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Eric A Jensen

Eric Jensen

Associate Professor

Media and Module Materials
Academia.edu page

MORE INFORMATION ON ERIC JENSEN'S PROJECTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Media coverage

Dr Eric Jensen has two main research specialisms: Public engagement, and media. He also contributes to the development of impact evaluation methodology and social change theory. His research on the impacts of public engagement cuts across a wide range of settings, from zoos to conservation training programmes to museums (e.g. Natural History Museum, University of Cambridge Museums) to festivals (e.g. Cambridge Science Festival and the Cheltenham Festivals).

Research

Recent projects have also investigated the impacts of online public engagement with research (e.g. the JISC-funded PERO Project), the role of digital technology in evaluating arts and culture experiences (NESTA and AHRC-funded 'Qualia' project), and a Sciencewise project: The Role of Social Media in Public Dialogue and Policy. He is also participating in CUSP (Center for Urban Science and Progress), based at New York University.

His research on science in the media has included a detailed investigation of coverage of the issue of therapeutic cloning in the US and UK (his book on this topic, published by Ashgate, can be found HERE). Current research projects include:

CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Arts & Humanities Research Council-funded project: 'Embedding and demonstrating the value of technology-enhanced cultural impact measurement for arts and culture organisations'.
  • PERFORM (perform-research.eu)- This EU Horizon2020 project investigates the value of participatory performance-based methods of engaging young people with science. This 3-year project began in November 2015.
  • Artory (artory.co.uk) - This project uses a smartphone app and open source technology to gain unprecedented insights into city-wide patterns of arts and culture consumption. Find out about how the methods for this project were developed in this report.

Recent projects have included:

RECENT PROJECTS

Eric is engaged in developing policy and practice impacts from his research. His policy engagement acting as the research methods expert for a research project commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Role of Food Aid in Household Food Security in the UK. This research was discussed in Parliament and influenced the policy and media debate about the impact of welfare spending cuts in the UK. Eric participated in a number of media interviews, including with the BBC, on this topic.

Eric's research on the role of zoos in public engagement with conservation was featured as an impact case study in REF 2014: http://impact.ref.ac.uk/CaseStudies/CaseStudy.aspx?Id=2418

Projects on the value of engagement with arts and culture

Publications

Recent publications include the following peer-reviewed journal articles:

In addition, he has contributed two chapters on science communication practice and methods in the Oxford University Press volume Investigating Science Communication in the Information Age; and two books -

Teaching

Eric is currently on research leave. However, his teaching normally includes the undergraduate modules 'Media, Audiences and Social Change' and 'Practice of Quantitative Research' and the postgraduate module: 'Researching Science, Media and Public Policy'. Papers are accessible here.

Media Coverage

Big data analysis

BBC Radio Oxfordshire interview (8 September 2017)

BBC Radio Solent interview (8 September 2017)

BBC World Service interview (8 September 2017)

BBC Radio Shropshire interview (8 September 2017)

Zoo Research

The Conversation

Science Daily - zoo study

HuffPost - Cecil the lion