Narratives and Storytelling in the Public Communication of Science and Technology

Narratives and Storytelling in the Public Communication of Science and Technology
Panel discussion, organized by the students of GES Colloquium

Abstract

From gene editing to artificial intelligence, scientific principles and theories form the plot for many books, movies, and television shows. Science fiction is a popular genre, drawing in diverse audiences and sometimes providing a first introduction to new or developing scientific ideas and principles. Sometimes the science portrayed is accurate. Other times artistic liberties are taken. This colloquium focuses on how science is portrayed and communicated to audiences through fictional media, exploring questions such as how can we effectively communicate science through fictional media like books, movies and television, do fictional representations of technologies like gene editing have an impact on public perception of those technologies, should authors of science fiction mediums have a responsibility to ensure that their representations of science are accurate, and whether the scientific community should engage in outreach to fix misconceptions of science in science fiction.

The colloquium will feature three panelists: science fiction author and geneticist Dr. Dan Kobolt, professor and science communication researcher Dr. Michael Dahlstrom, and professor, scientist and science communicator Dr. Kevin Folta.