Europole Mer : research consortium on marine science and technology in Brittany

As seen last December 2009 in Copenhagen, there is a world between knowledge and political action. In this context, engaging people towards adaptation and mitigation efforts, at all organizational levels, becomes crucial. How best do this? How to alert without frightening and discouraging? How to engage people? What role for scientists in this context?

The last day of the summer school will address these questions through three plenary lectures in the morning and six round tables in the afternoon. Plenary lectures will address the importance of communicating science in general, and climate change in particular; the need to study the perception of this thematic by different audiences; and how climate change science is being built in the media.

Three round tables will be centred on communication tools (scientific documentaries versus 2012-type movies; what role for the Web 2.0? what role for arts?) and two others on communication approaches (what controls the shift from awareness to action? What role/legitimacy for scientists in this shift?). The last round table will deal with the implications of the importance of communicating science on the training of students and young scientists (interdisciplinarity, intersectoriality?).

A public conference on complexity, interdisciplinarity and science in society will conclude the day in the national aquaria ‘Oceanopolis’.

Confirmed speakers:
Vladimir de Semir (Spain): Importance of communication in science