The 5th Kavli Symposium will address Science Journalism and Politics. It will explore the intricate relationships between science journalism and government decision-making – ranging from health and environmental issues to investment in basic science. It will examine if and how science journalism serves to inform decision-making processes and public opinion, and whether it can more effectively be a check on how these policies are formulated. We will also focus on the relationship between science news and politics, with special attention to the connections between the science desk and the political desk in the newsroom. This is a nonpartisan and non-political event and all sessions will be designed with the view of stimulating thinking to deliver cutting-edge ideas for the benefit of the field as a whole.
THE PROGRAM
Monday Evening, 18th February 2019
- 17:00 — Informal Cocktail (Melrose Hotel)
- 18:30 — DINNER
- 19:30
- Welcoming remarks (Christophe Bourillon, Executive Director, WFSJ)
- Introduction of participants (self-presentation – 30 secs each)
- Evening Keynote (Dan Diamond, Politico) (25 mins)
- Q&A (20 mins)
Tuesday, 19th February 2019
- 07:30 — BREAKFAST
- 08:15 — Shuttle bus to NAS
- 08:30
- Preview of the day ahead
- Curtis Brainard (Managing Editor, Scientific American)
- 08:45 — SESSION 1 — NAVIGATING UNFAMILIAR WATERS: POLICY COVERAGE AT SCIENCE NEWS OUTLETS
- Moderator: Nancy Shute (Editor in Chief, Science News)
- Speakers on Panel:
- David Malakoff (Deputy News Editor, Science)
- Josh Fischman (Senior Editor, Scientific American)
- Lauren Morello (Americas Bureau Chief, Nature)
- Q&A (20 mins)
- 10:00 — COFFEE BREAK
- 10:30 — SESSION 2 — HOW TO PLAY BIG WHEN YOU’RE THE SMALL FISH: SCIENCE AND POLICY COVERAGE IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA
- Moderator: Rick Weiss (Director, SciLine)
- Speakers on Panel:
- Juliet Eilperin (Senior National Affairs Correspondent, The Washington Post)
- Dan Vergano (Science Correspondent, Buzzfeed News)
- Pallab Ghosh (Science Correspondent, BBC News)
- Q&A (20 mins)
- 12:00 — LUNCH BUFFET
- 13:30 — SESSION 3 — INFORMING POLICY — IS THERE A PLACE AT THE TABLE FOR SCIENCE JOURNALISTS?
- Moderator: Milica Momcilovic (Science Journalist and Radio and Television anchor)
- Speakers on Panel:
- Laura MacCleery (Policy Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest)
- Shirley Malcom (Director, Education and Human Resources Programs, AAAS)
- Kei Koizumi (Visiting Scholar in Science Policy, AAAS)
- Q&A (20 mins)
- 14:45 — COFFEE BREAK
- 15:00 — REVIEW of KS4 DATA JOURNALISM PAIRING PROJECT: Brant Houston and Anne-Marie Legault (20 mins)
- 15:20 — BREAKOUT SESSION 1
- 17:00 — BREAK
- 17:15 — Shuttlebus to Melrose Hotel
- 18:00 — DINNER BUFFET
Wednesday, 20th February 2019
- 07:30 — BREAKFAST (review goals for breakout session 2)
- 08:15 — Shuttle bus to NAS
- 08:30 — RECAP: Summary from previous day’s breakout session (key points) and setting expectations for the next breakout sessions.
- 09:00 — SESSION 4 — REPORTING BEYOND ‘JUST THE FACTS’: POLICY AND PUBLIC OPINION
- Moderator: Laura Helmuth (Health, Science and Environment Editor, The Washington Post)
- Speakers on Panel:
- Cary Funk (Director of Science and Society Research, Pew Research Center)
- Max Boykoff (Director, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research)
- Q&A (20 mins)
- 11:30 — LUNCH BUFFET
- 12:00 — BREAKOUT SESSION 2
- 13:00 — PLENARY DISCUSSION
- 14:00 — CLOSURE
Accommodations at:
Melrose Georgetown Hotel
2430 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
Symposium sessions at:
Room NAS 120 at The National Academy of Sciences
2101 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20418
