Scientists’ Experiences With Getting Help Making Strategic Communication Choices
This study explores how scientists receive communication support and make strategic communication decisions. Through interviews with scientists and practitioners, it examines barriers to evidence based risk communication and finds that support often focuses on tactical tasks rather than helping researchers identify goals and develop effective communication strategies.
Subject Tags
- Policy
Abstract
This article uses semi-structured individual and focus group interviews to understand scientists’ experiences receiving communication support with a specific focus on the type of help that can enable evidence-based risk communication decision-making. Using qualitative thematic analysis, it draws on a primary sample of environment-focused scientists alongside additional interviews with practitioners (n = 46) to explore what might lead scientists to obtain help with tasks such as identifying goals and creating evidence-based strategies to achieve those goals. We find that the communication support scientists tend to receive is often limited to tactical-level tasks and that few scientists have had opportunities to work with someone with expertise in helping identify and pursue concrete communication goals.
Citation
Besley, J. C., S. Garlick, and A. B. Gonalez. 2026. “ Scientists’ Experiences With Getting Help Making Strategic Communication Choices.” Risk Analysis 46, no. 7: e70311. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.70311
TNC Authors
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Sarah Garlick
Director of Conservation. New Hampshire
The Nature Conservancy
Email: sarah.garlick@tnc.org