Surveys indicate that Americans have a considerable interest in science and an appetite for more scientific news and information. And yet two-thirds of American adults cannot name a single living scientist, and the gap continues to widen between the informed conclusions of scientists and public understanding. Political divisions increasingly dictate science’s role in public discourse as well as funding priorities. With many researchers lacking a command of effective communication strategies, science often punches below its weight when it comes to influencing policy on vital issues such as climate change, vaccinations and science education.

In this interactive talk, science journalist Tom Clynes will present ways to harness the power of narrative to create compelling and influential stories that bridge the divide between scientists and the public. Emerging evidence-based communication strategies and a shifting media landscape have opened up new possibilities (and a few pitfalls too) that can empower researchers who seek a broader audience for discoveries that might otherwise languish in lecture halls and academic journals.

Tom Clynes is an award-winning author and photojournalist who travels the world covering science and environmental issues. His feature stories have appeared in National Geographic, Nature, The New York Times Magazine, Nature, Popular Science, and Scientific American, among other publications.

Tom is the author of three books, including, most recently, The Boy Who Played With Fusion, which tells the story of the 14-year-old who became the youngest person on Earth to build a working nuclear fusion reactor. He’s a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow and an International Reporting Project Fellow.