Scientists should communicate with the public about their research. We've been hearing variations on that for years, but a recent decision by a group of scientists to use crowdfunding to ask for research dollars directly from the public has revisited this notion in a new way. I'm excited to be a part of it.
Why is it a good idea for the public to do essentially what it already does - that is, support scientific research? The answer lies in the way it is funded. Crowdfunding relies on a lot of people making a small donation. All these donations add up to a bigger chunk of money that can support a project. It's like paying a little more in taxes, but getting to choose what your money is spent on. With crowdfunding, people choose to support the science that excites them. It gets them engaged in the act of discovery. They are buying into the research. Literally. Most crowdfunded projects offer rewards to the funders -- from a thank-you card to blog updates about the project, these rewards will keep the scientists meaningfully and directly engaged with the people who make their research possible.
It is also true that traditional funding sources are tight. Fewer than 20 percent of the grants submitted to the "usual" taxpayer-supported funders will receive money. At the same time, budgets at public universities, including Western Washington University, where I work, have been hit hard by years of state budget woes. Tuition is up; financial aid mechanisms are down. For many students, it is not a possibility to work in a lab as a volunteer. They need and deserve to be paid, and taxpayer-support through traditional means is no longer sufficient.
All this leads to some questions: Do members of the public agree that scientific research is worth spending money on? Do they believe that an important part of undergraduate science education is to provide opportunities to participate in real, meaningful research? Will they support it with their own money?
My participation in the #SciFund Challenge is an attempt to answer these questions. My research project, along with those of 48 other scientists, is online for everyone to see until Dec. 15. We hope you take a look at them. We hope you decide that some of them are worth paying for. We hope you feel excited about the personal connection that you get from being directly involved in making research happen. We can't wait to tell you about what we do.
ABOUT WINDOW ON MY WORLD
Window On My World is an occasional essay in Monday's Bellingham Herald that allows Whatcom County residents to share their passion for what they do, an idea or cause they support. Send your Window On My World, which must be no more than 700 words, to Julie.shirley@bellinghamherald.com.
