Following the DeepWater Horizon oil spill, Christopher Reddy, Senior scientist in the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, was sought out by media, first responders and policy makers for his expertise. It was a role his advanced degree in chemistry hadn’t prepared him for. On The Point, we talk with him about lessons learned from that experience, which he chronicles in the new book, Communication in Crisis: An Insider’s Guide.
We also discuss how to improve communication between scientists and first responders, the public and policy makers, and how to train the journalists to report and present science to a public divided along cultural and political lines. Also joining us during the hour, Ken Kostel, Director of Research Communications at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Deborah Blum, Director, Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT
Mindy Todd hosts.