Science

Building Trust in Science: A One-Day Conference for a More Informed Future

Event information
Date
Mon Mar 10, 2025
Contact
Location
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
Hosts
Science & Society
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Building Trust in Science: A One-Day Conference for a More Informed Future, a collaboration between the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program and the MIT Press, aims to bridge the gap between decades of research in neuroscience and social science about how humans process and understand information, and the vulnerabilities to misinformation and propaganda we endure when we fail to leverage this knowledge in communicating science, especially in the age of generative AI.

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This conference, planned for March 10, 2025 in Boston, at MIT in Cambridge, MA, will be ideal for science communicators, journalists, researchers, students, policymakers, and anyone interested in mobilizing knowledge for a better world. This conference will explore how journalists, science communicators, researchers, and policymakers can utilize knowledge about human learning to

  • Empower diverse groups to make informed decisions in a complex world;
  • Combat disinformation and build trust in science and scientists;
  • Amplify voices and perspectives historically marginalized by science and journalism; and
  • Craft impactful messaging that fosters active and engaged communities where science is a cornerstone.

This conference is supported by

     

     

          

    Conference Plan

    8:00am – Registration and breakfast

    8:55 – Welcome from organizers and emcee Cara Santa Maria (creator and host of the weekly science communications podcast Talk Nerdy Cara Santa Maria)

    9:00 – Formal opening remarks by MIT Provost Cindy Barnhart and MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer

    9:15 – Joint keynote address: Francis Collins (Former Director of the National Institutes of Health) and Lina Yassin (Sudanese climate journalist and development consultant); moderated by Alfred Ironside (VP for Communications, MIT)

    10:15 – When Two Tribes Go to War: Polarization and Science Communication

    Abstract: Why do groups become polarized around some scientific topics (climate change, vaccines, GMOs) but not around others (astrophysics, fluid dynamics)? What can science communication practice learn from social psychology and behavioral sciences in relation to the processes of group polarization? What communications strategies can address or mitigate against polarization? Our panelists will explore the nature of group polarization, its implications for science communication strategies, and its relationship with motivated reasoning, identity and trust.

    • Lee McIntyre, Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and a Senior Advisor for Public Trust in Science at the Aspen Institute
    • Lily Tsai, Ford Professor of Political Science, Director, MIT Governance Lab
    • Dietram Scheufele, Taylor-Bascom Chair in Science Communication,University of Wisconsin Madison
    • Moderated by Michael John Gorman, Director of the MIT Museum, and Professor of the Practice of Science, Technology, and Society)

    11:15 – Break 

    11:30 – Arts interlude TBD

    11:45 – Climate Communication in the Age of Decarbonization  

    Abstract: This session will explore how storytelling can be a powerful driver of societal change and a tool for rebuilding trust in public health. Strengthening trust is crucial, as it can significantly impact how communities respond to and recover from public health crises. Through real-world case studies and expert insights, participants will discover how narratives can bridge the gap between complex health information and the lived experiences of diverse communities. Grounded in evidence and theory, this session will highlight storytelling strategies that resonate emotionally and culturally, fostering understanding, driving behavior change, and improving public health outcomes. Participants will leave empowered to craft stories that inspire action and contribute to equitable solutions.

    • Lauren Feldman, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, Rutgers School of Communication and Information
    • Madalina Vlasceanu, Assistant Professor of Environmental Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, and Director of the Stanford Climate Cognition Lab
    • Bernadette Woods Placky, Chief Meteorologist and Director of Climate Matters, Climate Central
    • Anirudh Tiwathia, Director of Behavioral Science, Rare Center for Behavior & the Environment
    • Moderated by Deborah Blum, Executive Director, Knight Science Journalism program

    12:45pm – Lunch and discussion tables 

    2:00 – The Power of Public Health Storytelling for Societal Transformation

    Abstract: This session aims to explore effective strategies that blend education and entertainment, i.e., edutainment, that focus on changing behaviors and shifting societal norms and perceptions around major public health challenges. Participants will learn how to effectively engage audiences and build trust by utilizing edutainment as a powerful tool in public health and scientific communication.

    3:00 – Arts interlude: Hip Hop Public Health

    3:15 – Break

    4:00 – The Good, Bad and the Ugly: The Role of Generative AI in Undermining but (potentially) Rebuilding Trust 

    Abstract: It’s early days, but one thing is clear – Generative AI is disrupting a number of industries including media, education, research and medicine. On one hand, it is supercharging the production of disinformation and propaganda, it’s automating workflows and creative processes putting a large number of careers in jeopardy. But it’s also offering exciting opportunities for investigative journalism, translation and synthesis, and more empathetic communication. This expert panel will take a broad look at how AI tools are shaping our trust in the media we consume and what that means for rebuilding trust in our society.

    • David Rand, Erwin H. Schell Professor and Professor of Management Science and Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, the director of the Applied Cooperation Initiative
    • Deb Roy, Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, where he directs the MIT Center for Constructive Communication
    • Renee Cummings, Professor of Practice in Data Science at the University of Virginia, 2023 VentureBeat AI Innovator Award winner, and the first Data Activist-in-Residence at the UVA School of Data Science
    • Moderated by Claire Wardle, Associate Professor at Cornell University School of Communication

    5:00 – Key Takeaways: Directions for Future Research and Action

    Abstract: Rick Berke in conversation with Kai Kupferschmidt. Kai, who has reported on infectious diseases for 15 years, devoted a year as an MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow studying misinformation, and Rick will talk with him about what he learned in that deep dive, his takeaways from the conference, and a look to the future.

    5:30 – Cocktail reception and poster session

    The planning committee for this conference includes

    • Rick Berke, Co-founder & Executive Editor, STAT
    • Deborah Blum, Director, MIT Knight Science Journalism Program
    • Amy Brand, Director and Publisher, The MIT Press (program co-chair)
    • Mariette DiChristina, Dean of the Boston University College of Communication
    • Michael John Gorman, Mark R. Epstein (Class of 1963) Director, MIT Museum and Professor of the Practice of Science, Technology and Society at MIT
    • Amml Hussein, Civic Science Fellow, Boston University; President-elect, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), New Jersey chapter
    • Alfred Ironside, Vice President for Communications, MIT
    • Aaron Krol, Climate Communications Coordinator, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
    • Thomas Levenson, Professor of Science Writing and director of the graduate program in science writing, MIT
    • Lee McIntyre, Senior Advisor for Public Trust in Science at the Aspen Institute
    • Aaron Mertz, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Science & Society Program
    • Seth Mnookin, MIT Professor & Director of the Graduate Program in Science Writing (program co-chair)
    • Jylana Sheats, Associate Professor, Tulane University School of Public Health; Associate Director, Aspen Institute Science & Society Program (program co-chair)
    • Claire Wardle, Co-director of the Information Futures Lab, Brown University

             

    The day after the conference, the MIT Museum is organizing three-hour ancillary masterclasses, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, for conference participants and others interested in hands-on training in key formats and aspects of science communication. Registration for these masterclasses will be available alongside the conference registration in late 2024. The schedule will allow for participation in up to two masterclasses.