Category Archives: science communication

The Republican Brain, the Indian Brain

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

An intriguing talk at a recent conference I attended discussed the Republican Brain. Seems that scientists have been studying how people respond to different scenarios and then measure their responses, both on a written questionnaire and by looking at brain … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, human origin, Indian, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Poetry of Science

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When my kids were little we loved the irreverent storybooks by Jon Scieszka, particularly the Stinky Cheese Man. So I was delighted to discover at Powells, the best-bookstore-ever, that Scieszka and Lane Smith penned a book called Science Verse. The … Continue reading →

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Groupthink

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I do a mini-lecture on Groupthink I unpack the case study from the Cuban Missile crisis. Social psychologist Irving Janis coined the term Groupthink in 1972 to describe what happens when a leader is surrounded by folks who agree … Continue reading →

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New Book on American Indians & Popular Culture

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Our new book on American Indians and popular culture arrives in February, right on the heels of ruminations about how politics and science are fused. Because my work examines how Native American cultural values are treated in mediated discourse within … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, cinema, film, framing, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Can We Engage Indians in Science?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Recently I was asked to give a talk at a conference for serious science writers and bloggers who wondered what it would take to engage more American Indians in science communication. In traditional native circles, science isn’t separated from other … Continue reading →

Posted in ethics, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, social media, writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Science Conversation Bubble

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Over the last few days I’ve been floating in a bubble of conversations about science with some 350 writers, bloggers, teachers and scientists from the US and abroad. We gathered under North Carolina storm clouds to talk about science. What … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, censorship, Kennewick Man, Native Science, science, science communication, social media | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Should Science be Censored?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Few issues are more likely to raise gooseflesh than censorship—a concern shared by scientists and journalists alike. But when is it appropriate to withhold information? Who gets to decide what information is sequestered and from whom? A recent struggle has … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, ethics, risk, science, science communication | 3 Comments

Separating Facts from Values

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

One critic charges that Western Science separates facts from values. The provenance of science is to define the facts, while “politicians and moralists” are left to define values. Problem is, according to Bruno Latour, you cannot distinguish facts from values, … Continue reading →

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Science as Prescription

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The current edition of Newsweek is chock-full of stories that will make you happier and healthier. Or not. The writers have fallen victim to the false reasoning that you can apply scientific results to your own particular case.

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Censoring Science

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When is it appropriate for scientists to withhold information to scientific communities? To lay communities? Such thorny questions brought folks into the arenas of scientific circles recently when the New York Times reported that two prominent publications, Science and Nature, … Continue reading →

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