Workshop: Effectively Communicating Science; August 2015-2017

Mitchell Hamline School Of Law, Saint Paul MN

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports three annual "Effectively Communicating Science" workshops on the topic of weather modification and a pilot workshop on hydraulic fracking to help coach scientists in communicating and teaching complex Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) concepts effectively and ethically. The premise of the workshops is that scientists must not be advocates for one side or the other, but must be able to convey the quality and accuracy of their work. There is a significant societal impact in helping scientists better communicate and teach their expertise. At present, there are over 1,000 scientists in atmospheric, geospace, and related fields who are teaching, researching, publishing, and communicating with colleagues in the STEM community and the public at large. These scientists, and their work, will become increasingly important in future scientific and public discussions on complex STEM concepts. The principal investigator team will build on the success of previous workshops; expand the number of participants who benefit from the workshops; further refine the workshop materials and methodology; implement and evaluate new materials to reach more participants in other STEM disciplines; and continue to provide ongoing support and resources to participating scientists. Each workshop will include a diverse group of 20-24 participants and an experienced faculty. The workshops will include simulations where participants communicate and teach complex STEM concepts to non-scientists in a range of challenging settings. The workshops will demonstrate the merit of experiential learning and provide hands-on practice opportunities for participants to communicate and teach complex STEM concepts in a wide range of challenging settings. Workshop faculty will provide individualized feedback and coaching along the way. During the workshops, participants will learn and practice the role of both scientists and non-scientists in order to: 1) learn to effectively communicate their expertise; 2) understand the culture and perspectives of non-scientists; and 3) develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the different challenges in communicating and teaching complex STEM concepts to non-scientists. Participants will also discuss ethical issues concerning communicating and teaching STEM concepts to non-scientists.