Comments for The Plainspoken Scientist http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication By AGU staff and collaborators Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:43:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Comment on AGU Video: As their film debuts at Sundance, scientists call for simple, personal tales by mcadams http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2012/01/23/as-their-film-debuts-at-sundance-scientists-call-for-simple-personal-tales/#comment-1010 mcadams Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:43:43 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=899#comment-1010 Robert, thank you for your comment. To answer your question, there are a handful of resources AGU provides for members who want tips on how to handle these kinds of situations and also how to speak about their science to a general audience in any scenario, the least of which is this blog. One event that might be of particular interest to you is the “AGU Chapman Conference on Communicating Climate Science: A Historic Look to the Future” being held in Santorini, Greece this August: http://www.agu.org/meetings/chapman/2012/ccall/. AGU also offers communications training at the annual Fall Meeting (a look at last year’s training: http://sites.agu.org/fallmeeting/communicating-your-science-panel-and-workshops/) and are expanding to other meetings, like the AGU Science Policy Conference being held this Spring in Washington, D.C.: http://sites.agu.org/spconference/events/. Additionally, there were several sessions at the 2011 Fall Meeting dedicated specifically to communicating climate change. If you are planning on attending the 2012 Fall Meeting, please consider that there may be more of those types of sessions at this year’s meeting. If there is anything more that we can do for you, please feel free to contact us in the public information office: http://www.agu.org/news/. We would be happy to talk to you! Sincerely, Mary Catherine Adams, AGU Public Information Specialist Robert, thank you for your comment. To answer your question, there are a handful of resources AGU provides for members who want tips on how to handle these kinds of situations and also how to speak about their science to a general audience in any scenario, the least of which is this blog. One event that might be of particular interest to you is the “AGU Chapman Conference on Communicating Climate Science: A Historic Look to the Future” being held in Santorini, Greece this August: http://www.agu.org/meetings/chapman/2012/ccall/. AGU also offers communications training at the annual Fall Meeting (a look at last year’s training: http://sites.agu.org/fallmeeting/communicating-your-science-panel-and-workshops/) and are expanding to other meetings, like the AGU Science Policy Conference being held this Spring in Washington, D.C.: http://sites.agu.org/spconference/events/. Additionally, there were several sessions at the 2011 Fall Meeting dedicated specifically to communicating climate change. If you are planning on attending the 2012 Fall Meeting, please consider that there may be more of those types of sessions at this year’s meeting. If there is anything more that we can do for you, please feel free to contact us in the public information office: http://www.agu.org/news/. We would be happy to talk to you! Sincerely, Mary Catherine Adams, AGU Public Information Specialist

]]> Comment on AGU Video: As their film debuts at Sundance, scientists call for simple, personal tales by Robert Lloyd McPherron http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2012/01/23/as-their-film-debuts-at-sundance-scientists-call-for-simple-personal-tales/#comment-1007 Robert Lloyd McPherron Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:06:48 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=899#comment-1007 At a recent party I was trapped by a trial lawyer into talking about global climate change. Within minutes everyone in the room but he and I had left. It eventually became clear that he had no interest in facts or explanations. Instead his questions were designed to bring doubt to the minds of a “jury. “How do you know…”; “What is the accuracy of …”, “Have such changes ever occurred in the past history of the Earth? “Are there alternative explanations?” I was soon enmeshed in long, tortuous explanations that required knowledge I did not have and he and the jury could not have understood if I did. Most scientists are unprepared for such conversations and unlikely to leave a favorable impression on the audience. I am uncertain what techniques would work in this situation. At a recent party I was trapped by a trial lawyer into talking about global climate change. Within minutes everyone in the room but he and I had left. It eventually became clear that he had no interest in facts or explanations. Instead his questions were designed to bring doubt to the minds of a “jury. “How do you know…”; “What is the accuracy of …”, “Have such changes ever occurred in the past history of the Earth? “Are there alternative explanations?” I was soon enmeshed in long, tortuous explanations that required knowledge I did not have and he and the jury could not have understood if I did. Most scientists are unprepared for such conversations and unlikely to leave a favorable impression on the audience. I am uncertain what techniques would work in this situation.

]]> Comment on Welcome to The Plainspoken Scientist by Tom Smerling http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2010/03/29/welcome/#comment-992 Tom Smerling Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:29:34 +0000 http://blog.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=7#comment-992 These great anecdotes themselves illustrate the power of story - showing rather than telling. In climate communication, in particular, we desperately need more good anecdotes and people-centered stories to breath life into presentations and articles. Collecting and making available anecdotes that illustrate some aspect of climate change is on the "to-do list" at ClimateBites.org. These great anecdotes themselves illustrate the power of story – showing rather than telling.

