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27 January 2023

#AntarcticLog: #FridaysforFuture

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for youth climate activists around the world. This week’s #AntarcticLog features four from Kenya and Uganda, along with quotes from their social media posts. 

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23 November 2021

Sharing Science at AGU21

Well, it’s that time of year again. No, not the holidays (well, yes, that too). It’s AGU’s Fall Meeting!

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24 March 2021

It’s time, now more than ever, to stop saying “now, more than ever.” At least in the sciences.

There are hundreds of articles out there using “now, more than ever” to try to illustrate the importance of a scientific point (and I know that I’m guilty of this as well). But what does the phrase actually mean and why is it so ubiquitous when discussing science?

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11 January 2021

Science communication, policy, and outreach jobs/fellowships 2021

As someone who transitioned out of academia (mostly), I get asked this question a lot: Where should I look for scicomm/policy jobs and fellowships? Well, I have some suggestions.

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2 December 2019

SciComm, policy, and outreach at AGU19!

♩It’s the most, wonderful tiiiiiiiime, of the year! ♫ 

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27 May 2019

Revealing the baseline of geoscience outreach

Geoscience has been one of the least diverse STEM fields for nearly four decades, perhaps in part because our science isn’t making it to those who are outside our departments and institutions. In the era of climate change skepticism, geoscientists who practice science communication could provide immense value to their local and global communities by serving as Earth experts who can empower non-scientists to engage in reasoning and analysis in all aspects of life.

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16 April 2019

Stare into the Lens Until You Feel Comfortable

As a classical pianist and composer, my natural talent was present but practice was essential. You need one or the other to be good, and both to be exceptional. All the hours each day I spent writing and experimenting with musical devices, or exercising a variety of quirky, intricate techniques on the piano, were crucial to forming solid skills and artistry. Practice makes perfect, and it also provides confidence, endurance, and mastery for when the stage is set.

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11 March 2019

Is Chasing Ice an effective message on climate change?

In 2005 and 2006, photographer James Balog set out on expeditions to document the recession of the Sólheimajökull Glacier in Iceland. In many ways, these expeditions changed his life. In 2007, Balog and companions founded the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), an organization devoted to documenting the effects of climate change on glaciers through time-lapse photography. Over 10 years later, the EIS “…provides scientists with basic and vitally important information on the mechanics of glacial melting and educates the public with firsthand evidence of how rapidly the Earth’s climate is changing.”

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4 March 2019

So, you wanna start a science blog?

I’m not the type of person who’s always thought that I’ve had something to say (at least anything that people would listen to). Back in my grad school days, while I saw the value in science outreach, the “communication” part of that was a little tricky for me. “Who cares what I have to say?” Turns out, some people did.

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14 January 2019

The Science of Our Stories, Part II: Moving the Needle on Effective Science Communication

By Sunshine Menezes Young scientists-in-training face a variety of communication challenges, from writing their first lab report to drafting their first proposal, perhaps culminating in their dissertation. All along this part of the career spectrum, students are taught—too often implicitly—what “good” scientific communication looks like. Unfortunately, most corners of academia still emphasize a narrow definition of science communication that focuses on communication with scientific peers. This leaves early career scientists …

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