Emeritus Professor Nancy Longnecker – a career communicating science

What began as a passion for plants led to a productive and fulfilling career in science communication for Emeritus Professor Nancy Longnecker.

Following her successful establishment of a science communication programme at Perth’s University of Western Australia (UWA), Nancy arrived at Otago’s Centre for Science Communication in 2014.

As both a researcher and communication practitioner, bridging the gap between theoretical and applied knowledge was an important approach of Nancy’s, and she became rapidly involved in many initiatives within the University and wider community.

During her time at Otago, Nancy curated dozens of exhibitions including Dare to be Wise for the University of Otago’s 150^th anniversary and Well Balanced with the Ageing Well National Science Challenge, both hosted at Tūhura Otago Museum.

She also contributed to national science communication initiatives including serving on the Prime Minister’s Science Communication Award judging panel and on the Advisory Committee of the NZ International Science Festival for five years.

Guy Frederick, Sciences Communications Adviser, caught up with Nancy to find out more about her fascinating career in science communication.

What was the starting point of your academic career?

While completing my undergraduate biology degree in Tennessee, USA, I loved working in the university herbarium and taking ecology and taxonomy field trips that involved searching for plants in the beautiful Appalachian mountains. My postgraduate research at Cornell University on iron uptake by soybeans led to decades as an agricultural researcher. With an interest in trace element nutrition, I jumped at an opportunity for a postdoc in Australia due to its nutrient-impoverished soils and ancient landscapes. The move turned out to be a one-way trip, as I met my partner, Raimo in Perth, and our daughter arrived.

When did science communication come into the mix?

While I was a Research Fellow at the UWA, I led the education programme of a co-operative research centre focused on legumes. The role included running science communication workshops and projects and creating a wide range of resources across different mediums.  Examples included a web-based series of stories and activities for primary school students to explore life on a farm, called The Bean Files, and a cookbook titled Passion for Pulses that encouraged people to eat more beans and other pulses. I’m delighted that a quarter century later, the cookbook continues to encourage people to enjoy delicious, sustainable diets.

What was it about science communication that grabbed you?

My growing experience in the field led me to manage the establishment of a dedicated research and teaching science communication programme at UWA.  Through this I began learning the theory that underpins science communication as well as new communication technologies and platforms that continue to emerge. As I shifted from quantitative research in natural sciences to mixed methods in the social sciences, I studied different methods and methodologies, and importantly, discovered the depth of understanding that can come from qualitative data.

What has been your primary learning about science communication?

Communication involves relationships. What skills or knowledge do people in that relationship want or need to share? Is the aim of the communicator to persuade or to provide neutral information? Both are valid. It is vital for the communicator to be aware of their objectives and for them to consider their audience. A proverb about good communication reminds us that we have two ears and one mouth, and listening and speaking should reflect that proportion.

My philosophy with students was to provide opportunities to think like a professional science communicator, to hone skills needed in their careers, to develop collaborative networks and to create communication resources to add to their portfolio.

What approach did you take to curate the University’s 150^th anniversary exhibition?

I had only been at Otago for a short time when I was invited to curate Otago’s 150^th anniversary exhibition Dare to be Wise. It was a challenging project, but I had a wonderful advisory group representing each of the four academic Divisions who shared extensive awareness of the University’s history. I was also thankful that Alison Clarke shared parts of her book, 150 Years of New Zealand's First University, pre-publication.

I focused on people and activities that had contributed to make Otago a special place - He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. My research assistant, Andrea Liberatore, provided indispensable help and Craig Scott and Max Mollison at Tūhura Otago Museum supplied clever design.

What did you learn from the exhibition Hou Rongo: Moriori, Music, Manawa?

My science communication research has often been multicultural and transdisciplinary. The exhibition Hou Rongo: Moriori, Music and Manawa helped raise awareness of Rēkohu (Chatham Islands) and the culture of the indigenous Moriori people. It was such a special experience. A MBIE-funded grant supported the opportunity to co-create the exhibition with the Hokotehi Moriori Trust, a talented team of Otago colleagues and students, and Tūhura Otago Museum. The resulting exhibition was one of the most impactful I’ve been involved in. Its production was collaborative and transdisciplinary, and it was humbling to be part of an iterative process to produce an immersive, multi-sensory experience.

What do you see as big opportunities for science communication?

Good science communication saved lives during the Covid pandemic. While not all science communication involves life or death, practitioners can improve the world through influencing care of the environment and health or uptake of beneficial technologies. There are vast potential applications of science communication. Science communicators must stand up for facts and truth as we understand it.

What does your retirement as Emeritus Professor look like?

I am grateful to the University for bringing my family to Dunedin as it’s a great place to live, and now I’m looking forward to my third age. I am active with the Dunedin branch of the Green Party, am President of the Friends of Tūhura Otago Museum and serve on the Otago Museum Trust Board and the Board of Age Concern Otago. I follow the news but also like to read fiction and biographies to escape to other worlds and learn about others’ lives.

I’m very happy that my Emeritus Professor tenure is affiliated with the Department of Botany. I taught science writing in Botany during my last few years and enjoyed supporting students with their botanical communication. It feels like a lovely and fitting home after a career that started with a ‘passion for plants’.

Knowing what you do now, what would you study as a PhD student?

I would love to have started a longitudinal study to examine factors influencing lifelong learning. I believe ‘science literacy’ (a fraught, but still useful term) is achieved through enduring individual curiosity and reliable, systemic, cultural opportunities inside and outside of educational institutions.