URI_Research _Magazine_Momentum_Spring_2020_Melissa-McCarthy

Bridging the Gap Between Science and Communication written by AMY DUNKLE

Originally, Metcalf Institute set out to improve and expand news coverage of environmental issues. However, Executive Director Sunshine Menezes says, this work only constitutes half of what the University of Rhode Island (URI) program does. With a small staff and big goals, Metcalf also trains scientists to better communicate about their research for broader audiences beyond the academic setting. “We have a very proven product,” says Menezes. “Anyone who knows what we do understands its value.” To better reflect its efforts, Metcalf updated the program’s mission statement to engage more people in conversations about science and the environment. Menezes explains that two equally important parts of the Metcalf mission revolve around journalists and scientists. Journalists from around the world come to Metcalf for science training while

researchers get training in communication. For the journalists, Metcalf aims to improve understanding not just about scientific content on a specific topic, but also about how scientists work and think, why researchers typically don’t provide simple “yes or no” answers during interviews, the essential role played by scientific uncertainty, and why these issues comprise an important part of the research process. “On the flip side, researchers need to not only understand some specific approaches for communicating effectively, but also that they need to be strategic about their communication,” Menezes explains. “This is something that a communications researcher would not blink an eye at, but a lot of scientists don’t think about communication strategy. Why are they communicating? Are they trying to change opinions? Are they trying to change behaviors? Or, are they just trying to get people excited about a particular topic?”

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