*Maddie Rosenbalm is a junior at SFA, studying Geology. She submitted this article because she has a general interest in making topics like climate research more accessible and closing the information gap between complex research and the general public.*
Scientific papers have always been a daunting part of the research process, even for experienced members of that field. However, the COVID-19 Pandemic has seen an increase in media outlets trying to cover new research as it comes out. So why is there still so much misinformation being spread?
The field of Scientific Communications is a relatively new one, and its essential function is to digest and reword research in a way that is easily readable to the general public. The issue with complex scientific work is that it’s written in a way that is generally inaccessible, meaning that data is constantly misinterpreted and misrepresented by those that aren’t professionals in that field. This has caused things like the scare over genetically modified food, vaccine and climate debates, and all kinds of confusion on COVID-19.
This inability to access scientific data also blocks scientists in different fields from interacting and collaborating well between fields without some kind of mediator. It leads to redundancy and repeated research, communication errors, and misrepresented data. Without a full grasp on what is being said, it then becomes easy to skew or misrepresent the data in a way that reflects a personal or political bias. Miscommunications in a time where anyone can post any form of unchecked media or journalism are dangerous. Taking into account how fast something can spread online, it becomes crucial to have readily accessible and easy-to-understand information being constantly published.
So how can we start to fix this? While there are new degree programs popping up with an emphasis in SciComm, you can start with something as simple as blogging or podcasting. Writing articles in your given field is an easy way to help close the information gap. Scientists such as Cate Larson, a geoscientist who runs a podcast called “The Schist of It,” have begun taking time to explain new data in their field. Companies (like the STEM Advocacy Center and Stem Cell Research Center) and universities (like UCLA and USF) have begun to add scientific communicators to their staff as well.
For those in STEM with interests in communication, people, journalism, and accessibility, this new career path is an easy way to toe the line between science and media. Research into SciComm degree programs (or even just taking the time to get a few articles out) are huge steps into closing the information gap.