AI and the future. I will announce when it goes live on UR Play but it might require some training for my non-swedish followers 😉

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