A “one-size-fits-all” approach to training doesn’t always live up to its name, especially when it overlooks how culture, identity and race can affect the goals and communication styles of participants. 

In September 2021, Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism partnered with the University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute and Science and Story Lab in a five-year project to build the next generation of science communicators from diverse backgrounds. The project will address the gap in science and communication research and training by delivering training and fellowship opportunities that are inclusive of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and social and political identities. 

Bruno Takahashi, Brandt Endowed Associate Professor of Environmental Communication in the MSU School of Journalism, is co-principal investigator of the project alongside Sunshine Menezes, executive director of the Metcalf Institute. Additional members of the team from the Knight Center include Eric Freedman and Dave Poulson, as well as three graduate students. Supported by a $2.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the project responds to the demand for science communication training that engages diverse communities in conversations about science, combats widespread misinformation, and builds public trust in science. 

“Our goal is to advance science communication through training that recognizes and values diverse cultural perspectives,” Takahashi said. “It’s important that training doesn’t take that ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach we’re accustomed to, but is mindful of the relationship between communication goals, practices, and the intersectional identities of science communicators.” 

To read the full story, visit comartsci.msu.edu