Jtm-pnw-session-science-curious

From IVP Wiki

Table F - curiosity Participants: Lion Kimbro, Ilona Meagher, Ian Stacconi, Maurren Skowran, Paul Koberstein, Susan Adler, Btian Glanz, Hreng Su. Host - Sally James of Northwest Science Writers Assoc., http://www.nwscience.org

Lion is concerned and passionate about how he sees superstition trumping science among those he calls "highly educated." Why? What is causing the lack of trust in science, he wonders. Ian sees that there could be a generation seeming to discount science, while using technology, and wonders what impact that might have. Lion says he knows people that assume science is mechanistic and also corporate.. can't accept any part of it that is valuable outside of moral judgments. Ian worries about fewer places for explanatory long-form journalism. Paul, a publisher from Portland, calls this table "the most important in this whole thing." He says All reporting is science at some level. Susan talks about how her nonprofit is helping the public understand ethical conduct in research. Ilona describes her own journey through reporting on PTSD and military vets, and the science she has had to learn. Ilona talked about reading a long-form story in the Seattle Weekly in 2005 that led her to later write a book about PTSD, and she is headed to grad school in science writing now. The power of that original story, by Rick Anderson, had a lot to do with the great job he did of describing some tragic consequences for these individuals. "I want to help people understand science," she said. Brian talked about how the Open Science Foundation is trying to allow people to ask questions and read science in a dialogue with scientists. The group discussed scientific culture, and how individual scientists may wish to step forward into the street, but aren't always well equipped for the communication job they find. Brian said science has a branding problem. (sally directed some to Chris Mooney's writing on the same subject..) Paul contributed that graphics is often an entry point for people into complex subjects. Hreng asked the group for advice. She is a professor in Taiwan, teaching journalism. She asked for places to read good science journalism and advice about helping her students to produce it. (advice given about grad programs in US, www.nasw.org and international links from there.)