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Wonderful. As someone that spent a summer communicating science through film, this is wildly eye opening and inspiring

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Thank you! That sounds amazing - any links you can share? Would love to learn more about science comm via film.

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Absolutely. This is currently a student focused project through Into the Greenhouse at CU Boulder where students in the media and arts are brought together with students in the sciences to share their background to create films that communicate issues in climate specifically. https://insidethegreenhouse.org/short-films My personal experience was learning from and working with Freshwaters Illustrated https://www.freshwatersillustrated.org/ who specifically work in visual communication surrounding freshwater ecosystems.

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My daughter recently completed her PhD in nephrology and I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what she does--I’ll see if she’ll take the bait on your proposition (I’m taking it as a proposition that more people doing complex things should tell a story about them).

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I really think more people like hearing about science, but the language we use and the way we share it can create barriers. So I love this, and look forward to hearing how she makes out 😃 (and congrats to her, too!)

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I’ll post it here if she takes me up on it. And thank you: she’s taken after her father and decamped from academia soon after getting the PhD. I’ve certainly found that having to communicate outside the academic bubble nudges you toward clarity.

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You might enjoy this current piece in the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/25/why-storytelling-is-part-of-being-a-good-doctor-all-that-moves-us-jay-wellons

Nice work, Bryn.

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Thanks for sharing Mark! I did enjoy that ☺️

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"Disinformation is everywhere. So in embracing storytelling as a vehicle, I don’t want to add to the general mistrust of science by slapping on a narrative that only tugs at the heart strings, but makes no sense to include...I think authentic storytelling can help science. "

I feel this quote, and really, this whole post. I finally got around to starting a video-making blog to prove that making videos is easier that you think. But is worth it with so much video disinformation out there? Would I accidentally be teaching someone how to make more disinformation? You’re right - using video (or any type of communication) for honest and/or personal storytelling is the only non-soul-crushing way through it.

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Thanks so much, Joe, for reading and commenting. I followed your blog because I'm interested in learning more about video making, but I share your fears. The ease of access and use of current platforms for the micro-video craze stokes that fear, too. I guess I have to remind myself to not focus on the grifters, but on those who want to do better and share authentic, meaningful information. (And not crush my soul in the process!)

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There is so much in this piece that pairs well with what I wrote about how to integrate more science in the English classroom: https://litthinkpodcast.substack.com/p/turn-my-english-classroom-into-a

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Thanks for sharing your work! Looking forward to reading on my coffee break in a bit ☺️

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Ha! 😂

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