How To Communicate Sensitive Science To Non-experts

How can researchers effectively communicate to elicit behavioral change? How can the public be engaged on sensitive subjects? How does communicating on riskful topics change during periods of disaster?

In this webinar, experts Samantha Montano and Samuel Mitchell explore how researchers can sensitively communicate on risk for behavioral change within the context of natural hazards. The webinar will focus on the practical steps researchers can take to engage non-experts on risk and hazardous phenomena, including how to communicate sensitive information, best practices for sharing from reputable sources, and how to encourage the public to change their behaviors.

The webinar will last one hour, with 40 minutes for presentations and 20 minutes for audience Q&A.

The speakers:

Dr. Samantha Montano is the author of Disasterology: Dispatches from The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis published in 2021 by Park Row. She is a co-founder of Disaster Researchers for Justice and the Center for Climate Adaptation Research. She has a Ph.D. in Emergency Management from North Dakota State University and is currently an assistant professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. In addition to teaching and research, she is passionate about public engagement especially related to the climate crisis. She has been interviewed in many national publications including the New York Times, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles Times and has been published in the Washington Post, Teen Vogue, and Vox, among others.

Dr. Samuel Mitchell (he/him) is a volcanologist and Research Associate at the University of Bristol (UK). His academic research focuses on the physics and mechanics that drive explosive volcanic eruptions on land and in the oceans, and their impacts on ocean systems. He has also been involved in geoscience communication for a number of years, helping to broaden public understanding of our dynamic world through various forms of social media, public talks, documentary consultation, and school workshops. Some significant events were spent dealing with misinformation and public perceptions across social media during the 2018 Kīlauea and 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption crises.

You can view the webinar here (Youtube).

If you have any questions about the ‘How To Communicate Sensitive Science To Non-experts’ webinar, please contact us via webinars@egu.eu.