communication and science are inextricably linked
By Isaac Olson, OA Alliance Team Member and Hollings Scholar with NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program (2022-2024)
Communication is not a word that most people immediately associate with science. For me, however, communication and science are inextricably linked. I see no path to address the multitude of environmental crises impacting our planet without an increased melding of these two practices. If the past has taught us anything, it is that both communication without science and science without communication result unclarity, misinformation and can contribute to lack of progress.
I have been inspired to address this disconnect in my work. Last summer, as a Hollings Scholar with NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, I contributed to several communication projects intended to elevate the OAP’s ability to effectively educate on the impacts associated with increasing ocean acidification (OA). One of the most exciting projects I worked on was the “Exploring Our Changing Ocean: Impacts and Response to Ocean Acidification in the U.S.” StoryMap collection, a collaboration between NOAA OAP, the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, and the OA Alliance. The six StoryMaps support localized education, outreach, and calls to action by showcasing regional OA trends, impacts, and community responses taking place across each of NOAA’s Coastal Acidification Network regions. The information is meant for aquariums, educators, and decision makers to increase public awareness of OA and inspire local action.
In addition to communicating with partners, I was able to present at two scientific conferences, the Ocean Sciences Meeting which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana the Alaska Forum on the Environment, which took place in Anchorage, Alaska.
I assumed that all conferences were hectic, overwhelming spaces, which tend to be dominated by Western scientists. Yet, when I arrived in Anchorage for the Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE), this was not my experience. Instead, AFE centered historically excluded perspectives, including rural, Indigenous, non-scientific, and youth voices in every discussion, emphasizing community involvement and sovereignty in science. AFE had never included a presentation dedicated to OA before, so it was an exciting opportunity to learn more from the participants about their experiences with this topic. I collaborated with partners from the Alaska OA Network to ensure we described OA in an accessible, respectful way and highlighted community-driven, Alaska-centric responses. We underscored how the StoryMap could be used for further knowledge-sharing. It was important to emphasize that our project was a resource for the community, not a mandate of required. Audience discussion with residents from across Alaska imparted to me the importance of community trust, deference, meeting people where they are at. I left AFE happy to have experienced such a clear case of environmental equity in practice.
Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) is considered a hallmark of oceanography, and the several thousand attendees at the conference reflected that. Despite the intimidating crowds, I was excited to present. I was particularly proud to be part of a session dedicated to using storytelling to combat climate change, a session whose very existence reflects the increasing acceptance of environmental communication as a key component of enacting change. Furthermore, I was happy to highlight the StoryMap collection as a resource for education, and to emphasize storytelling, community engagement, and diversity as benchmarks of progress. During my talk, I was inspired to see a disproportionate amount of BIPOC and youth in attendance. I was motivated by the fact that traditionally marginalized and young voices in geosciences are taking up the call for sharing and communicating science beyond the lab. Above all, OSM reminded me that I am not alone, not in the quest to elevate environmental communication, not in the fight against climate change, and not in the fight for a better world.
Developing and communicating the StoryMap project has underscored to me the value of equitable science communication efforts. It is essential that community-based storytelling projects such as this continue to be communicated to both scientists and the public, normalizing the use of environmental communication in driving action. I am glad that increasing numbers of scientists, particularly BIPOC, gender-minorities, and youth, are recognizing this fact. Indeed, respectful lines of communication between scientific and frontline communities are what’s required to achieve an equitable, sustainable future.