Conference: Improving Climate Science Communications Between Scientists and the News Media; Kingston, RI; Fall 2003

University Of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

Investigators

Abstract

This awards provides partial support for a conference entitled, "Improving Climate Science Communication Between Scientists and the News Media" in the autumn of 2003 at the University of Rhode Island. The workshop is a one-and-one-half day workshop involving climate scientists, environmental/science journalists, journalism educators, and students to address institutional and other professional and cultural issues related to clear and concise communication of science news to broad audiences through the mass media. The goal of the workshop is to share practical information among scientists and journalists on challenges in communicating science-based news and information, and to lay the groundwork for improving science communications initially between scientists and journalists and therefore to the general public, which depends on the mass media for most of its science news. An important element of the workshop will be the intellectual merit resulting from the cross-fertilization between the disciplines of science and journalism, and an improved understanding of the mores, ethics, and accepted practices critical to each. The workshop will achieve broader impacts for society, beyond the workshop participants themselves, by ensuring that the workshop participants take part both to teach and to learn, and by ensuring their active involvement in sharing lessons learned with broad segments of their own professional peer groups. Their ability and commitment to participate in post-workshop information sharing/information transfer activities will be an important selection criterion in identifying workshop participants. In addition, workshop planners will establish mechanisms through which subsequent scientist/journalist workshops can benefit from the prior activities of this workshop, thereby avoiding reinventing the wheel.