A JOURNALIST’S TAKE ON REPORTING ON CONTENTIOUS SUBJECTS (Invited Presentation)

Some of today’s newsiest topics can provoke heated discussions, and, sometimes, frantic -- perhaps panicked -- questions. What’s the best way to get the best knowledge out to the public in the era of social media? Rong-Gong Lin II, a reporter at the Los Angeles Times who has written about earthquakes, public health, weather and other natural disasters, offers one take on how he communicates about contentious topics, and the public’s hunger for more interaction with scientists. Sometimes, something left unsaid by scientists -- because it’s so commonly known among the experts -- is something of great concern by readers.