The COVID-19 pandemic has increased – but also polarised – trust in science

Research by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, UK, along with colleagues at Universities of Oxford and Aberdeen, finds that trust in scientists has hugely increased overall since the COVID-19 pandemic, but that attitudes have also become more polarized. The study also found that people were more likely to take the COVID-19 vaccine if their trust in the science had increased.

Study Finds Lack of Diversity in Stock Photography Sites, Challenging Health Outreach Efforts

A new study finds that the majority of images related to health topics on stock photography sites are of light-skinned people within a fairly narrow age range, making it more difficult – and expensive – for organizations to create health education materials aimed at reaching other groups.

Call for Nominations – Acoustical Society of America Science Communication Awards

The Acoustical Society of America offers Science Communication Awards in Acoustics to recognize excellence in the communication of acoustics-related topics to a popular audience. The 2023 award cycle will accept content created between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2022; if you have seen, heard, or created something acoustics-related during this time frame, please nominate it! Each nominated entry will be judged according to its general accessibility, relevance to acoustics, accuracy, and quality. Nominations will be accepted until March 15, 2023.

Department of Energy and The Kavli Foundation Announce Communicating the Future: Engaging the Public in Basic Science conference

To advance effective public communication of basic science, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and The Kavli Foundation’s Science Public Engagement Partnership (SciPEP) will host a virtual conference on why and how scientists and science communicators connect with the broader public around discovery science.

CUR Engineering Division Announces 2021 Mentoring Awardees, Student Video Competition Winners

The Engineering Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research announces the 2021 recipients of its Mentoring Awards and winners of its Student Video Competition.

Nominations Still Accepted for 2021 Andrew Gemant Award

The American Institute of Physics is still accepting nominations for the 2021 Andrew Gemant Award. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2021. The Gemant Award is presented every year and recognizes the accomplishments of a person who has made significant contributions to the cultural, artistic, or humanistic dimension of physics. Self-nominations are permitted, and nominations of women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and scientists from outside the United States are encouraged.

What Makes COVID Misinformation So Tough to Stop on Social Media

A recent study highlights two of the reasons that misinformation about COVID-19 is so difficult to tackle on social media: most people think they’re above average at spotting misinformation; and misinformation often triggers negative emotions that resonate with people.

American Institute of Physics Announces 2020 Science Communication Award Winners

The American Institute of Physics recognizes the winners of the 2020 Science Communication Awards for their topical works on reshaping our world, recognizing forgotten women in science, searching for knowledge, and hunting down black holes. The 2020 winners are Susan Hockfield, Joshua Sokol, Curtis Manley, and Catalyst.

Healthy skepticism: People may be wary of health articles on crowdsourced sites

People may be skeptical about medical and health articles they encounter on crowdsourced websites, such as Wikipedia and Wikihealth, according to researchers. While that may be good news for health officials who are worried that these sites allow non-experts to easily add and edit health information, the researchers added that having medical professionals curate content on those sites may not reduce the skepticism.

CUR’s First Virtual National Conference on Undergraduate Research Will Highlight Student Projects from across the Globe

On April 12-14, 2021, students from colleges and universities from around the world will participate in the 2021 virtual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), coming together online to share their research in all academic disciplines.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Communicating About COVID-19 Vaccine

New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 17, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for interviews on how to communicate with the public about a potential COVID-19 vaccine. “For a COVID-19 vaccine to be embraced by the public, officials can’t…

Last Call for Entries: AIP’s 2020 Science Communication Awards

The American Institute of Physics is accepting nominations for the 2020 AIP Science Communication Awards through March 31, 2020. Four awards will be given for the best science writing in books; magazine, newspaper or online articles; children’s books and other works intended for children; and broadcast and online. Works should be intended for a general audience and will be judged on their ability to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of physics and related fields.

Call for Entries: Awards for Science Writing

The American Institute of Physics is accepting submissions for the 2020 AIP Science Communication Awards. The awards were established in 1968 to recognize the best examples of science writing in the previous year. Entries should be intended for a general audience and will be judged on their ability to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of physics and related fields. The four categories are books; magazine, newspaper or online articles; writing for children; and broadcast and new media productions. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2020.

Paul Ginsparg Named Winner of the 2020 AIP Karl Compton Medal

The American Institute of Physics is pleased to announce Paul Ginsparg, a professor at Cornell University and founder of arXiv, as the winner of AIP’s 2020 Karl Taylor Compton Medal for Leadership in Physics. Named after prominent physicist Karl Taylor Compton, the medal is presented by AIP every four years to highly distinguished physicists like Ginsparg who have made outstanding contributions through exceptional statesmanship in physics.

The American Institute of Physics Announces 2019 Science Communication Award Winners

The winners of the 2019 AIP Science Communication Awards are announced for their topical works on robotics inspired by animals, the nature of the universe, climate change, the awe and excitement of space, and the mystery of black holes. The winners are David L. Hu, Marcia Bartusiak, Nathaniel Rich, Raman Prinja, and Rushmore DeNooyer.