Category Archives: science communication

What Does Your Theory Look Like?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I think about what I’m grappling with concerning science, Indian ways-of-knowing, and western ways-of-knowing, I imagine a picture. The current metaphor allows me to picture ways-of-knowing as a constellation, like an image of the Milky Way. I imagine a … Continue reading →

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Look under the Light

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I learned a lot from an illustrated storybook I received when living in Iran, called Once the Mullah. The mullah lived in a village with this wife and children, and offered advice to the local denizens. He was sometimes wise … Continue reading →

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Spokes of the Wheel

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Amazing how the spokes of my blog’s metaphorical wheel offer traction for other folks. Today I received an email from a lass who said she recognizes what it feels like to self-silence: she had read my blog on Dana Crowley … Continue reading →

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Poor Sods with a Keyboard

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Journalism practices have changed dramatically since the days I worked as a reporter and today any poor sod with a keyboard can wax moronically just by pushing a button marked “send.” Bile erupted in response to an editorial I wrote … Continue reading →

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Sustainability: the New Buzz Word

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Today the buzz-word is sustainability. The word has caught fire in academic circles with the most recent converts a group of scientists that examines risk. The SRA folks—Society for Risk Analysis—sent an email announcing the 2012 conference will focus on, … Continue reading →

Posted in ethics, risk, science communication | Tagged | 2 Comments

Exploitation and Scientific Discovery

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

One of my graduate students is at the tail-end of her thesis on science communication: a look at how folks talk about a best-selling book in online conversations. She defends her thesis this week. The book, The Immortal Life of … Continue reading →

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The Art and Science of Science

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The new movie Moneyball raises the spectre of science vs. art in filmic detail. My guess is that folks will take from the baseball movie confirmation of the views they had when they entered the theatre. If you are a … Continue reading →

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The Balance Imperative and Native Concerns

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

In journalism classes we teach the balance imperative. Get both sides of the story. But as journalism critics we acknowledge that being balanced doesn’t mean the story always gets told.

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Prairie Voles

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Sense of smell is primal. Sometimes, riding the bus into work, I smell my seat-mates, which is not always pleasant. Sweat, vomit, cigarettes and booze smells waft downwind.

Posted in health, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Flesh-Eating Bacteria

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The film Contagion takes a peek at the CDC folks in Atlanta and shows that they care about one another: it’s the other folks that cause them grief—the feds and the locals. I think they got it right. I was … Continue reading →

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