Framing Science
nisbetmc | February 18, 2008At the Science Friday broadcast from AAAS (audio), there was a focus during the discussion on the necessary collaboration between science and religion in solving societal problems. Below is from the transcript. First the audience question and then answers from Francesca Grifo, Union of Concerned Scientists; James McCarthy, president elect of AAAS; and David Goldston of Harvard University. From the transcript:
AUDIENCE QUESTION: I'm really very interested in asking your panelists - the great conversation here at the - perhaps talk about the relationship between science, religion, moral…
nisbetmc | February 18, 2008
Over at my friends Chris and Sheril's Intersection blog, I posted a summary of some reservations I have always had about the staging of an actual presidential science debate. Bottom line: research suggests that when it comes to audience effects, a presidential debate is a really bad idea. Despite our best wishes, intentions, and hopes for deliberative democracy, the reality is that a debate would be sending the strongest of invitations to the American public to think about science in partisan terms. Go here for my comments.
If the goal is to turn science into a wedge issue, as the Dems…
nisbetmc | February 17, 2008Yesterday at AAAS, a crowd of 250 attendees overflowed into the hallway, as we gathered for a fascinating panel discussion about media coverage of climate change. The amazingly successful event was organized by Cristine Russell of Harvard University and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing.
Andrew Revkin shared his observations as an agenda-setter in covering the story for the NY Times and more recently in launching the Pulitzer worthy blog Dot.earth. Revkin reports that the blog now has more than 300,000 monthly readers. In my presentation, I discussed how research in the area…
nisbetmc | February 12, 2008Brown University has a news advisory out about Ken Miller's presentation at the panel on "Communicating Science in a Religious America." From the release:
Kenneth Miller, a professor of biology and a leading defender of the theory of evolution, will argue that pro-Darwin forces need to acknowledge the public appeal of "intelligent design" and make the case that science itself, including evolutionary biology, is predicated on the idea of "design" - the correlation of structure with function that lies at the heart of the molecular nature of life. Miller will make his case in a Feb. 17, 2008,…
nisbetmc | February 12, 2008
As I posted yesterday, this weekend at the annual AAAS meetings in Boston, I will be presenting as part of the panel on "Communicating Science in a Religious America."
I will also be participating in a second session that focuses on news coverage of climate change. Other panelists include Andrew Revkin of the NY Times, Pallab Ghosh of the BBC News, and AAAS Chair John Holdren of Harvard University.
For a preview of some of my presentation, see this recent Skeptical Inquirer Online article: "Moving Beyond Gore's Message."
nisbetmc | February 11, 2008
There's a definite buzz about Sunday's panel at the AAAS meetings in Boston. With a focus on the theme of "Communicating Science in a Religious America," there is sure to be a large crowd and a healthy discussion. The panel will be held on Sunday afternoon from 1:45 to 4:45 p.m, Hynes Convention Center, Third Level, RM 309.
For a preview of one paper, see this press release detailing William and Mary anthropologist Barbara J. King's presentation
In her AAAS presentation, King will address what she sees as a trend among scientists toward bumper-sticker declarations of faith (or lack thereof…
cmooney | January 28, 2008
I was pleased to learn that our North Carolina session has been by far the most watched online--see here--so I decided to post the video.
In addition, the chair of our session, the able Abel Pharmboy, has a long post summarizing what went down, which in turn prompted lots of follow up comments.
If you haven't read that yet, definitely check it out.
sheril | January 22, 2008
I enjoy receiving email and appreciate all of the feedback, links, and comments that have hit my inbox since Saturday's panel with Jennifer and Chris on Framing Science. While the focus of my portion highlighted ScienceDebate2008, several readers have written with specific questions on Framing itself--and you bet I have some strong opinions!
So it's a good time to round up some of ye ol' posts from my first week at The Intersection and revisit these ideas eight months later. I'm interested to hear how readers feel about the way we convey science to those residing both in and outside of…
cmooney | January 20, 2008So...Sheril and I had a long day yesterday at the N.C. Science Blogging Conference, the highlight of which--at least for us, given how much we practiced for it--was our panel (with Jennifer) on the framing and communication of science.
There have been a lot of reactions to the panel...for a sampling see Jennifer Ouellette, Josh Rosenau, Jonathan Tarr, Sun Addict, and Rick MacPherson. For a total rundown of posts on the Science Blogging Conference, see Bora's handy compilation.
