Communication between science, policy and the media: lessons for researchers

Based on three decades of personal experience this paper provides suggestions for researchers who consider to have contacts with policy makers, politicians, and the media (PPM actors). The point of departure is that such contacts may be beneficial for researchers and their institutes, as well as for policy making and wider society. The core of the paper is a set of ten recommendations. These recommendations focus on having contacts with PPM actors at all, and if so: under which conditions, discussing the questions to be answered, the importance of core messages, scientific underpinnings of answers, the storyline of answers, the different mindsets of researchers as opposed to PPM actors, avoiding criticizing politicians, the benefits for researchers of having contacts with PPM actors, and proactively contacting PPM actors.