13 March 2008

Speaker: Dan Vergano (USA Today; and Nieman Fellow, Harvard)

Title: Alien Communications: Scientists and Science reporting

Abstract: Science reporters and scientists often seem to be on different wavelengths. A science reporter discusses some of the nuts and bolts of reporting, talks about reporting on astronomy and discusses some of the challenges facing better science reporting. Some of the larger trends in society that are affecting science also are playing out in the newsroom, and a glimpse into the alien world of reporting should illuminate some of the differences between how reporters and scientists see events.