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2 April 2013
Simple Math Gives Readers X-Ray Vision
As a staff editor for Eos, I see all types of articles pass my desk, from those littered with the alphabet soup of undefined acronyms and the jargon best reserved for textbooks, to lovely pieces that describe the science of atmospheric rivers and the emerging field of isoscaping. A few weeks ago, a gem came across my desk.
12 November 2012
Alan Alda says science and romance aren’t so different
“What’s hard to say?” This was Alan Alda’s first question to an audience full of particle physicists at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory on October 25. Alda’s talk, “Helping the Public Get Beyond a Blind Date with Science,” started by evoking the types of conversations, both personal and professional, that leave us fumbling for the right words.
20 April 2012
Overcoming misunderstandings and misleading data in climate science
People can misunderstand the science behind climate change, which in turn can lead to skepticism, said scientists and communicators at the fourth annual Climate Change Symposium, held 16 April at Northern Virginia Community College. They shared ideas about how to correct the often-misconstrued data about Earth’s changing climate.
Geoscientist Richard Alley presents newest films on Earth Day
It’s nothing new for Richard Alley to be “out there” when he communicates about science – just take a look this video parody of Johnny Cash he performed to illustrate subduction and the Pacific Ring of Fire. But in recent years, Alley, a professor at Pennsylvania State University in State College, took on a public communication role on a massive scale with the launch of a project called “Earth: The Operator’s Manual.” As part of the new effort, Alley stars in the PBS series of the same name that focuses on climate change and how people can deal with it.
24 October 2011
Improve Your Science Communication Skills at Fall Meeting
On the Sunday (12/4) before the scientific program begins, AGU is hosting a free, all-day training event for scientists wishing to become more adept at communicating with the press, the public, policymakers and other non-scientists. The event includes both a panel discussion about science communication and workshops where you will get to exercise your skills. Plus we’ll feed you lunch!
19 October 2011
Use your words (wisely)
The first day of organic chemistry, my professor warned us that we were about to start learning a new language. He wasn’t kidding, and ‘stoichiometry’** is still one of my favorite words. But the different definitions that scientists use for everyday terms can lead to confusion, and scientists should make sure they’re speaking the same language as their audiences. On our sister blog Mountain Beltway, Callan Bentley posted this table outlining some common examples.
13 October 2011
Science press decries elusive federal science experts, applauds better data access
Federal scientists should be more accessible to journalists, reporters said last week at a National Press Club event in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion “Access Denied: Science News and Government Transparency” addressed whether or not the Obama administration is living up to its promise to make science more transparent and accessible. And several journalists on the panel said there is still a ways to go.
The Plainspoken Scientist is the science communication blog of AGU’s Sharing Science program. With this blog, we wish to showcase creative and effective science communication via multiple mediums and modes.
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