Welcome! I am a scientist and science communication practitioner. I write and talk about water, wildfire, and climate change. My work has been published at New Republic, On Being, Bay Nature, and more. My award-winning book Getting to the Heart of Science Communication is available wherever books are sold. I co-host the award-winning Water Talk podcast with Mallika Nocco and Samuel Sandoval. Watch/listen to recent book talks here, and read related interviews on my media page.

Twitter: @frkearns | Instagram and Bluesky: @fkearns | Newsletter: The Hard Stuff | Podcast: Water Talk

GETTING TO THE HEART OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication is available wherever books are sold. If you read and enjoy the book, please consider leaving a review!

"Dr. Kearns has given us much-needed tools for sharing science with empathy, engagement, and the full humanity that our audiences deserve. A brave and brilliant guide to the shifting terrain of science communication." Cynthia Barnett, University of Florida Environmental Journalist in Residence and author of the books Mirage, Blue Revolution, and Rain

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication is a must-read for amateurs and professionals alike. The book presents tangible ways to engage in science communication that is justice-centered and meets environmental and societal challenges of today. Kearns delivers thoughtful and transformational advice on addressing power and accountability in the sciences.” Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry, University of California, Merced

“In Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, Faith Kearns captures the voices of real science communication practice—and maps where we need to go to build public trust in science, relationship by relationship. This is the book the field needs now.” Bob Lalasz, CEO, Science+Story

Book media:

The conventional wisdom on how to talk about climate change? It’s wrong.  by Kate Yoder at Grist

More than the Message by Jonathan Wai, Science

Compassionate communication key to spurring action on research results by Mathew Reisz at Times Higher Ed

Finding the Heart to Talk About Climate, with Katerina Gonzales, Climate One podcast hosted by Greg Dalton

Faith Kearns: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, Bob Lalasz, Science + Story podcast

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, Brad Phillips, Speak Good podcast

Emotion and Communication about Science, Brian Southwell, The Measure of Everyday Life

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication with Dr. Faith Kearns, Madison Sankovitz and Monique Rivera, Beyond the Bench podcast

Faith Kearns: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, Chris Gambino for New Books Network podcast

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication with Faith Kearns, a book excerpt at Bioneers

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement Book Review by Candace J Akins, Native Plants Journal

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement Book Review by Ted Gostomski, Natural Areas Journal

Book review: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication by Richard Smardon, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences

Getting to the Heart of Water Communication, Water Talk podcast

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication by Charley Wilson and Lynn Lipinski at What Matters Water TV and Podcast

Communicating about climate crisis and other scientific issues requires more than facts by Pam Kan-Rice at UC Ag and Natural Resources

Talking Science: It's Not Just About the Facts by Donnell Brown at the National Grape Research Alliance

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement at Breakthroughs

UC ANR Scientist Publishes Guide to Science Communication with Tim Hammerich at Ag Info Network

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement by John Keogh at Booklist

How Cities Can Get to the Heart of Science Communication by Michael Shank at Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance

11 Books to Upskill and Make More Money as a Freelance Science Writer by Sheeva Azma

SELECTED POPULAR WRITING

Check out the award-winning Water Talk podcast!
Mallika Nocco, Sam Sandoval, and I are releasing episodes of Water Talk weekly on Fridays! Listen wherever you get podcasts, and if you like what you hear please subscribe, star, and leave a review.

RECENT MEDIA

Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth | book by Kate Schapira

Talk isn't cheap: The power of conversation | Climate One podcast

Water Wisdom: A deep dive into wildfires and water conservation with Dr. Faith Kearns | We the Children podcast

The Hero's Lyrics | Across the Cline podcast

So Sorry For Your Loss | book by Dina Gachman

Why California Can’t Catch a Break | The Atlantic

Addressing the emotional toll of drought | UC ANR Green Blog

Why we need new words for life in the Anthropocene | BBC

Emotion and Communication about Science | The Measure of Everyday Life

California drought raises red flags for agriculture | The Hill

Most Californians view state’s water shortage as extremely serious, poll finds | LA Times

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement Book Review | Natural Areas Journal

‘A subtraction problem:’ A shrinking Colorado River faces sharp, sudden cuts | Nevada Independent

11 Books to Upskill and Make More Money as a Freelance Science Writer | Fancy Comma

Book review: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication | Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement Book Review | Native Plants Journal

How Cities Can Get to the Heart of Science Communication | Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance

A drought so bad it exposed a long-ago homicide. Getting the water back will be harder than ever | LA Times

Climate Adaptation: The Basics | Kneedeep Times

Southwest drought is the most extreme in 1,200 years, study finds | Washington Post

Getting to the Heart of Water Communication | Water Talk podcast

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication | What Matters Water TV and Podcast 

Compassionate communication key to spurring action on research results | Times Higher Ed

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication | Speak Good podcast

Drought-Stricken California Hasn't Mandated Statewide Water Restrictions. Here's Why | KQED Science

Wildfires tear through 1m acres in US west as 16,000 firefighters battle onslaught | Guardian

American west stuck in cycle of ‘heat, drought and fire’, experts warn | Guardian

Is California ready for brown lawns and shorter showers? Drought requires less water use | LA Times

Reservoirs are drying up as consequences of the Western drought worsen | Washington Post

Finding the Heart to Talk About Climate | Climate One podcast 

Faith Kearns: Getting to the Heart of Science Communication | Science + Story podcast

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication with Dr. Faith Kearns | Beyond the Bench podcast

More than the Message | Science

The conventional wisdom on how to talk about climate change? It’s wrong. | Grist

When blazes spark, ‘Fire Twitter’ heats up | San Francisco Chronicle

A pandemic meets fire season: How California will fight wildfires amid coronavirus | Sacramento Bee

How climate change primed California’s power shutdown | National Geographic

The weight of the world | Mother Jones

Why it's so hard to live in California | Slate

California's dry winter means much of the state is in drought again | Salon

Deadly, destructive fires happening to more Californians, over and over again | Ventura County Star

Last day in Paradise: the untold story of how a fire swallowed a town | Guardian

Wildfire scientists brace for hotter, more flammable future as Paradise lies in ashes | CNN

Living on the edge | Slate

Don't blame storm victims for this | Earther/Gizmodo

Lack of snowpack leaves the West hung out to dry | Grist

California agriculture faces serious threats from climate change, study finds | Desert Sun

California's climate emergency | Rolling Stone

RECENT ACADEMIC WRITING

Building Resilience to Public Safety Power Shutoffs Through Public Education (In press) | Journal of Extension with V. Koundinya, C. Chiarella, S. Kocher, and S. Drill

Disasters Happen: Supporting Cooperative Extension Personnel for Disaster Management in California Communities | Journal of Extension with V. Koundinya, C. Chiarella, and S. Kocher

Supporting sustainable groundwater management | California Agriculture with D. Parker

Climate change trends and impacts on California agriculture: A detailed review | Agronomy with T. Pathak, M.L. Maskey, J.A. Dahlberg, K.M. Bali, and D. Zaccaria

Building climate change resilience in California through UC Cooperative Extension | California Agriculture with T. Grantham, S. Kocher, T. Pathak, and L. Roche