In light of President Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts to medical research initiatives, scientists and researchers must increasingly turn to alternative methods to garner funding. One physician-scientist says the scientific community should take note of Hollywood blockbusters and learn to present their research in an entertaining way.
In an interview with The Augusta Chronicle, Abigail Cline, MD, PhD, said she has become increasingly frustrated with the general public's shallow interest and treatment of scientific breakthroughs. However, certain attempts to educate the public about scientific research have made a difference. Films like "Jurassic Park" and "Gattaca" introduced the public to the concepts of cloning and genetic manipulation, which Dr. Cline says sparked interest in research involving the two subjects. By using various multimedia facets like film and television to relay scientific concepts or discoveries, Dr. Cline claims scientists can pique public interest and garner financial support for their research endeavors.
"I think at a certain point you have to break it down into manageable pieces of information[,] but you also have to put it in such a medium that people will be interested in what you have to say. … If your audience falls asleep they are going to miss the point. … With public interest comes attention [and] research funding. Right now, there is such a lack of funding within basic science research that it makes it very difficult to get the public interested in future research."
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