Popularização de ciência, tecnologia e inovação (CT&I) na Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB): subsídios para política institucional

Abstract

This thesis aimed to investigate whether the popularization activities of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB) are articulated around an institutional policy that ensures strategic results for the current management. Preliminarily, it was traced a theoretical path by key concepts surrounding the research, presenting the main concepts of STI throughout history to reveal the evolution of its importance especially in the contemporary era. Along the way, it was highlighted the role of science communication as popularization tool of STI strategic to promoting a scientific culture. Then it was initiated a approach of national context that led to the emergence of the first science popularization activities in Brazil, making the subject enter into the Government's agenda. After this initial problematizing, it was undertaken field research itself. This work was framed as a case study as a methodological procedure. First it was presented the locus of this research, the UFRB. The main hypothesis was that the absence of an institutional policy of popularization of STI in UFRB is one of the main obstacles to the appropriation of scientific knowledge for its stakeholders. To conduct this study, in May 2016, it was applied a online questionnaire of STI Public Perception in the UFRB academic community and personal interview of the current STI managers, namely Rector, Vice-Rector, ProRector of Research, Graduate, Creation and Innovation, Creation and Innovation Coordinator and Communications Adviser. The survey results helped to recognize and evaluate the STI promotion spaces in the institution and showed that dominate, until then, isolated initiatives of popularization of STI arising from certain units, which still failed to establish a communication network. It concludes with notes for the formulation of an institutional policy of popularization of STI in UFRB, such as creating specific channels for scientific communication, greater coordination with the local media and their alignment to the Política Nacional de Popularização da Ciência.