The Scientist as Citizen: A two-part workshop on the communication of science

The Scientist as Citizen 
A two-part workshop on the communication of science 
    
December 11 and 18, 6PM-9PM 
Harvard University Center for the Environment 
24 Oxford St., 3^rd Floor, Seminar Room 
  
Cornelia Dean, science writer and former science editor of The New York Times and a lecturer in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard. 
  
    Since the British chemist and novelist C.P. Snow gave his famous lecture on “the two cultures” 50 years ago, many people have bewailed what he called the gulf of incomprehension between scientists and the lay public.  Today this gulf is wider than ever. And, as more and more political decisions hinge on matters of science, it has big implications for the functioning of democracy. 
    Whether the issue is climate change, stem cell research, or the Strategic Defense Initiative, questions of science come into play. But too often the voices of scientists are missing from the debate, leaving voters vulnerable to anyone with an axe to grind, an agenda to advance or money to make. 
    In part, that is because scientists are trained to stay out of the public arena. It is also because, as a group, they have difficulty explaining science in terms ordinary people can understand.  As a result, the voters have little reliable guidance as they attempt to sort out the claims and counterclaims of one side of an issue or the other. 
    To address the problems, the Harvard University Center for the Environment will offer a two-part workshop on December 11 and 18 for graduate students and post-docs pursuing a career in the sciences.  It has two aims. The first goal is to remind scientists that their obligations extend beyond research and publication in the scholarly literature – they have an affirmative obligation as citizens to participate in our democracy and speak out on matters of public importance, especially when the debate hinges on scientific information. Its second goal is to offer practical suggestions for communicating their ideas more effectively. 
  
The workshop is limited to 25 participants – attendance at both sessions is required. Dinner will be served! 

RSVP to James Clem, HUCE Managing Director, clem@fas.harvard.edu