Christopher Reddy on Communicating Science in a Crisis

Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

If a scientist’s goal is to deliver content and expertise to the people who need it, then other stakeholder groups―the media, the government, industry―need to be considered as partners to collaborate with in order to solve problems. Written by established scientist Christopher Reddy, who has been on the front lines of several environmental crisis events his new book - Communicating Science in a Crisis - highlights ten specific challenges and reflects on mistakes made and lessons learned. Reddy’s aim is not to teach scientists how to ace an interview or craft a soundbite, rather, through exploring several high-profile case studies, including the North Cape oil spill, Deepwater Horizon, and the 2021 Sri Lanka shipping disaster, he presents a clear pathway to effective and collaborative communication.