Protective Progressives to Distrustful Traditionalists: A Post Hoc Segmentation Method for Science Communication

ABSTRACT

This study demonstrates a post-hoc segmentation that is effective in creating distinct and robust segments of interest for researchers and practitioners in science communication. We use agglomerative hierarchical clustering to classify survey respondents based on answers to a short, five-item battery of questions drawn from variables that are frequently used in science communication. Resulting segments demonstrate strong differences in regards to demographics, issue-specific science knowledge, attention to media, sentiment toward media, and social networking site use. We assess the utility of the segments through a series of regression analyses in order to determine differences among segments with regards to intent to seek information about three science issues: fracking, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology.     

“Science is Everywhere,but No One Knows It”: Assessing the Cultural Distance to Science of Rural South African Publics

ABSTRACT

In science communication, a prerequisite for reaching different parts of a society is to find out how these publics experience and interpret science. Since rural South African publics are perceived to exhibit a large cultural distance to science, the present exploratory study aimed to know in more detail how rural South Africans perceive and understand science in their local and social contexts. Theoretical notions on cultural distance and the methodological approach of segmentation studies were considered. Semi-structured interviews with rural South Africans were carried out in four towns (n?=?52) that differ with respect to having a large scientific installation in their vicinity, or not. Sensitively comparing local and social contexts helped identifying three different publics who differed regarding their perceptions of science; however, the large scientific installations only made a difference in perceptions for those publics who were generally less exposed to and less knowledgeable about science.     

Between Active Seekers and Non-Users: Segments of Science-related Media Usage in Switzerland and Germany

ABSTRACT

Citizens’ attitudes toward science are related to their use of science-related information from various sources. Evidence is scarce regarding citizens’ individual media repertoires for staying informed about science as segmentation studies so far have primarily focused on scientific attitudes. In this paper, we explore audience segments regarding their science-related information behavior and whether such segments are comparable or vary between two countries with similar information environments. Based on two surveys in Switzerland and Germany, we identify national audience segments that differ in their science-related information repertoires, and analyze their sociodemographic characteristics and science-related attitudes. In both countries, we find very comparable information user segments ranging from those who inform themselves frequently about science (“Active Seekers”/“Science Consumers”) to those who hardly get in contact with any information about science and research (“Non-Users”). Those segments which get in contact with information about science frequently show generally more positive attitudes.     

Indonesia’s Accidental Island: Composing the Environment in the Echo of Disaster

By presenting stakeholders’ competing representations of an extraordinary geological formation, an island with a surface that is comprised of runoff from an infamous mud volcano in East Java, this article explores the communicative openings and closures that arise during an environmental disaster. A particular concern is attuning communicative practices to the diverse human and nonhuman actors that not only produce disasters but also shape our understandings and responses to disasters. Drawing on the work of Bruno Latour, this article suggests that non-anthropocentric modes of inquiry present new communicative and political possibilities for pursuing both social justice and safe environments. While this article focuses on a specific set of incidents in Indonesia, this project develops tools and perspectives that can be applied to environmental conflicts at other places.     

H∞ loop-shaping controller design for a grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic system

This paper presents a H_∞ loop-shaping controller for controlling dc-link voltage by regulating the switching signal of the inverter associated with a grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic system. To facilitate a robust control design, state-space realisation of the system model is made with uncertainties represented by linear fractional transformation. The controller is achieved through H_∞ synthesis followed by obtaining desired loop shapes through the choice of the proper weighting functions. The controller order is reduced by Henkel-norm method for facilitating its practical implementation. Controller performance is evaluated through carrying out simulations on MATLAB/Simulink platform under standard and changing atmospheric conditions, and fault condition.     

Bioconcentration and half-life of quinalphos pesticide in rice-fish integration system in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

In order to determine the distribution and enable the elimination of quinalphos, a popular active pesticide compound used in the Mekong Delta, an experiment was set up in a rice-fish integration system in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Fish was stocked into the field when the rice was two-months old. Quinalphos was applied twice in doses of 42.5 g per 1000 m². Water, fish and sediment samples were collected at time intervals and analyzed by a Gas Chromatography Electron Capture Detector system. The results show that quinalphos residues in fish muscles were much higher than those of the water and the bioconcentration factor (logBCF) was above 2 for the fish. The half-life of first and second quinalphos applications were 12.2 and 11.1 days for sediment, 2.5 and 1.1 days for silver barb, 1.9 and 1.3 days for common carp, and 1.1 and 1.0 days for water, respectively.     

3种浮床植物系统对富营养化水体净化效果研究

研究了风车草(Cyperus alternifolius)、菖蒲(Acorus calamus)和富贵竹(Dracaena sanderiana)3种浮床植物系统对富营养化水体净化效果,试验共持续35 d。结果表明,在水温24～30℃条件下,风车草和菖蒲生长良好,生物量大,而富贵竹生长较差,生物量增加少;3种植物对NH_4~+-N的去除率分别为76.8%、85.5%和53.6%,对TN的去除率分别为69.1%、66.2%和54.4%,对TP的去除率分别为76.9%、84.6%和61.5%,对PO_4~(3-)-的去除率分别为91.7%、91.7%和75%,对真实色度有明显的去除效果;3种植物对氮磷和真实色度去除效果与对照之间均达到显著差异(P0.05),自然沉淀是浊度去除的主要原因,植物吸收同化作用是NH_4~+-N去除的主要途径,植物吸收是溶解性磷去除的主要途径。试验表明,风车草和菖蒲对富营养化水体中氮磷和真实色度有较好的去除效果,可作为富营养化水体治理的优良物种而推广使用。     

超高效气溶胶净化系统有效性现场检验研究

各类超高效气溶胶净化系统普遍存在的较为突出的问题是:缺乏系统工作有效性现场检测手段,难以判断系统防护是否失效。根据超高效滤料过滤特性和测试原理,并在分析了大气气溶胶对过滤效率测试影响的基础上,提出大气气溶胶背景下,基于粒数浓度测量和使用发生的高浓度单分散气溶胶作为实验气溶胶的净化系统防护有效性现场检验测试技术及系统组成,并进行了验证。     

工业污染治理投资完成状况分析研究——以我国沿海省市为例

运用多元统计中的主成分分析法和系统聚类法对我国东部地区工业污染的治理投资完成情况进行了分析。根据主成分分析结果,对选取的11个省市进行分类,并在此基础上提出加强各区域环境污染治理的几点建议。     

新休假制度下长沙市城郊旅游市场分析

在我国新休假制度下,城郊游短线旅游受到越来越多旅游者的青睐。通过问卷调查,采用SPSS分析方法,得出长沙市城郊旅游市场在人口学和市场结构方面的一些特征。在市场分析的基础上,选择长沙市城郊旅游的目标市场,并针对相关问题对城郊旅游开发提出了一些建议,如以创造旅游者体验为核心提升景点价值;针对不同类型的消费者采取差异化的价格,宜采用多样化的促销方式和以直接营销渠道为主。