The vital role of communication in meteorology has been recognized since the issuance of the very first weather forecasts, but only recently has the scientific study of communication been integrated with the study of weather and climate. Furthermore, the methods for communicating weather and climate information have proliferated: from dissemination almost exclusively through television, radio, and print just 15-20 years ago, to the ability—and the expectation—to access detailed forecasts and high-resolution radar data in the palm of one’s hand today. The panelists in this session will summarize the many methods and perspectives for studying communication in this context —including mass communication of emergency information, risk communication, organizational communication, and so on—and how observations are crucial to advancing understanding.
Gina M. Eosco, Eastern Reseach Group, Arlington, VA
Jennifer Henderson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Science and Technology Studies, Blacksburg, VA; Rachel Hogan Carr, Nurture Nature Center, Easton, PA; Susan Joslyn, University of Washington, Psychology, Seattle, WA; Brenda J. Philips, Univ. of Massachusetts, Electrical & Computer Engineering/Resource Economics, Amherst, MA; Kate Starbird, University of Washington, Seattle, WA and Ed Maibach, George Mason University, Center for Climate Change Communication, Fairfax, VA
(Joint between the Special Symposium on Individual, Social, and Cultural Observations in Weather and Climate Contexts; the 12th Symposium on Societal Applications: Policy, Research and Practice; and the Fifth Symposium on Building a Weather-Ready Nation: Enhancing Our Nation’s Readiness, Responsiveness, and Resilience to High Impact Weather Events )