I quote Alan Alda a lot! Alda is a cheerleader of the science that is changing our lives and a fan of the people who work at their lab benches.
With no formal scientific training of his own, Alda developed an eagerness for the art of communicating (a background we share). He is passionate about scientific storytelling and almost evangelical in his belief that miscommunication of science and technology can have dire consequences.
Alda’s new book released this month “If I Understand You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?” is another instalment in his life’s work to close the gap between knowledge and opinion. He states “Science and the public have separated so much that many people in the public consider science just another opinion.”
I do still believe Australians love hearing about new technologies and developments, and as a nation we have been successful in acknowledging brilliant people including Australians of the Year – Alan Mackay-Sim, Ian Frazer, Fiona Wood, Sir Gustav Nossal – but communicating science is not just of the few for the few. We need to remember the every day stories, the small steps that science makes before it hits a breakthrough. The people working hard day in day out. At Orangepeel this is our core business. We hear many tales and are privileged to share them. We look forward to sharing more stories with you through our blog and social media….so stay tuned. CG
