Does Science Communication Still Work?

Moderator: Holden Thorp, Science Family of Journals
Speakers:
Jane Lubchenco, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
Joelle Simpson, Children's National Hospital
Katie Mack, North Carolina State University

The failure of science to communicate basic facts about the pandemic, coupled with the ongoing failures to communicate about climate change, suggests that science communication is no longer working. Over the past three days, many sessions have addressed numerous aspects of science communication. Many of the principles that underpin today's philosophy stem from decades-old ideas of the scientist's necessary skill set. These ideas did not anticipate the power of social media and quantitative political polling, which have made it easier for anti-science forces to penetrate the public discourse. So how should science communication change?