The Communicating Complexity symposium, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will take place via Zoom on Nov. 16, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST. This event will make a deeper dive into the themes and issues raised during the SciComm 2022 panel of the same name, bringing together scientists, artists, and humanists to consider how and why we should develop science communication strategies that acknowledge, clarify, and contextualize complexity rather than trying to “overcome” it. Symposium speakers will address such questions as:
• Does communicating complexity necessarily mean including more technical detail?
• Are there alternative views of complexity we can utilize to communicate more effectively about problems like climate change?
• How can we help non-scientists understand the role uncertainty plays in the scientific process, and the difference between evolving knowledge and “settled science”?
• How can we challenge and/or reconcile long-cherished scientific ideals of “objectivity” and “parsimony” with greater appreciation for complexity in science?

Confirmed speakers include:
• Bradley Allf, Ph.D. Candidate & NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
• Wendy Bohon, Earthquake Geologist and Founder, Dr. Wendy Rocks
• Disan Davis, Research Associate for STEM PUSH Network, Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh
• Mariah Gladstone, Founder, Indigikitchen
• Ramesh Laungani, Chair of Science, Poly Prep County Day School
• Scott Prinster, Historian of Science and Public Education Consultant