Using Social and Behavioral Science Research to Navigate and Innovate Weather Science Advancements

While meteorological and climatological science are making great advancements in characterizing uncertainty, improving models, and building satellites to better capture earth observations, so too are the technologies surrounding the communication of that science. A once one-way communication system, science communication has become an interactive landscape now dominated by multifaceted communication channels. This poses both challenges and opportunities for our field. Social and behavioral science research and applications can help navigate and innovate the integration of these advancements to ensure we see the full value of both.

This presentation will interactively highlight how SBS research and applications are improving weather communication. Research examples may address questions such as: How can we make probabilities of a hazard meaningful to end users? How do we maintain scientific objectivity with visual credibility when making graphics? How can we utilize multiple communication channels to overcome the “one-size fits all” approach to messaging? And lastly, how can SBS research results innovate earth system prediction development? As weather forecasting improves, so too can the communication of weather events by integrating SBS research into the process.