Three Steps to Effective Public Engagement for You

Abstract:

From traditional presentations to TikTok, scientists and science organizations are constantly evolving new ways to inspire curiosity and wonder and, increasingly, communicate information critical to decision-making on serious risks, from coronavirus to climate change.

For many, however, outreach is not our primary role. And whether it is or not, time is our most valuable resource. We don’t want to waste it. So how can we be sure we’re not?

A useful first step is to consciously focus – and periodically re-focus. Assess your unique strengths; set realistic limits; articulate your goal(s); and seek resources, information and advice that will help you become more effective. What are you good at and genuinely enjoy? How much time and effort do you have to spend? What do you hope to achieve? What resources – from books to webinars to mentorships – are available to help you improve?

A second key step is to practice and evaluate. How will you determine whether you are meeting your goal(s)? Here, we describe surveys of the effectiveness of in-person presentations, online presentations, and YouTube videos in achieving the goal of moving participants from the Six Americas of Global Warming categories of Doubtful, Disengaged, and Cautious to Concerned and Alarmed. Results indicate all three methods can be effective, with no statistically significant difference between in-person versus virtual talks, but that both the content of the material and the context in which it is conveyed matter.

This leads to the third and potentially most important step: careful consideration of the content and the context. Bombarding others with unwelcome information, particularly when they perceive it to be in conflict with their values, ideology, or identity, is not only ineffective but can be counter-productive. Even if they are open to it, negative messaging (unless a threat is obviously imminent) is too often downplayed, dismissed, or even denied. Instead, identifying and engaging on shared values within the relevant context of a trusted authority or source - from a community organization to a museum to a formal educational setting - while presenting information that motivates people to move forward (whether to better knowledge, or a more tangible action or reward) is key to ensuring the effectiveness of engagement, particularly on challenging and polarized issues.