Ellen Peters, professor, psychology and director, Decision Sciences Collaborative, has been appointed to the Committee on the Science of Science Communication of the Division of Behavioral and Social Science and Education, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to produce a consensus report that synthesizes what is known about effective science communication and describes a comprehensive research agenda to improve the communication of science to inform decisions relating to topics that often are contentious. She will serve on the committee through Dec. 30, 2016. 

 

The committee will:

 * identify the psychological, social, cultural, contextual, political, and economic factors, media influences, and communications approaches that affect how science relating to a broad range of issues (e.g., childhood vaccinations, nanotechnology, climate change, food safety, healthy behaviors), is understood, perceived and used and how change in the understanding, perception and acceptance of science occurs

 

* examine similarities and differences in the influence of these  factors across topics, and identify those that, if better understood,  have the greatest potential to improve the communication of science on controversial issues