Broadcast meteorologists and climate change
This ongoing project is focused on enhancing the effectiveness of broadcast meteorologists in communicating climate change to their audience. Our collaborators are looking at the level of climate science knowledge of meteorologists and encourage professionals and students to communicate climate change to their viewing audiences.
This project is using several surveys to assess the current climate science understanding of meteorology students. We have also conducted a workshop to encourage meteorologists to communicate climate science and improve their confidence in their own understanding of climate-related issues.
Plymouth State University
Using weather reports as outreach
Television remains the principal means of getting new information for the average American. Many Americans rely on local and national news programs for information regarding their communities, politics, and the economy. Broadcast meteorologists, also known as television weathercasters, are an integral part of local and national media programs. Meteorologists not only provide vital information about local weather, but also work alongside fellow broadcasters to interpret other news stories, in particular are called upon to interpret other science-related stories.
Given their respected position in the local communities and their role in the average American's daily life, broadcast meteorologists could serve as an important source of climate science information. If meteorologists incorporate changing climate in their weather broadcasts, they can reach a large audience who, in general, have very limited understanding of the impacts of changing climate.
Bentley University
Informal Science Education
Informal science education (ISE) encompasses all non-formal classroom science training, including community programs, educational outreach, and educational institutions. An effective way to communicate science-related issues, ISE programs are structured to provide their intended audience with a greater understanding of an issue while not overwhelming them with specific details. Outreach programs need to engage their audience and assess public understanding of the issue.
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Project Sponsors
This project is a collaboration between researchers at Plymouth State University (Plymouth, NH) and Bentley University (Waltham, MA). This project is funded by a grant from the Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE), under the National Science Foundation (NSF).