How can researchers and universities present their findings and engage in public policy discussion in ways that inspire trust? How can we teach ourselves and our students to navigate controversial topics with courage, rigor, and professionalism? This workshop will provide a hands-on approach to answering these questions, focusing on the concept of “the honest broker” (popularized by Roger Pielke Jr.’s 2007 book by the same name). Honest brokers may make policy proposals, but they clearly distinguish their expertise from their personal opinion, and aim to present a menu of facts and options. A recent study (Post & Bienzeisler, 2024, Political Communication 41, 736) found that the honest broker approach increases trust in science and decreases polarization of trust in science, compared to an ‘epistocrat’ approach which blurred science and advocacy.

The workshop, led by Bryan Gentry, Director of Communications at the University of South Carolina, Matthew Burgess, Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Wyoming, and Roger Pielke Jr., Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, will focus on the roles of researchers and university communications professionals. Participants will explore politically charged science communication challenges, based on real examples, reflecting the diversity of political pressures researchers face. Participants will then discuss science communication challenges from their own work and experience, and then work together to devise and practice strategies for navigating these challenges in public writing, news interviews, policy discussions, and other communication settings.

Space is limited for this members-only workshop on September 16 at 1:00-2:30 pm ET — Register today to join the discussion!