Supporting researchers to communicate natural hazards science
A new online resource from Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake will help scientists effectively communicate their science to non-experts, giving more Kiwis access to evidence-based decision making around risk.
The 12 Top Tips for Effective Science Communication were put together by Dr Emma Hudson-Doyle, who is a Principal Advisor in the NHC Toka Tū Ake Resilience & Research team and an Associate Professor at Massey University’s Joint Centre for Disaster Research (JCDR).
Scientists have shared how they find science communication challenging.
Kia ora, my name's Emma Hudson Doyle. I'm Principal Advisor, Resilience and Research at the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake. I'm also Associate Professor at the Joint Centre for Disaster Research at Massey University.
Here at the Natural Hazards Commission, we fund over $10 million of research into natural hazards risk and we'd like to actually support those scientists in communicating their science effectively.
To do this, we have developed 12 key science communication topics. They're available on our website. Go have a look and see how you can adapt them into your practice. Thank you.
“We created this resource because effectively communicating science is a critical element of reducing our natural hazard risk,” says Hudson-Doyle.
NHC funds over $10 million each year into natural hazards research, and Hudson-Doyle says the research is most effective when it gets into the hands of decision makers. “We want to support people to make evidence-based decisions about their risks, informed by the latest valuable science.”
Hudson-Doyle, who researches landslide risk communication at JCDR, adds, “These tips focus not just on what we might say, but on topics such as how we can build relationships, how we can develop our confidence, how we can actively listen and understand needs so we can deliver our science in the most engaging way, and how we can reflect to constantly improve our practice.”
The resource was created in response to a NHC Toka Tū Ake survey in which scientists expressed that they found communicating their work to non-scientists challenging.
NHC Toka Tū Ake ran a series of well-subscribed science communications webinars, and these tips are drawn from the lessons that emerged from those events as well as the latest literature.
“We hope this resource will help researchers develop their own principles for sharing their science with a broad range of society, from individual homeowners to government and local council planners. It’s not about being right or wrong, it’s about having confidence to give it a go,” adds Hudson-Doyle.