252278 Communicating Environmental and Human Health Science: Implications & Considerations of Video Engagement

Monday, October 31, 2011

Julie Hollenbeck, MA , OHHC / NIOSH Occupational Research Group, University of Miami, Key Biscayne, FL
Reinaldo Trujillo Jr. , Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Key Biscayne, FL
Kate Nierenberg, MS , Mote Marine Laboratory, Environmental Health Program, Sarasota, FL
Barbara Kirkpatrick, EdD, RRT , Mote Marine Laboratory, Environmental Health Program, Sarasota, FL
Mark Newbill, Student , UM Rsmas Ohhc, University of Miami, Key Biscayne, FL
Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD , European Centre for Environment and Human Health (PCMD) and Univesity of Miami OHH Center and NIOSH Research Group, Miami, FL
Issues: Communicating science to the public, clearly and effectively, is challenging. It requires an understanding of science and the scientific process, as well as the ability to convey that research to the scientific community, students, policy makers, and the public, in an understandable manner. Now consider how difficult it is to communicate a complex scientific topic that is also a potential threat to human and animal health, and rife with controversy, and political and economic implications. Potential outcomes could produce public fear or worse, apathy.

Description: This is the intrinsic difficulty in harmful algal bloom (HAB) outreach; considerations we took into account in the creation of two outreach videos on the human health aspect of two harmful algal blooms.

Lessons Learned: We will briefly describe the video/film production process, discuss lessons learned, demonstrate useful techniques for effective public engagement through video/film, identify video/film production guidelines, and discuss free, publicly available or leveraged resources researchers can use to minimize video/film production costs.

Recommendations: The information provided will be helpful for researchers, students and public health professionals interested in utilizing video/film as a tool for student, researcher, policy maker and/or public engagement/outreach.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics

Learning Objectives:
Discuss communicating complex scientific topic that are also potential threats to human and animal health and rife with controversy, and political and economic implications Describe the lessons learned of using video/film as an engagement tool Identify a few guidelines researchers can use if they are interested in utilizing video/film as a medium for outreach Demonstrate useful techniques for effective public engagement through video/film Explain the video/film production process Identify free, publicly available resources to obtain video content, and outlets for outreach/engagement videos/film Discuss leveraging institutional and collaborative resources in the creation of outreach/engagement videos/films

Keywords: Communication, Environmental Exposures

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the research and prepared the products
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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