Hi! I am Tanaya Roychowdhury, a graduate student at Indian Institute of Chemical Biology and a new member of NGSF. I would like to share my views on why we need more science communicators.
The art of science communication
How long will the human species survive? As one picks up the morning newspaper, such thoughts prevail! Terrorism, cancer or COVID19…what next? It is an exciting time to be a scientist. With an exponential rise and flow of information all across the globe, more ambitious and innovative research is being carried out incurring public interest in the field. However, there is a mild problem associated with rapid dissemination of information to the public – the quality is compromised. Now, we often see in the newspapers, highlights such as “A cure to cancer” or “Sanitizers can cure COVID-19” or similar misleading claims that convey wrong messages to the general mass, creating more confusion and spread of inappropriate information. Researchers know that experiments only provide a snapshot of reality. Unfortunately, the general public can misinterpret this information as they are unaware of the nature of our work and react to it with alarm or false hopes. This is exactly why we need more science communicators. Only science communication can remedy the situation by explaining the scientific discoveries in layman’s terms to the mass, thereby bridging this gap. Science not only reveals the world but also provides us with tools to reveal it.
Good science communication can not only capture the imagination but also ignite young minds! This is ultimately what will shape our future!
