(Tuesday, 7/31/2018) 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Room: Room 207
People like to get their learning in the form of stories. If you tell an engaging and compelling story, people will learn something from it and they will retain that knowledge. So that’s what author and scientist Timothy Jorgensen attempts to do in Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation. The book is the story of man’s encounters with radiation, and how mankind has been transformed by the experience. The story is told with an emphasis on the human aspects, and it is told from a health-centric perspective. The goal is to integrate the technological aspects of radiation within the human experience and, thereby, remove some of the mystery and misunderstanding that surrounds radiation. An accessible blend of narrative history and science, Strange Glow describes mankind’s extraordinary, thorny relationship with radiation, including the hard-won lessons of how radiation helps and hinders our health. Jorgensen explores how our knowledge of and experiences with radiation in the last century can lead us to smarter personal decisions about radiation exposures today.
Recognition for Strange Glow:
• Winner, The 2017 Science Communication Award (Best Book), American Institute of Physics
• Winner, The 2017 PROSE Award in History of Science, Medicine & Technology, Association of American Publishers
• The Telegraph (London) book critics' Top 50 Picks for 2016
• Smithsonian Magazine's Top Ten Books About Science of 2016
• Physics World's Top Ten Physics Books of 2016
• Listed Among Outstanding Academic Titles of 2016, American Library Association
In his presentation, Jorgensen will discuss how the current war on science inspired him to write his book, and what he hoped the book would achieve. He’ll explain how the use of stories and mental pictures can assist in conveying technical information to a non-technical audience. He’ll also examine the advantages and pitfalls of scientists speaking directly to the local and national media, and recommend strategies scientists can use to prepare for such encounters.
Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss writing inspirations.
2. Explain how stories and mental pictures can assist in conveying technical information to a non-technical audience.
3. Examine the advantages and pitfalls of scientists speaking directly to the local and national media and recommend strategies scientists can use to prepare for such encounters.
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