IMPRS-gBGC workshop 'Climate science communication'
 

Category: Transferable skills
Credit points: 0.2

1.  Abstract

The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry and the IMPRS-gBGC offer a workshop for junior climate scientists on their role in communicating research results to the general public as well as to societal and political stakeholders. During the workshop the following questions will be discussed:

• Which role should science and scientists play in a society? What would be the adequate role for scientists: becoming “issue advocates” rather than pursuing the idea of a “honest broker”?
• How are scientists and scientific topics (especially in the field of climate change) portrayed in traditional and online media?
• How can these results be explained – how do mass/online media work? Which factors influence how climate change and climate scientists are portrayed in the media?
• What has to be considered when climate researchers address lay audiences?
• How to communicate scientific evidence about climate change, particularily how to to reduce complexity without losing the scientific key message?

The topics will be introduced and addressed in a key-note lecture of Hanna Schmid-Petri¹ and extensively elaborated in a workshop led by Marie-Luise Beck².

This workshop gives room to discuss the relevance of the own work of the participants as well as options to present it to the general public. A simulation game provides the opportunity to practice communicating climate science in different situations.
The workshop will encourage researchers to reflect on his/her own role and responsibility in society and enhance their transferable skills.

¹ Chair of Science Communication at the University of Passau
² Managing Director of German Climate Consortium

2.  Time & place

2.1  Key lecture

by Hanna Schmid-Petri¹
June 20, 2019 (Thursday) at 14:00
Lecture hall at the MPI-BGC
(no registration necessary)

2.2  Workshop

by Marie-Luise Beck²
June 21, 2019 (Friday) from 9:00 - 16:30
Seminar room B0.002 (MPI-BGC)
Please register here

3.  Material

Course material (zip file)

4.  Feedback

Here are the results of the feedback survey which 9 (out of 15) participants filled. Statistics and statements should not be taken as an exhaustive or exclusive list.