“Only two things are certain: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the former”. Albert Einstein

In our uncertain Universe, we crave certainty. So every day newspapers, radio and television provide it. Stories full of good/bad, right/wrong, safe/dangerous. Which is a major problem when it comes to science stories, because science is rarely that certain, that absolute. This sets up one of the greatest challenges in science communication – making the complexities, uncertainties and probabilities inherent in scientific progress compatible with the demands of the mass media for simplicity, certainty and sensationalism.

When a researcher is asked of something they’ve developed “is it safe?” a straight “yes” is seldom possible, but any other answer often triggers headlines about the public being endangered. Research across areas from new drugs to nanotechnology are all threatened by such breakdowns in communication over the nature of risk. People have died because rather than take the very small risk from a vaccination, they’ve exposed themselves to the much greater risk of a killer disease.

This event explores how better science communication can minimise such misunderstandings, leading to better media, better science…and a better world. It will set out practical steps to break down the multiple language barriers between scientists, journalists, governments and the wider public; prevent the media from mutating facts into scare-stories or fantasies, and strengthen the essential connections which enable all of us to make informed decisions about the many ways science shapes our lives.   

Closely linked to the Edinburgh International Science Festival, the seminar will combine workshops, talks and practical exercises. Sessions will be intensely interactive, built on exchanges of ideas and comparisons between different practices worldwide, and will extend from broad issues such as how to get notions of acceptable risk across in mainstream media, to the detailed anatomy of individual science stories. Over four days leading scientists, journalists and science communicators will take part in the sessions, but there will also be an emphasis on the expertise and experience brought by the participants, and enough flexibility in the programme to address their specific interests and concerns.

This is the fourth in a series of highly successful seminars looking at science communication organised by the British Council and directed by Quentin Cooper.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS SEMINAR
The seminar will be of interest to scientists, science and non-science journalists, directors of scientific organisations and companies, and anyone involved in science and its communication both within and beyond the scientific community. Sessions will involve exchanges of ideas and practical exercises, so everyone attending should come prepared for dialogue and interaction as well as talks and demonstration.