Sunday, August 3, 2008: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
101 D, Midwest Airlines Center
WK 6 - Communicating Science to the Public: Reaching Out, Speaking Up, and Understanding How to Go About It
The ability to communicate science to the general public is of unarguable importance. While pursuing a graduate degree, students learn how to apply for grants and present their work to peers in the scientific community. However, both in and after graduate school, too little emphasis is placed on communicating to an audience less specialised. As we increasingly face a reality of declining natural resources, it becomes extremely important that the public understand the work of scientists and the need for protecting the environment. The challenge is to reach people who are beyond the realm of current scientific communication and the approach should be two-fold: communication and outreach. Through scientific outreach, we can raise a generation of children with connections to science, research, and the environment. Similarly, effective communication with the media and adult groups will cultivate greater awareness of ecology and environmental issues. Teaching and encouraging questioning of the scientific method is a step toward bridging the gap between academia and the public. The purpose of the workshop is to give participants an opportunity to interact with people who are advocates for communication and outreach and have made these a priority in their scientific careers. The workshop will be structured such that each presentation is followed by a short discussion session. By focusing on issues such as understanding your audience, what type of language to use, and how to implement successful strategies and program, we will discuss how to reach children and adults outside the scientific community. This workshop is a continuation of a similar workshop in 2007 and aims to create an ongoing series of student workshops. Details are available at http://rydberg.biology.colostate.edu/communicating_science/2008.htm
Organizer:	Marguerite Mauritz, San Diego State University
Co-organizer:	Jana L. Heisler, University of Wyoming
Speakers:	Richard Pouyat, ESA Vice President for Public Affairs Peter Kareiva, The Nature Conservancy Heather Tallis, The Natural Capital Project Jessica Brown, SeaWeb/COMPASS Thomas L. Arsuffi, Texas Tech University Nalini Nadkarni, Evergreen State College Julie A. Reynolds, Duke University Shara Fisler, Aquatic Adventures Science Education Foundation Drew Talley, San Francisco State University

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See more of The 93rd ESA Annual Meeting (August 3 -- August 8, 2008)