3.00 Credits
(Prereq: Junior or higher standing) The purpose of this course is to increase students knowledge and awareness of the challenges and practices involved in communicating science. Special attention is paid to communication practices and channels related to the general populace and how the lay person understands, interprets, criticizes, and applies science and scientific messages to his or her own life. This course will bridge the science and communication disciplines to explore how humans communicate science, examine the problems in communicating science to diverse populations, and analyze the difficulty of crafting science communication messages. The course explores the development of science as a perspective to understanding our world. Students will evaluate science communication messages, science communication campaigns, and case studies. Students will also translate science information into science communication designed for the general public and create original science communication messages.