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SOT
Science Communication in 2010: A New Decade in Toxicology and Need for Better Communication
SOT Annual Meeting
Salt Lake City, Utah
Tuesday, March 9
Chairperson(s): Banalata Sen, NIEHS, Durham, NC, and Sneha Bhatia, Research Institute of Fragrance Materials, Inc., Woodcliff, NJ.
Endorsed by:
Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues Specialty Section
Postdoctoral Assembly
Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group
Scientists do science, writers write. Wrong! Scientists do science and write about it as well. It is imperative that scientists publish their work. Furthermore, publishing is just one aspect of science. Scientists also have to be able to communicate complex scientific concepts to the non-scientific audience. This large group of constituents include the general public, media, policymakers, communities, and individuals. This is an obligation scientists have towards the community-at-large and one that can be accomplished with relative ease once the basic nuances of effective communication are understood. Effective communication is therefore, not just an icing on the cake; rather it is fundamental to interpretation and dissemination of science. Yet science communication is not an integral part of science education. Most scientists do not have any formal training in science writing. They learn to write by following the style and approach of their mentors or other authors. Some form of training in science writing becomes even more crucial for authors for whom English is a second language. Laying this basic foundation is important since the public learns about science from many different sources, including newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, the Internet, electronic news services, and films. Because information is readily available at our finger tips it can easily be distorted with the unfortunate circumstance that bad science sometimes triumphs over good science. Therefore it is important for U.S. to effectively communicate science messages to distinguish the myths from the facts. This session will aim to highlight strategies, techniques, and resources that make the field of good science communication invaluable.
Science Communication in 2010—A New Decade in Toxicology and Need for Better Communication, Banalata Sen, NIEHS, Durham, NC, and Sneha Bhatia, Research Institute of Fragrance Materials, Inc., Woodcliff, NJ.
Science Writing, Jane Schroeder
Blogs, Podcasts, and More, Sneha Bhatia, Research Institute of Fragrance Materials, Inc., Woodcliff, NJ.
Communicating Hazard, Linda Birnbaum
Communication As a Career, Banalata Sen, NIEHS, Durham, NC.
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