Framing Science

Speaking Science 2.0: A New Paradigm in Public Engagement A conversation with Chris Mooney and Matt Nisbet

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
5:00 pm-6:30 pm
Location: 155 Dwinelle

Recent controversies over evolution, embryonic stem cell research, global climate change, and other politically charged topics have led to a troubling revelation: Scientific knowledge alone doesn't always prevail when it comes to changing government policies or influencing public opinion. As a result, scientists and science organizations repeatedly face difficult challenges when explaining their knowledge to diverse citizen groups. This political and media-saturated environment can be puzzling to scientists and their educational allies, but they must adapt to it if they want their knowledge to play its necessary role in shaping our nation's future. Matthew Nisbet and Chris Mooney will explain how scientists and educators can "reframe" old debates in new ways, remaining true to the science but taking advantage of a fragmented media environment to connect with a broader American public.

The Speakers
Their ideas have triggered an international blog debate, generated mainstream media attention, and launched a speaking tour that has taken them across North America and Europe: Chris Mooney is Washington correspondent for Seed magazine, a popular blogger on the ScienceBlogs website, and author of two books: The Republican War on Science, and Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics and the Battle over Global Warming. Matthew Nisbet is a professor in the School of Communication at American University and an Osher Fellow at the Exploratorium, where he's been working on communication strategies for the museum. His research tracks scientific and environmental controversies, examining the interactions between experts, journalists, and diverse public audiences.

This public seminar is co-sponsored by Robert Mendez, the Department of Integrative Biology, the Berkeley Natural History Museum