Sustainable Infrastructure for Life Science Communications: Workshop Summary (2014)Board on Life Sciences
Engaging the public-at-large with the life sciences is more important now than ever. Advances in life sciences research--from biofuels to genetically modified foods, and from biotechnology to sustainable communities--have enormous implications for the health and well-being of society and the environment. Yet, there are few support systems for scientists who wish to share their research with non-expert audiences.
The National Research Council's Roundtable on the Public Interfaces of the Life Sciences held a workshop that brought together researchers, social scientists, and professional science communicators to explore the barriers to effective science communication and the infrastructures that might strengthen the connections between life scientists and their audiences. Key topics addressed included personal experiences with public communication; history and research on communication infrastructures and culture; and existing models and resources for building science communication infrastructures.