In climate communication, in particular, we desperately need more good anecdotes and people-centered stories to breath life into presentations and articles.

Collecting and making available anecdotes that illustrate some aspect of climate change is on the
“to-do list” at ClimateBites.org.

]]> Comment on Use your words (wisely) by Wetenschapstaal 2.0 | Krapuul.nl http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/10/19/use-your-words-wisely/#comment-950 Wetenschapstaal 2.0 | Krapuul.nl Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:02:18 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=768#comment-950 [...] verder ook: http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/10/19/use-your-words-wisely/ Stem of voeg toe aan:FacebookEmailPrint of [...] [...] verder ook: http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/10/19/use-your-words-wisely/ Stem of voeg toe aan:FacebookEmailPrint of [...]

]]> Comment on Improve Your Science Communication Skills at Fall Meeting by Improve Your Science Communication Skills at … – AGU Blogosphere | Technology News http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/10/24/improve-your-science-communication-skills-at-fall-meeting/#comment-946 Improve Your Science Communication Skills at … – AGU Blogosphere | Technology News Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:56:38 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=813#comment-946 [...] an event you might want to sign up for: On the Sunday (12/4) before the scientific program [Read More] Sains, Science, [...] [...] an event you might want to sign up for: On the Sunday (12/4) before the scientific program [Read More] Sains, Science, [...]

]]> Comment on Use your words (wisely) by Ejo http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/10/19/use-your-words-wisely/#comment-943 Ejo Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:00:09 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=768#comment-943 You could add to the table, "We believe that", public understanding, "we are not certain but nevertheless say that" into "we think that" or "we show that" You could add to the table, “We believe that”, public understanding, “we are not certain but nevertheless say that” into “we think that” or “we show that”

]]> Comment on Why should scientists use Twitter? by Scientists On Twitter, Treme Bloggers | Maitri's VatulBlog http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/07/20/why-scientists-use-twitter/#comment-904 Scientists On Twitter, Treme Bloggers | Maitri's VatulBlog Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:39:31 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=666#comment-904 [...] American Geophysical Union’s blog interviewed a number of physical scientists on why scientists should use Twitter. My response reflects two important requirements I have of science: that it is increasingly [...] [...] American Geophysical Union’s blog interviewed a number of physical scientists on why scientists should use Twitter. My response reflects two important requirements I have of science: that it is increasingly [...]

]]> Comment on Why should scientists use Twitter? by Links and Notes | nOnoScience http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/07/20/why-scientists-use-twitter/#comment-901 Links and Notes | nOnoScience Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:49:48 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=666#comment-901 [...] AGU Blogosphere | The Plainspoken Scientist | Why should scientists use Twitter? Why should scientists use Twitter? [...] [...] AGU Blogosphere | The Plainspoken Scientist | Why should scientists use Twitter? Why should scientists use Twitter? [...]

]]> Comment on Why should scientists use Twitter? by John Freeland http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/07/20/why-scientists-use-twitter/#comment-899 John Freeland Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:37:53 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=666#comment-899 The downside of Twitter I see is that some use it for the most trivial announcements, which clutters up my list of twitter feeds from other tweeters. FB has the same problem. We don't need to know when somebody's home from a long day in the field. We're all tired. The downside of Twitter I see is that some use it for the most trivial announcements, which clutters up my list of twitter feeds from other tweeters. FB has the same problem. We don’t need to know when somebody’s home from a long day in the field. We’re all tired.

]]> Comment on Why should scientists use Twitter? by AGU Blogosphere | Georneys | Geology Word of the Week: H is for Halokinesis http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2011/07/20/why-scientists-use-twitter/#comment-897 AGU Blogosphere | Georneys | Geology Word of the Week: H is for Halokinesis Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:39:12 +0000 http://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/?p=666#comment-897 [...] might be for geologists, MJ Vinas of AGU wrote a great article in The Plainspoken Scientist titled Why should scientists use Twitter? Of course, Twitter will never replace mainstream publications or scientific conferences, but I [...] [...] might be for geologists, MJ Vinas of AGU wrote a great article in The Plainspoken Scientist titled Why should scientists use Twitter? Of course, Twitter will never replace mainstream publications or scientific conferences, but I [...]

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