Please mark your calendars for our Keynote Vision Science Research Seminar Series (VSRSS) lecture, which will take place April 22nd, in OPT 1129, at 3:30 pm. Carla Fehr will present a lecture entitled, "Trust Me, I’m a Scientist: Scientists and Their Interactions With the Public".
Presenter
Carla FehrCarla Fehr, BSc, PhD
Associate Professor and Wolfe Chair in Science and Technology, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo.
Abstract
One of the most frustrating experiences for a scientific expert is to have their expert advice disregarded. One need only think of the doctor faced with a parent who refuses to have their child vaccinated, or the biologist faced with politicians who want creationism taught in schools, or the climate scientist faced with climate change deniers, to see how often expert advice gets ignored. Much of the time those who ignore this advice get called ignorant. Research in the public understanding of science shows that in many cases rather than being ignorant, it is perfectly rational for members of the general public to distrust and hence discount expert advice. In this talk I will explore ways that scientific experts can cultivate the trust and credibility that will help them do their job.
