STS.034 Science Communication: A Practical Guide
Fall 2011
Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 am – 12:30 pm in 1-246
HASS-H, CI-H (enrollment limited to 25 students)
3-0-9 units
Scientists and engineers need to be able to communicate about their work – to funders, to policy-makers, to journalists, to relatives and friends, and, of course, to each other. Today, more than ever, people with scientific expertise who can convey complicated ideas to a wide variety of audiences are in high demand! Indeed, the ability to communicate clearly and engagingly with the public has been critical to the success of many of the world’s most respected scientists and engineers.
This course develops students’ abilities to communicate science effectively in the real world. Starting with the key elements of clear and persuasive speaking, writing and exhibiting, the course considers a range of issues including communicating complex material, visualization, and dealing with controversial issues; and it covers specialist topics like giving live interviews for broadcast, being an expert witness, preparing briefings for policy-makers, and creating engaging museum displays.
Each week, the course will move between academic seminars designed to introduce key principles and practical workshops aimed at cultivating communication skills. Students will undertake a major project in science writing or museum exhibiting. For their science writing project, students may elect to develop a news analysis, podcast or Op-Ed for possible publication; and for their museum project, they will work on Rivers of Ice, a new exhibition under development in the MIT Museum that deals with the work of mountaineer and photographer David Breashears on climate change in the Himalayas.
STS.034 will be team taught by Adjunct Professor and MIT Museum Director John Durant and Broad Institute Senior Science Policy Adviser Bina Venkataraman, who directs strategy, research and writing projects for Professor Eric Lander in his capacity as Co-Chair of President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In addition, special projects on Rivers of Ice will be supported by MIT Museum staff members Allan Doyle and Seth Riskin.
STS.034 Science Communication: A Practical Guide.