October 1st, 2012 - September 30th, 2014 | PROJECT
This Pathways project responds to the high level of public skepticism about climate change science despite strong scientific consensus. In 2010, two George Mason University / Yale University polls became headline news in mainstream media (such as the NY Times and NPR) when they reported that 50% or more of our broadcast meteorologists and TV news directors are skeptical about global climate science. A full 30% of TV broadcast meteorologists, who are largely untrained in disciplines other than meteorology and weather forecasting, denounce anthropogenic global warming (AGW) as a hoax or a scam. Such polls strongly suggest that the general public trusts media statements over scientific facts, despite position statements acknowledging dominantly human responsibility for global warming in the past 50 years from nearly every U.S. professional society dealing with Earth sciences. Climate literacy in citizens and policy makers is essential for advancing responsible public policy on energy legislation, carbon emission reductions, and other climate change issues, and TV broadcast meteorologists have great potential for enhancing that literacy.
Project Website(s)
(no project website provided)
Project Products
Team Members
Lisa Doner, Principal Investigator, Plymouth State UniversityMary Ann McGarry, Co-Principal Investigator, Plymouth State University
P. Thompson Davis, Principal Investigator, Bentley University
David Szymanski, Co-Principal Investigator, Bentley University
Helen Meldrum, Co-Principal Investigator, Bentley University
Rick Oches, Co-Principal Investigator, Bentley University
Melanie Perello, Contributor, Plymoth State University
Funders
Funding Source: NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 1222752
Funding Amount: $106,192
Funding Program: AISL
Award Number: 1222521
Funding Amount: $143,774
Tags
Audience: Educators | Teachers | General Public | Scientists | Undergraduate | Graduate Students
Discipline: Climate | Education and learning science | Life science | Nature of science | Social science and psychology
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Broadcast Media | Community Outreach Programs | Higher Education Programs | Informal | Formal Connections | Media and Technology | Professional Development | Conferences | Networks | Professional Development and Workshops | Public Programs