The Key to Communicating Science? Connect to People’s Daily Lives, Experts Say

For years, researcher Scott Doney has been tracking an alarming rise in ocean acidity and its effects on marine life such as clams and lobsters. So when he wanted to bring more attention to the links between pollution and acidification, he spoke with shellfish harvesters and seafood wholesalers whose livelihoods depend on healthy waters.

For Doney, the lesson is clear: To communicate science effectively, it’s best to engage people in ways that reflect and affect their own lives. He discussed his experience as part of a 5 May panel on communicating science at the AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy in Washington, D.C.

Read more about the experts’ advice to scientists.