Past Seminars and Events 2017

The Human Ecology Brown Bag Series Presents

“Framing in Science Communication: Influencing
the Publics’ Behavior Towards the Environment”

 
Click here for the flyer

Amanda Sorensen

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Ecology and Evolution

Rutgers University

Date: Wednesday, March 22^nd,  2017

Time: 12:30 to 2:00 pm

Location: Blake 131, Cook Campus

Abstract:
Addressing climate change issues through policy and individual action has been problematic because it has been politicized through active media campaigns to highlight uncertainties and sow doubt in change’s existence. Scholars have suggested direct engagement with local communities and persuasive science communication as two opportunities to combat these misinformation campaigns and influence public decision-making. This talk seeks to answer the question: can scientists elicit positive responses towards environmental issues from identity groups who would otherwise not be supportive of climate change intervention? Amanda will present her empirical findings on how framing ecological science communication can affect the outcomes (e.g., science literacy, trust of science, behavior change, valuation of the issue, support for science) in the context of public participatory research (e.g., citizen science) and direct scientists-to-public interfacing.  The implications for how practitioners of science and science communication create and disseminate messages about their science to elicit particular responses and behaviors from the public will be discussed from her findings.  

Amanda Sorensen is a 5th year PhD Candidate in the Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program at Rutgers University and is under the advisement of Dr. Rebecca Jordan of the Human Ecology Department. Amanda is completing her dissertation this spring on the role of framing in science communication, particularly in the context of public participatory research programs.