Program on the Environment

Scientific communication is growing more complex with the innovation of technology. The overwhelming influx of information-much of it contradictory- creates a knowledge gap between researchers and the general public. Media coverage of science is often inconsistent because a significant portion of stories focus on creating controversy or conflict rather than being truthful. People find it challenging to distinguish facts from falsehoods within narratives, and often accept information within narratives without any scrutiny. The purpose of this study was to reveal the most effective ways to teach contentious scientific topics to the general public. To accomplish this task I worked as a science communications intern at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As an intern, my responsibilities were to bridge the gap of knowledge between scientists and the research they do by sharing it in an accessible way to the general public. I also conducted independent research which included: interviews with researchers, administering an online survey to understand the most effective way to communicate contentious scientific topics to the general public, and literature reviews. Findings show that translating data into plain language is key to audiences understanding. Video formats were found to be the most effective way to keep audiences engaged and also found to be the most effective way at distributing scientific information. Digital tools can be the root of the problem when it comes to controversial scientific communication and also the solution.