Framing Science At The NC Science Blogging Conference

by Sheril R. Kirshenbaum     Department: Technology

I spent Saturday at the NC Science Blogging Conference... but don't let the title fool you.  Science bloggers, writers, and journalists from around the world converged in Raleigh, North Carolina to talk about opportunities in new media, our role, and the changing environment.

Chris Mooney, Jennifer Jacquet and I hosted a panel entitled 'Changing Minds Through Science Communication' which focused on Framing Science and (of course) ScienceDebate2008.

Jennifer gave a wonderful presentation highlighting the way the media is driven by celebrities over substance.  She discussed how stories about Britney Spears trump real news and why our culture perpetuates this problem.

Next Chris and I delivered our back to back talk entitled "Crashing the Intersection: From ScienceDebate2008 to Framing Science."  I started by explaining what ScienceDebate2008 is and the ways we in the science community must embrace new media to translate what we do to broader audiences.  The blogosphere can become an incredibly useful tool and we're only beginning to recognize the significance of communicating what we do effectively by reaching out and disseminating information. Chris discussed how ScienceDebate2008 began and set it in a broader context of framing science in our society.

You see, we're both convinced that the initiative is crucial because all of us face tremendous related policy challenges in our lifetime. Our elected leader will set the course for how we rise to meet them.  And the big news I can finally share today is that the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society, will support and endorse ScienceDebate2008 and CEO Alan Leshner has also joined our bipartisan steering committee. And what's next for ScienceDebate2008? Well, note closely the press release's final line:

Otto said the group has set a date for mid-April and will be formally inviting the candidates in the coming several weeks.

So ScienceDebate2008 is closely related to Framing Science and emphasizes the importance of why we need to change the way we talk about these issues if we hope to set our trajectory toward a better future. The panel sparked a very interesting discussion with the audience afterward which you can watch here or visit Bora for a full rundown of the NC Science Blogging Conference.

Tags: blogging, framing science, sciencedebate2008

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