The MIT Press, Technology Review, and Knowledge Futures Group present a conference on the art and practice of science communication.

There is widespread concern today that the gap between scientific and public understanding on issues such as climate change, GMOs, and vaccine safety may be growing, and ample recent evidence that lies, unfortunately, spread faster than truths.

At #SpreadingFacts, you’ll join experts in the practice and art of science communication and journalism for a day focused on understanding and maximizing the public trust in — and impact of — evidence-based research. Advances in science and technology are, after all, our strongest ammunition in facing urgent global challenges, and effective public communication a critical ingredient in ensuring and amplifying research impact.

Co-hosts: Amy Brand, Director, The MIT Press and Co-founder, The Knowledge Futures Group; Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, MIT Technology Review; Gideon Lichfield, Editor in Chief, MIT Technology Review

Keynote: Marcia McNutt, President, National Academy of Sciences

Speakers include:

• Paula S. Apsell, Senior Executive Producer Emerita NOVA
• Deborah Blum, Director, Knight Science Journalism Program, MIT
• Chris Bourg, Director, MIT Libraries
• Dianna Cowern, Creator, Physics Girl
• Beth Daley, Editor and General Manager, The Conversation US
• Mariette DiChristina, Dean, Boston University College of Communication
• Cathy Drennan, Professor of Chemistry and Biology, MIT
• Arielle Duhaime-Ross, Host, Reset (A podcast from Recode by Vox)
• Linda Henry, Managing Director, Boston Globe Media Partners
• Carolyn Johnson, Science Reporter, The Washington Post
• Clifford Johnson, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California
• David Kaiser, Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science, and Professor of Physics, MIT
• Imran Khan, Head of Public Engagement, Wellcome
• Thomas Levenson, Professor of Science Writing, MIT
• Sunshine Menezes, Executive Director, Metcalf Institute and Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Communication, Metcalf Institute, University of Rhode Island
• Seth Mnookin, Director, Graduate Program in Science Writing, MIT
• Christine O’Connell, Executive Director, Riley's Way Foundation
• Ainissa Ramirez, Scientist and Author of The Alchemy of Us
• John Randell, John E. Bryson Director of Science, Engineering, and Technology Programs, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Daniel M. Russell, Senior Research Scientist, Search Quality and User Happiness, Google
• David Rotman, Editor at Large, MIT Technology Review
• Grant Sanderson, Creator, 3Blue1Brown
• Sanjay Sarma, Vice President for Open Learning, MIT
• Arvind Satyanarayan, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, MIT
• Charles Seife, Professor, New York University
• Gabe Stein, Product Lead, PubPub
• Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
• Rick Weiss, Director, SciLine
• Ethan Zuckerman, Director, Center for Civic Media, MIT