Practices and images of public communication by Italian scientists over the years

The modern debate over Public Understanding of Science goes back to the early 1990s. Since that time we experienced several changes that touched our understanding of the public, of science communication and of scientists themselves. Although publics are traditional focus of PUS scholars, over the past few years a growing number of scholars have been focusing on scientists as main subject of investigation. As CNR, we run a total of 4 studies focusing, in different ways, on scientists' understanding and practices of science communication to the public. Reflecting on the key continuities and discontinuities that characterize our findings, we will explore some characteristics of scientists' communication activities and views. Our analysis indicates that scientists communicate science through a multiplicity of ways. We suggest that the latter cannot be enclosed in fixed models of science communication circulated amongst academics (deficit/dialogue model), and on the contrary include a variety of activities, opinions and forms of communication. All these formats can play a different role in the future of science communication.