The science of #ScienceCommunication is a thing. This means there are scientists who study what the best ways to communicate science, to engage the public, change attitude & behavior, excite people about #science & more are. Here are some of those researchers. Hopefully I’ll keep updating this list!
Dr. Dominique Brossard (@brossardd) is a professor and chair at @UW_LSC/@UWMadison. She studies Science communication, SciComm & media, and policy and she was the first woman I met who studied SciComm. But practicing what she preaches, she also communicates the science of SciComm any opportunity she finds, just check her Twitter. A great role model! Made this comic based on her amazing talk:
Dr. dietram scheufele (@scheufele) also a professor @UW_LSC/@UWMadison and studies SciComm, Science Policy, weird new technologies and you’re very likely to see his name anywhere SciComm related! He was also my dissertation committee member and I got to learn a lot about framing, what is it, and what it’s not. It has been a privilege to have him explain these concepts with great patience. If you’re curious, check out more about this concept here:
Dr. Sara Yeo (@sarakyeo) is an assistant Professor @UUtah. She studies SciComm and RiskComm and she has interesting work on the use of humor in comm. She’s also is a dance instructor (too cool of a fun fact to leave out). She brings her whole self to academia, something I have immensely admired about her. You can watch one of her talks here:
Dr. John besley (@JohnBesley) is a professor @michiganstateu. He studies public opinion about science, landscape analyses to understand scientific communities and how they think about SciComm. To me, I think he is the voice of empathy in SciComm! John was also my committee member and I have immensely appreciate his mentorship, emphasis on words I choose, and strategic science communication. At this point, he’s that voice in my head, every time I want to use a phrase “are you sure this phrase means what you actually believe in and what you’re trying to say?” Here’s a video that might help understanding strategic SciComm better (Presented with Dr. Anthony Dudo):
Many have thought that Dr. John Besley and Dr. Anthony Dudo are the same person but they are not! However, no one has ever seen them in the same room…or have they. Anthony is a professor @txadpr. He studies the intersection of science, policy & media & scientists’ engagement with the public. As a Rita Allen Foundation Civic Science fellow, I’ve always appreciated his feedback as a program resource. Here’s a fun lecture to learn about scientists as public communicators:
Dr. Shahzeen Attari(@Shahzeen) is an associate Professor @IUONeillSchool. She studies judgment and decision making related to climate change and resource use. After a short walk from Northwestern campus to the nearby restaurant, Shahzeen was so kind and open that it felt like I was just having a walk with my old friend! When I flushed water-saving toilets in Germany, I would think of her research…find out why in her Tedx Talk here:
Dr. Asheley Landrum (@LandrumAR) is a professor @TexasTech. She studies SciComm and has done some very interesting work on conspiracy theorists and flat earthers, the role of YouTube in SciComm & more. She is not only an advocate for empathetic SciComm, but is also a kind human herself (letting me pick her brain in the middle of conferences). Here’s another comic I made inspired by her:
Dr. Bruce Lewenstein (@BLewenstein) is a professor @Cornell & has been “Teaching science communication since 1988” he studies SciComm, public perception of sci & new tech. Bruce is one of the nicest people u’ll ever meet! I was very nervous at the AAAS conference to go say hi and introduce myself, because Bruce is, you know Bruce. But after 5 min of chatting he introduced me to like 10 people to connect with and talk to! Read this piece referencing him to learn more abt SciComm:
Dr. Dan O’Keefe (@djokeefe) is a professor @NU_MTS & studies persuasion. You’ll probably see his name on any paper that has slightly something to do with persuasion. He is the kindest, toughest critic any grad student can ask for to have in her committee! Yes that’s me, I am very lucky. if you want to learn more about the field, here’s Dan course:
Dr. Robin Nabi is a professor at @CommUCsb and specializes in persuasion, emotion, mass media effects, and health communication. In her super busy schedule, she spend some of her valuable time chatting, giving advice, and connecting with me (and Joseph Fridman…shoutout for always connecting us to awesome people). Learn more about her work here:
Dr. Brian Southwell (@BrianSouthwell) is the Director of the Science in the Public Sphere Program at RTI International. He’s work and research interests are around public understanding of science and health, campaign evaluation, social networks, misinformation and trust. Brian is empathy embodied. He is the best listener and just knows what story to tell to make his point salient. Learn more about him here:
Dr. Dan Kahan is a professor @Yale and as it relates to SciComm, he studies the effect of curiosity, literary, media, and other cool stuff on attitude and behavior. One of my thesis studies was actually build up on his study on curiosity! (so THANK YOU Dan)
There are many more SciComm researchers who I haven’t personally met, so I can’t include my small anecdotes:
Dr. Melanie Green (@NarrProf) is a professor @UBuffalo and she’s all about narrative persuasion, storytelling, & entertainment media effect. I always loved stories and storytelling but her work took me deep into the science of stories!
Dr. Michael Dahlstrom (@mfdahlstrom) agricultural communication, environmental communication, science communication.
Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson, political communication, rhetorical theory and criticism, studies of various forms of campaign communication, and the discourse of the presidency.
Dr. Matthew Nisbet, role of communication, journalism, and advocacy in shaping debates over complex policy issues such as climate change, income inequality, or gene editing.
I’m missing SO MANY NAMES. But this is just a start 🙂
Please message me with names I should be adding to the list, preferably with a few lines of description and links to their work that is easy to listen/watch/read.
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