COPUS and the American Institute of Biological Sciences were pleased to co-sponsor “Communicating Science to the Public: The Where, Why and How of Engaging Non-Scientists,” a special full-day workshop at this year’s Joint Meeting of the Ecological Society of America and the Society for Ecological Restoration in San Jose, CA, on 5 August 2007.

The workshop, organized by the ESA Student Section, introduced attendees to the skills necessary for successfully communicating science to the public and how to identify avenues of communication, both traditional and non-traditional. The line-up of thirteen speakers – including AIBS Director of Public Policy Robert Gropp – discussed how to communicate with a variety of groups, including local organizations and school groups, print and broadcast media, and policy makers.

Gropp’s presentation, “Nurturing the Public Understanding of the Nature of Science,” highlighted the important role that the nation-wide COPUS network plays in promoting local science organizations and programs that, in turn, so greatly contribute to improving the public understanding of science.

Gropp also encouraged the largely student-dominated audience to engage their graduate student groups, academic departments, universities and scientific organizations in COPUS.

Learn how and why you too should get your group involved – http://www.copusproject.org/

More information about the “Communicating Science” workshop can be found at: http://rydberg.biology.colostate.edu/communicating_science/.