Scientists are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to advance their research, and now experts at Stony Brook University are studying how AI could transform the way we communicate about science itself. I am.
Laura Lindenfeld, Dean of the School of Communication and Journalism (SoCJ) and Executive Director of the Alda Center for Communication Sciences, and Matthew Salzano, IDEA Fellow in Ethical AI at SoCJ, recently announced that Featured on the podcast. We investigated the relationship between AI, science, and communication.
This episode, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, examines how artificial intelligence is changing the way scientific information is shared. Lindenfeld and Salzano, along with host Anders Bjers, recipient of a Swedish-American Foundation Bicentennial Travel Grant, discuss how the Alda Center is addressing various aspects of AI and its impact on the scientific community. We discussed what was going on.
The Alda Center uses innovative techniques such as improvisational theater to help scientists and other STEM professionals communicate their research in clear and engaging ways. “We start with the premise that connection is key,” Lindenfeld explains. “We start with interpersonal communication. But this can also be translated into writing, using media, always imagining what your audience is thinking and feeling, and communicating in ways that are important to them. I can relate to the audience.”
Salzano connects the basic principles of improvisation taught at the Alda Center, such as always building on a partner’s suggestion with a “yes, and” principle, to the way science communicators approach AI. “What ‘Yes, And’ does, what improv does, is much more affirming. It says, ‘Okay, I’m an audience member who actually wants to work with me… “I’m going to believe, and I’m going to figure out a way that we can adapt to each other to do something exciting and form a communication environment that’s really helpful and viable,” Salzano says. “In fact, that’s what we’re doing with our AI tools as well. We’re trying to adapt to them and find ways to proactively move forward, not just the necessary defenses against them.”
Lindenfeld and Salzano express both optimism and caution about the future of AI in science communication. They highlight the need for training programs, ethical guidelines, and collaboration between scientists and communicators to ensure the responsible and effective use of AI.
The podcast episode highlights that while AI brings both opportunities and challenges to science communication, the Alda Center’s values of connection, empathy, and ethics provide a strong foundation for navigating this new landscape . This podcast episode serves as a starting point for future collaborations and exchanges between Stony Brook University and the Swedish Research Council on the evolving landscape of science communication in the age of artificial intelligence.
To listen to full podcast episodes, visit Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
