Communicating science#
Modern media offers huge opportunities for science communication to very broad audiences.
The role of communicating science is increasingly being taken on by scientists because of their passion for sharing knowledge and also as a requirement to publicise their research activities.
Scientists communicate their research through blogs and articles or social media posts, or through interviews with the mainstream media.
Efforts by scientists to communicate Earth observation research can bring a number of benefits including:
Promotion of research (i.e. journal articles) to wider audiences.
Establishment of scientists as role models for future generations, helping to create a feeling of participation and ownership - showing that science is part of society.
More credible scientific voices on environmental and climate issues to counter the rising issue of misinformation.
Creation of cross-disciplinary collaboration between scientists themselves.
Engagement with journalists who can then accurately tell stories to even wider audiences.
In the Earth observation sector, greater engagement with the media can help to:
Show the relevance of Earth observation data to current news: satellite imagery nearly always has something to add to a news story, whether it’s an aerial view of a big cultural event, or a beautiful environmental phenomena.
Make scientists more approachable. Sharing challenges and facets of day-to-day life, can help foster engagement, reducing ‘ivory tower’ feelings around science.
