This is from my invited talk at AAPT. Why leave it up to the “experts” (i.e., the media) to portray physics accurately and positively? Speak for yourself, without the need for a translator who may – or may not – get it right. As a scientist, you can talk about what your work means and why it’s important with an authority that a science writer doesn’t bring to the table. While we can’t all be Brian Greene, you can have control over how your work – and physics in general – is presented to the public. In this talk, I’ll share some best practices of science communication – gleaned during my time as a science reporter at NPR and elsewhere. These simple tips can take a lifetime to master, but can help you get your message across – to the public, the media, and even Aunt Mabel.

1. Speaking of Physics...
The Art of Science
Communication
Stephanie Chasteen
http://sciencegeekgirl.com
Images: Tom Tomorrow, Amy Snyder

2. Audio: David Kestenbaum &
Marvin Marshak: Neutrinos

3. My points for today
We can’t treat the public like they’re stupid
We can’t treat the public like they’re
physicists, either
By being good communicators, we can
reach the public and impact their views of
scientists!

4. Our image problem
J.J. on Wikimedia

5. Who are we
communicating with?
• Our students
• Other academics
(across disciplines)
• The public
• The media
Image from: shirray-langley.abbozzogallery.com/

6. the media is powerful
Image by Tomasz Sienicki

7. Science Communication Models
1. scientific literacy (1960-1980’s)
let’s educate that ignorant public
media & scientists public

8. the deficit model
science
“The deficit model assumes that
the public are empty vessels
waiting to be filled with useful
information upon which they
will rationally act.”
Nerlich, Koteyko, and Brown, “Theory and language of climate
change communication,” Wiley Interdisciplinary reviews, 1, 2010.

9. Science Communication Models
1. scientific literacy (1960-1980’s)
let’s educate that ignorant public
2. public understanding of science
(1960-1980’s) let’s make them love science
media & scientists public

10. Science Communication Models
1. scientific literacy (1960-1980’s)
let’s educate that ignorant public
2. public understanding of science
(1960-1980’s) let’s make them love science
3. science & society (present)
we have the attitude problem
media & scientists public

11. 3
keep it know your
key
simple audience
points
metaphors,
make it
message analogy,
relevant
examples
build
no tell a
from
jargon story
familiar

12. These should seem familiar to you as educators...
People have prior knowledge & beliefs
Scaffold understanding
Motivation is important to learning
Don’t exceed cognitive load
Make it relevant / connect to everyday life
Respect learners

13. but communication is
not education
create awareness
expose to new ideas
plant a seed
inspire
“edutainment”

15. Don’t be so cerebral

16. stories are so
important
Audio: Christopher Joyce and William Eberhard, A Spider’s Web
Image: Luc Viatour, www.lucnix.be

17. How do you tell your story?
mo del
scie ntist
background
supporting details
(data)
results & conclusions
“the facts speak for themselves”

18. the deficit model does not work!

19. st m odel
journali
bottom line
key details
(data)
back-
ground
What’s your
elevator
speech?

20. There’s more to life than accuracy
“The reason you can't walk through a
wall is that your atoms and the atoms in
the wall interact with each other. They
speak the same language”*
* it’s more complicated than that
understandability
accuracy
& interest

21. there is a time for telling
image from http://www.seniorsworldchronicle.com/2009/08/usa-professors-john-baldwin-68-and.html

22. So, it is important to
communicate well.
But we don’t just
need to repeat our
message louder
1. Our messages are often hard to understand
2. Our messages are often too boring
3. And we need more than a message

23. o...
More resources
http://www.dontbesuchascientist.com/ http://www.ucsusa.org/
publications/scientist-media-
guide.html
23
http://communicatingscience.aaas.org/

24. Shameless Plug
Learning About Teaching Physics.
AAPT funded audio podcast communicating physics
education research (PER) to teachers.
Poster PST2B04
http://perusersguide.org/podcasts tonight 6:00 pm

25. Thank you!
Notes and presentation will be posted at http://blog.sciencegeekgirl.com
How does
this work? Maybe some physicist can tell
us, using simple language and
familiar metaphors?
Yeah, by telling us a concise interesting
and entertaining story full of
substance!
http://perusersguide.org/podcasts Poster PST2B04 tonight 6:00 pm

26. what goes wrong?
we need to know & communicate about
the challenges of implementation
image from http://www.pandemiclabs.com/blog/viral-marketing/does-your-advertising-agency-get-it/