In essence, Jennifer talked more about framing than we did. She made many resonant points, perhaps the most central…
nisbetmc | January 16, 2008The National Science Foundation has released a PDF version of the 2008 edition of Science Indicators. Every two years, Chapter 7 of the report reviews the latest research tracking public opinion about science and technology.
Over the coming weeks, I will be posting regularly about key implications of the chapter. In the meantime though, I strongly recommend downloading and printing out the chapter which offers a wonderfully detailed look at the cultural authority of science in America.
I also want to point readers to page 10 of the PDF that features a side bar on media effects and science.…
nisbetmc | January 16, 2008In reaction to policymaking that they believe ignores or distorts scientific expertise, scientists more and more are assuming direct advocacy roles. The latest sign from today's Washington Post:
Two dozen scientists swarmed over Capitol Hill this week mad as vespinae ( hornets) at what they say is Bush administration meddling in environmental science.
Organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Endangered Species Coalition, the rumpled researchers won time in the offices of more than 20 lawmakers. They are protesting what Francesca Grifo, director of the Scientific Integrity…
nisbetmc | January 15, 2008
Conventional wisdom pegs 2007 as the long awaited tipping point in waking the American public up to the urgency of global warming. Yet as I review in my latest "Science and the Media" column at Skeptical Inquirer Online, such optimism runs up against the reality of public opinion.
Despite Gore's breakthrough success with Inconvenient Truth, American opinion today is little different from when the film premiered in May 2006. Gore has done a very good job of intensifying the beliefs of audiences who were already concerned about climate change, but a deep perceptual divide between partisans…
nisbetmc | January 11, 2008An editorial by 17 professional societies at the FASEB Journal details the findings of a new survey on public opinion about evolution. The editorial closes by urging new approaches to public engagement, citing and echoing our Framing Science thesis at Science:
These data indicate that Americans respect the expertise of science and education professionals and also look to clergy for guidance on scientific issues of potential relevance to religion. The value of encouraging each of these groups--including scientists who hold religious beliefs--to become involved in promoting quality science…
nisbetmc | January 3, 2008As I have traveled across the country over the past year giving talks on new directions in science communication, one of my recommendations to science institutions and organizations has been to launch blogs and podcasts as important strategic communication tools for engaging with audiences and stakeholders.
There are a number of challenges a science organization faces when launching a blog. The first is staff time. In order to do a blog properly, you need to have a skilled staff person dedicated to the site at least half time, preferably full time. Moreover, to do a blog well, this staff…
nisbetmc | December 21, 2007A X-Mas Goracle
In an editorial in the latest issue of the journal Climatic Change, Simon Donner argues that scientists need to join with religious leaders in communicating the urgency of climate change. Donner is an assistant professor of Geography at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on climate change, coral reefs, and nutrient cycling.
Following the lead of older avant-garde communicators such as Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson and EO Wilson, Donner is one of many among a new generation of scientists who recognize that a paradigm shift is needed for engaging the…
nisbetmc | December 9, 2007
Artist rendition of nanobot assisting in reproduction.
As I highlighted last week, in the latest issue of Nature Nanotechnology my colleague Dietram Scheufele is the lead author on a survey analysis that finds that experts are more concerned about the health and environmental risks of nanotech than the public at large.
In the editorial to the issue, Nature Nanotech editor Peter Rodgers emphasizes the importance of turning to communication researchers for help in engaging the public on the many technical, social, and political dimensions of nanotech.
He specifically cites our Policy Forum…
clock | November 30, 2007CBC has started a series of interviews (later available as podcasts) with scientists and others about the nature of science, the public undrestanding of science and related issues. Let me know what you think and feel free to blog about individual interviews if you particularly like or dislike what someone there said.
(Hat-tip)
cmooney | November 28, 2007So: I'm in D.C. right now. That's because Nisbet-Mooney just gave our last "framing science" talk of 2007--a lunch event yesterday at the National Academy of Sciences' Keck Center. This talk wasn't open to the public, so we didn't publicize it, but we can't think of a better place to wrap things up, at least for this year.
It has definitely been a good one. Originally, we had no idea whether or not this national speaking tour idea would catch on. It was a big experiment. But it turned out to work better than I could have possibly imagined.
Since the April publication of our joint policy forum…