2009
Olson fully endorses the Public Understanding of Science effort. The average psychological profile of scientists, he argues, and the unique scientific culture in which they participate are completely unrepresentative of the normal distribution characteristic of the public. Here, he clearly makes delineations between two groups, and in so doing, frames science communication as a form of cross-cultural communication. While this argument and the communication tactics he goes on to outline are in no way unique, the ways in which he formulated such arguments and tactics are. He renounced his “scientific culture” by abandoning his life as a tenured professor in marine biology at the University of New Hampshire and immersed himself in “public culture” by pursuing a new film-making career in Hollywood. This is ethnography taken to its extreme! Olson relates the many humiliating experiences through which he realized how arrogant and robotic he came across, developing a host of principles and tactics he believes are essential to effective science communication. Some of these principles include the importance of style over substance, enacting exciting but well-structured storytelling, fostering deep connection with others, and valuing improvisation over preparation.
This book has had major influence by removing the blame for poor science communication outcomes from the audience (where it is traditionally located) and placing it at the feet of scientists and science communicators. This proposed shift in blame coupled with his immersive ethnographic methods have forced science communicators and scientists to question their commitment to effective science communication, asking them how far they're willing to go to truly improve. Yet, by framing science communication as cross cultural communication and by leaving his “scientific culture” behind, many scientists feel disconnected from and belittled by him. This book places the mirror in front of the tactics of the science communicator but fails to turn it on the ultimate aims of science communication itself. Yet, his plea to science communicators to be creative, try something new, immerse themselves, and strive to make genuine human connections still carry positive ripples through science communication.
Reference:
Trench, B. (2008). Internet: turning science Olson, R. (2009). Don’t be such a scientist: talking substance in an age of style. Island Press. inside-out? In M. Bucchi & B. Trench (Eds.), Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology (pp. 185–198). London: Routledge.