Category Archives: science communication

Why beliefs matter with climate change

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I wish I knew more about climate change. Problem is I’m occupied with discourse—the stories we grab from headlines, television and Twitter. How do we (I mean discourse) talk about climate change? What occurs in my circles is the sheer … Continue reading →

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Name your demon

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I heard a comic declare, “no good story ever began with the phrase I was eating a salad.” My story begins in the bathroom, not at the dinner table. I was lounging in a hot bath and catching up on … Continue reading →

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The problem with science communication

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The problem with science communication is that its essence is tethered to the premise that people are rational and want to make rational choices. In fact, our communication is based on the premise that if you provide people with the … Continue reading →

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Science as a verb

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I looked into how the news stories were framed over the Havasupai case, I learned that science is used as a verb. Sciencing—an ersatz verb—means to science, I argue. Here’s an example: in the Havasupai case, the Indians of … Continue reading →

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But is it science?

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The movement among scholars of science communication—non-Indian and Indians alike—has been to elevate Native science to the same level as Western science. Like Laurie Anderson’s song, typically science is considered Big Science. Science with a capital S. Native science, on … Continue reading →

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Yes, but is it significant?

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Whenever you write a grant or ask for a promotion in an academic setting, you’re required to justify the significance of your research. Problem is, most of us are so embroiled in our work that we don’t question it: we … Continue reading →

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Something about Jersey

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When we travel my husband and I like to pick out the accents and guess homelands of strangers. We can ferret out Dutch in a snap (we’ve both spent time in Holland) and Brits and Aussies are easy to identify. … Continue reading →

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Clearspeak

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Most folks shake their heads and slowly walk away when I begin complaining about poor writing. Folks agree, but shrug their shoulders. Not worth their time. My Old School ways are woven through my core, thanks to feisty newsmen and … Continue reading →

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When headlines lie

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The mainstream headlines are disquieting: Britain’s Telegraph: Seals helped Europeans wipe out Native Americans eScience: Sea lions, not Columbus, may be to blame for many Native American tuberculosis deaths Yahoo News: Seals not Columbus brought TB to Americas Examiner.com Seals, … Continue reading →

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Indigenous voices needed

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

One effect of increased interest in climate change is that many scientists and policy-makers want to hear from indigenous peoples. While native folk have been delegitimized historically as unscientific and irrational, today’s movers-and-shakers welcome hearing indigenous voices. One compelling reason … Continue reading →

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