2 pages., Research summary online via the North American Association for Environmental Education., This study involved journalists who participated in science journalism training at the University of Rhode Island's Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting between 1999 and 2015. Researchers collected data on the effectiveness of such training by surveying 111 participating journalists about their perceptions of the training. Researchers also analyzed the content of stories published by 20 journalists before and after they participated in a week-long immersion workshop. "Results showed a number of small but positive effects..." Journalists who participated found interpersonal interactions with scientists to be the most valuable tool for their science reporting.
24 pages., Open access and online via ScienceDirect., The suggested model involves interactions and integration among knowledge (K), social practices (P), and values (V). Authors contemplated bottom-up relationships among scientists, environmental managers, science journalists, and other citizens operating within a context of top-down institutional constraints. They emphasized values and social practices, as well as knowledge, in addressing institutional change.
15 pages, via online journal article, Scientist-stakeholder partnerships are formed by scientists from academic institutions and industry representatives in an effort to address contingent science issues such as climate change, inform the public and influence public policies. Such organizations often lack expertise in communicating to the public and conducting outreach which are crucial components to building a good reputation. This study selected Florida Water and Climate Alliance [FWCA] as an example of such an organization, exploring its media attention and media framing to assess the visibility and reputation of [FWCA]. Results showed very limited media attention had been devoted to [FWCA]. The framing analysis results indicated that the coverage of [FWCA] is mostly introductory and descriptive information from public institutions, collaborators and funding agencies. These results demonstrate the need for such organizations to increase media visibility and build their reputations through strategic communication. Scientist-stakeholder partnership organizations like FWCA could gain from strategic collaborations with agricultural communications professionals and academic researchers. To better assist in building the reputation for these organizations, recommendations include developing strategic communication plans and conducting research about stakeholders’ and collaborators’ perceptions of an organization’s reputation.
17 pages., Print ISSN: 0889-048X
Online ISSN: 1572-8366, Via online journal., Almost one-third of all U.S. Americans believe that Jesus Christ will return to Earth in the next 40 years, thereby signaling the end of the world. The prevalence of this end-times theology has meant that sustainability initiatives are often met with indifference, resistance, or even hostility from a significant portion of the American population. One of the ways that the scientific community can respond to this is by making scientific discourse, particularly as related to sustainability, more palatable to end-times believers. In this paper, I apply a historical–ecological framework, which emphasizes the interdisciplinary study of landscapes to understand long-term human–environment interactions, to three millennial religious groups that formed communes in nineteenth century America. The Shakers, Inspirationalists, and Mormons all blended deep beliefs in end-times theology with agricultural practices that were arguably more sustainable than those in use in the mainstream, and their ability to reconcile eschatology with sustainability provides us with potential lessons. By examining the history, doctrines, and agroecology of these nineteenth century communes, I propose communication strategies based in autonomy, institutional support, multigenerational narratives, and anthropocentricism as potential pathways for a more productive dialogue between advocates of sustainability initiatives and end-times believers in the modern United States.
3 pages., Online via publication website., A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) meteorologist comments on reactions she gets from viewers, listeners, and readers in her coverage of natural disasters, climate, and related weather topics.
