By Naomi Hirsch

There were 24 people gathered together yesterday for the Twitter SciComm brown-bag.  It was nice to see many new faces this month representing diverse positions and departments on campus. We want to build on this momentum.  There is a need for more panels, discussions, and support related to social media.

For those that didn’t make it, here is the handout:
Twitter Cheat Sheet for Grad Students

Hashtags shared worth following on Twitter:

• Science communication topic #scicomm
• The Science of Science Communication topic #scioscicomm
• ScienceOnline network (general) #sciox
• ScienceOnline 2014 conference #scio14 Feb. 27- March 1, 2014
• Sackler Colloquium on the Science of Science Communication #sackler (in the Fall)

Two other resources come to mind.

Yesterday, there was an excellent Google Hangout discussion related to our brown-bag. This Hangout was part of a series put on by the Union of Concerned Scientists.  Participates gave outstanding advice and tools. The experienced panel included Dawn Wright, Liz Neeley, Gretchen Goldman (host), Craig McClain, and Jamie Vernon.

Google Hangout:  The Science of SciComm in Social Media (12-17-13)

Much was mentioned at the brown-bag related to the fact that Twitter is about communication, and it is valuable to take into consideration “the science of science communication”.  A popular concern is how we deal with misinformation about science on social media and the web.  A recommended (free download) is The Debunking Handbook.

The Handbook explores the surprising fact that debunking myths can sometimes reinforce the myth in peoples’ minds. Communicators need to be aware of the various backfire effects and how to avoid them, such as:

• The Familiarity Backfire Effect
• The Overkill Backfire Effect
• The Worldview Backfire Effect

It also looks at a key element to successful debunking: providing an alternative explanation. The Handbook is designed to be useful to all communicators who have to deal with misinformation (eg – not just climate myths).