Promoting the Higgs boson as ‘discovery science’ news: Exploring the boundary spanner functions of CERN communication professionals

Dorey, Jamie; Holliman, Richard; Scanlon, Eileen; Gillies, James and Godinho, Ana (2024). Promoting the Higgs boson as ‘discovery science’ news: Exploring the boundary spanner functions of CERN communication professionals. Journal of Science Communication, 23(7), article no. A03.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.23070203

Abstract

The announcement of the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN marked a groundbreaking achievement in Mode 1 ‘discovery science’. We combined analyses of CERN strategic documents and organisational structures with ethnographic observations of, and interviews with, communication professionals. Our findings show that promotion of this ‘Mode 1’ discovery, in combination with the potential for longer-term ‘Mode 2’ innovation, was a strategic priority for CERN, but highlighted operational challenges for coordination between scientists and journalists. We conclude that CERN communication professionals played an essential boundary spanning role, brokering solutions and maintaining relations across borders and between relevant constituencies.

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