May 31, 2023

The Messy, Fine Art of Science Communication

The executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science uses theatrical improv to help experts shed their inhibitions, focus less on looking smart, and think more about building trust with their audience.

Laura Lindenfeld, dean of the School of Communication and Journalism and executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University

Bill McDowell

Food Technology Magazine

Science, at the moment, seems to have a bit of a confidence problem.

Although a solid majority (77%) of Americans say they have at least a fair amount of trust that scientists are acting in the public interest, only 29% describe a great deal of trust, according to a 2022 report by the Pew Research Center. And that figure is down 10 percentage points from 2022.

Further, the Pew study says nearly a quarter (22%), have little to no confidence in scientists. Divided partisan perspectives explain only some of the disconnect, as no political party reported a majority with high …

Login or Sign Up To Continue

You’ve hit your limit of free articles. Either sign in to your existing account, or sign up to be an IFT member and get access to hundreds of digital resources and articlers.

Hero Image: All photos courtesy of Stony Brook University

Authors

Bill McDowell Editor-in-Chief and Vice President of Content Strategy

Bill McDowell, Food Technology editor-in-chief and vice president of content strategy, directs integrated editorial strategy across IFT’s print, web, and emerging digital platforms.