We are living through multiple simultaneous global crises, so vast and complex that they seemingly defy sense. During such times, good communication can help people understand the brutal realities of the present while equipping them with necessary hope in a brighter future. Drawing from their decades of experience, from conservation to COVID reporting, Liz Neeley and Ed Yong will discuss the art and science of sense-making in a time of crisis, and why it's crucial to the challenges that we face.

Copies of Yong's books will be available for sale, along with a book-signing opportunity, immediately following the presentation.

The LSI's SciComm Speaker Series highlights the importance of disseminating scientific findings beyond the walls of the academy and effectively communicating the impact of publicly-funded research. This annual event provides world-leading science writers and communicators with an opportunity to share their experiences with faculty, staff and students, while also tapping into U-M's vast scientific research community.

Liz Neeley is the founder and principal of Liminal Creations, a design firm focused on science and communication. She is fascinated by blending the power and beauty of the art with rigorous research on how people make sense of the world around us. Until September 2020, Neeley was the Executive Director of The Story Collider, where she focused on true, personal stories of science told live on stage. Over the past fifteen years, she has specialized in environmental science, journalism, policy and social media, always searching for the best ways of spreading ideas through complex networks.

Ed Yong is a science staff writer with The Atlantic. He was awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for his crucial coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, and was named “the most important and impactful journalist" of 2020 by Poynter. He anticipated the course of the virus, the complex challenges that the U.S. faced, and the government’s disastrous failure in its response. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, An Immense World and I Contain Multitudes. Before he joined The Atlantic, Ed’s writing was featured in National Geographic, The New Yorker, Wired, The New York Times, Nature, New Scientist, Scientific American and other publications.