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Title: SciComm: No One Expects the Game of Twenty Questions!

Author
item Rottler, Caitlin

Submitted to: Miscellaneous Publishing Information Bulletin
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2017
Publication Date: 4/3/2017
Citation: Rottler, C.M. 2017. SciComm: No One Expects the Game of Twenty Questions!. Miscellaneous Publishing Information Bulletin. Available at: https://www.eccforum.org/scicomm-no-one-expects-game-twenty-questions.

Interpretive Summary: This is a blog article written for the Early Career Climate Forum. They requested I write an article specifically talking about my experiences working directly with producers and other stakeholders, especially with regards to climate change. I have used examples from past jobs as well as my current position as a Climate Hub Fellow to indicate what I feel has been most instrumental in helping me build mutually respectful relationships with stakeholders. This blog post will be public, and most likely read by others on the forum, many of whom have limited experience with stakeholder engagement.

Technical Abstract: Scientific communication requires knowing your audience and understanding how to converse with them in a way that is natural and mutually respectful. This can be especially difficult when talking about controversial subjects such as climate change. However, these topics are often some of the most important to discuss. This blog focuses on a tactic I have found most helpful to foster trust between myself and my audience—asking questions—and gives an example of a particularly memorable conversation between myself and a producer on the topic of climate change.