On July 26 at 4 p.m., Schoodic Institute hosts the inaugural Goldstein Lecture to convene and inspire on critical topics for parks, people, and the planet. A panel of leaders will discuss the topic of “science communication and engagement in a rapidly changing world.” Panelists include Raj Pandya, director of the American Geophysical Union Thriving Earth Exchange; Andrew Revkin, founding director of Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University’s Earth Institute; and Bina Venkataraman, author of The Optimist’s Telescope, Boston Globe editorial page editor, and professor of Science, Technology, and Society at MIT.
In a conversation moderated by science writer Catherine Schmitt, panelists will share their experience and aspirations for communicating science and engaging the public in addressing critical environmental and social issues of our time.
More about the panelists:
Scientist and educator Rajul (Raj) Pandya is the founding director of the American Geophysical Union’s Thriving Earth Exchange, helping volunteer scientists and community leaders work together to apply science to community issues. Raj is a founding member of the board of the Citizen Science Association, former commissioner of Education and Human Resources for the American Meteorological Society, serves on the board for Public Lab, and chairs the National Academies committee on Designing Citizen Science to Support Science Learning.
Journalist and author Andrew Revkin is the founding director of the Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Revkin has written on global environmental change and risk for more than 35 years, mostly for The New York Times. He was the senior reporter for climate change at ProPublica, served as a strategic advisor at the National Geographic Society, was a Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding at Pace University, and has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and Investigative Reporters & Editors Award.
Journalist, author, and policy expert Bina Venkataraman is the Editorial Page Editor of The Boston Globe and a fellow at New America. She formerly served as Senior Advisor for Climate Change Innovation in the Obama White House, as Director of Global Policy Initiatives at The Broad Institute, and as a reporter for The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Since 2011, Venkataraman has taught in the program on science, technology, and society at MIT. She is the author of The Optimist’s Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age.
“The past year has shown the great need for enhanced understanding and engagement in science. The ability to affect change is in the intertwined relationships of us all, and national parks are an ideal space for this collaborative work,” said Schoodic Institute President & CEO Nick Fisichelli.
This event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. Learn more and register.