Getting the Scientific Word Out:

Fun or Frustration?

Biocomplexity LWI/CCOctober 4, 2003

Terry L. Root

Getting the Scientific Word

Out: Fun or Frustration?

YES!!

1. Personal Examples2. “Rules” of Public

Speaking3. What can we do?

Examples•Root’s 2.5 Rule•Warnings from the Wild

•Meta-Analysis

Root’s 2.5 Rule

•News and Views

•Australian Headline

Aldo Leopold Leadership

Program•Training

–On Camera–Hostile Interviewers

•Practice

Warnings from the Wild

•Provided a “hook”

•Elizabeth Losey•“Talking-head” interview•Film on location

Warnings from the Wild

•Provided a hook •Elizabeth Losey

•“Talking-head” interview

•Film on location

Warnings from the Wild

• Provided a hook •Elizabeth Losey

• Talking-head interview

•Film on location

Meta-Analysis

Meta-Analysis

•Front Page of NYTimes

–New twist on “old” story

Meta-Analysis•Front Page of

NYTimes– New twist on “old” story

–Empirical rather than theoretical

Meta-Analysis•Front Page of

NYTimes– New twist on “old” story– Empirical rather than theoretical

–Slow news day

Meta-Analysis•Front page of ~70 major newspapers in US–NYTimes

Meta-Analysis•NBC Nightly News

“President Bush may not believe in global warming, but the plants and animals do!”—Tom Brokaw

1.Personal Examples

2. “Rules” of Public Speaking

3.What can we do?

“Rules” for Public Speaking

•Know your audience•Know your biases•Don’t distort science with

values•Defend values separately

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Very Goo

d

Adequate Poor Not Sure

Rate your basic under-standing of science and technology

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Very Goo

d

Adequate Poor Not Sure

Rate your basic under-standing of science and technology

16%

54% 28% 1%

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Agree

Disagree

Don’t

know

Humans developed from earlier species of animalsSome numbers are especially lucky for some peopleRocket launches & other space activities have caused changes in our weather

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Agree

Disagree

Don’t

know

Humans developed from earlier species of animals

45% 47% 7%

Some numbers are especially lucky for some peopleRocket launches & other space activities have caused changes in our weather

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Agree Disagree

Don’t

know

Humans developed from earlier species of animals

45% 47% 7%

Some numbers are especially lucky for some people

43% 53% 4%

Rocket launches & other space activities have caused changes in our weather

Public Understanding of Science (1988)

Agree

Disagree

Don’t

know

Humans developed from earlier species of animals

45% 47% 7%

Some numbers are especially lucky for some people

43% 53% 4%

Rocket launches & other space activities have caused changes in our weather

44% 44% 12%

“Rules” for Public Speaking

•Know your audience

•Know your biases•Don’t distort science with values

•Defend values separately

“Rules” for Public Speaking

•Know your audience•Know your biases

•Don’t distort science with values

•Defend values separately

“Rules” for Public Speaking

•Know your audience•Know your biases•Don’t distort science with values

•Defend values separately

So, What to do?•Maintain credibility

•Careful what you say•Return calls promptly•Spend 15 minutes “training” journalist in your work

So, What to do?•Ask to see the article before publication

•Establish relationships with journalists

•Actions will be looked down on by colleagues

So, What to do?•Develop 15 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 3 min sound bites

•Use metaphors•Use humor•When you don’t know, don’t “wing it”

Most Importantly

Have Fun!

1. Personal Examples2. “Rules” of Public

Speaking3. Difference in

Science and Media “Cultures”4. What can we do?

Science & Media•Details

Important (caveats)

•Value-free Work

•Speak Jargon

• Time & Space Limited

• Freq. Set in Context of Values

• Jargon-free

Science & Media•Don’t know

what makes a “good story”

•Must be 95% sure

•Don’t understand cost to scientists

•Opinions from knowledgeable scientists OK

Science & Media•Research

takes time

•Concentrate on unknown

•Deadlines are short (return calls quickly)

•Concentrate on known

Science & Media• Goal to “find

the truth”

• Work on small part of problems

•Goal to get an audience (e.g., sell papers)

•Want the BIG picture