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What are the 3 C's in science?

3 C's of communicating science: Clarity, Creativity, Curiosity.

senseaboutscienceusa.org - 3 C's of communicating science: Clarity, Creativity, Curiosity

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Although the rain came down unexpectedly in Pasadena on May 6, it did not stop more than 30 researchers and scientists from attending Sense About Science USA’s first 2016 Public Engagement Workshop for Scientists at California Institute of Technology (Caltech). They came from within the university as well as from the nearby Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to talk about why public discussions about science are important and how scientists can effectively initiate those conversations. The day began with two scientists from Caltech, Sean Carroll, Ph.D., professor of Physics, and Joann Stock, Ph.D., professor of Geology and Geophysics, talking about their experiences with doing public outreach and why they think it is an important part of their work. “It is not the responsibility of all scientists to do public outreach,” Carroll said, “but it is important for our fields’ survival. So the burden is on those of us who do it well.” According to Carroll, there are two types of academic research: that which is practical and useful to society, and that which is too theoretical to be useful to society (at least for now). For those scientists whose work falls into the first category, it behooves them to discuss this with the very public affected by their research; and for scientists whose work falls in the second category, it is even more vital to participate in public discussions because they need to convince society that funding curiosity is important. Stock, a seismologist, knows all too well that the research she does and discoveries she makes can have an effect on people outside of her lab. Reporters often call on her to provide context in TV or radio interviews after an earthquake has occurred, especially Spanish language outlets as she can speak the language. The unexpected outcome of this is that since she’s not a native Spanish speaker, she uses simpler words and jargon-free explanations; this is a good reminder for her of how scientists need to speak in simple terms and concepts rather than their field’s complex terminology.

During the Q&A section, a few people noted their concern about misinformation and inaccuracies in the public arena: What can be done to combat this?

One step to stemming the spread of misinformation, offered Stock, is for scientists to recognize when they are stating opinions and when they are providing scientific evidence and facts. Moreover, oftentimes, it helps to give the public specifics to answer questions, instead of a plethora of information. Answering direct questions isn’t the only way to engage with the pubic and journalists. Before we broke for lunch, both Carroll and Stock emphasized the need for creativity in doing outreach—write a book, talk to students, help out at a museum. But if you’re going to work with journalists, they said, remember that they are not the enemy and are trying to get things right.

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