Washington, DC
Alan Alda is worthy of our respect and gratitude, perhaps now more than ever. Sure, his Hawkeye Pierce role on the M*A*S*H television series was universally applauded in its day and his movie credits are appreciated, too.
Many years ago, however, Alda became fascinated with science and, in turn, with the communication of scientific research to the public. He sees effective communication as central to successful leadership, in general, which is music to my ears. You might recall Alda as the intrepid host and science interpreter of the PBS series "Scientific American Frontiers," which concluded in 2005.
He helped found the Alda Center for Communicating Science in 2009 at Stony Brook University, in association with the university, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Center says it "empowers scientists and health professionals to communicate complex topics in clear, vivid, and engaging ways." It's no wonder why Alda's podcast is entitled "Clear+Vivid."
"Clear, vivid and engaging" are attributes too often missing from the communication of scientific research by our universities. Their work is changing the world for the better; breakthroughs in cancer, quantum, oceans, transportation and understanding of the human mind are breathtaking. Yet, somehow, it's ridiculed and dismissed in some neolithic quarters as "elite." Well, I certainly do want the latest science of airplane or water safety to be undertaken at the most elite levels, don't you?
Universities and their faculty simply must do a better job telling their research stories, focusing more on outcomes and public benefits. Sure, I've heard all the excuses about why it is hard to translate technical, world-class research into English, but none of them holds any water. Universities are under attack and they need to find purposeful, imaginative ways to communicate research in Alan Alda's "clear and vivid" terms. The Alda Center has plenty of resources to inspire and inform academics on how to communicate better outside their immediate peer circles. Learn more at https://www.aldacenter.org/
Alan Alda is worthy of our respect and gratitude, perhaps now more than ever. Sure, his Hawkeye Pierce role on the M*A*S*H television series was universally applauded in its day and his movie credits are appreciated, too.
Many years ago, however, Alda became fascinated with science and, in turn, with the communication of scientific research to the public. He sees effective communication as central to successful leadership, in general, which is music to my ears. You might recall Alda as the intrepid host and science interpreter of the PBS series "Scientific American Frontiers," which concluded in 2005.
He helped found the Alda Center for Communicating Science in 2009 at Stony Brook University, in association with the university, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Center says it "empowers scientists and health professionals to communicate complex topics in clear, vivid, and engaging ways." It's no wonder why Alda's podcast is entitled "Clear+Vivid."
"Clear, vivid and engaging" are attributes too often missing from the communication of scientific research by our universities. Their work is changing the world for the better; breakthroughs in cancer, quantum, oceans, transportation and understanding of the human mind are breathtaking. Yet, somehow, it's ridiculed and dismissed in some neolithic quarters as "elite." Well, I certainly do want the latest science of airplane or water safety to be undertaken at the most elite levels, don't you?
Universities and their faculty simply must do a better job telling their research stories, focusing more on outcomes and public benefits. Sure, I've heard all the excuses about why it is hard to translate technical, world-class research into English, but none of them holds any water. Universities are under attack and they need to find purposeful, imaginative ways to communicate research in Alan Alda's "clear and vivid" terms. The Alda Center has plenty of resources to inspire and inform academics on how to communicate better outside their immediate peer circles. Learn more at https://www.aldacenter.org/
Image courtesy of The Alda Center