Civic Education About Climate Change: Opinion-Leaders, Communication Infrastructure, and Participatory Culture

Matthew Nisbet is a social scientist who studies strategic communication in policymaking and public affairs, focusing on debates over science, the environment and public health. His keynote address is titled "Climate Shift: Clear Vision for the Next Decade of Public Debate." Nisbet will present the findings of a study of the financial resources, strategies, and communication activities of environmental groups and scientists working to mobilize societal action on climate change and compare them to a comparable study of conservative groups and industry associations that oppose action. A discussion of the implications for universities, as institutions engaged in research, education, and public engagement, will follow. Matthew Nisbet is an associate professor in the School of Communication at the American University in Washington, DC. Part of the Summer Symposium on the Ethical Challenges of Communicating Science within Political Controversies.