I'm Kara Rogers, another of this year's NASW travel fellows and a newbie to the SW conference scene. As a science writer and editor devoted to clear and accurate science reporting, I'm interested in hearing some insider perspectives on the future of science literacy and journalism. Saturday, I'll be tuning into "Civics of Science: Literacy and the Collapse of Science Journalism," a discussion led by Carolyn L. Funk, Jon Miller, Chris Mooney, and NASW's own Nancy Shute.
At the center of Saturday's discussion is the current state of crisis in science literacy and journalism—a weighty topic for aspiring science writers and a relevant one for those who have spent the greater part of their careers in the trenches of science journalism.
Has science literacy been dragged down by magazines and television? Will science literacy sink or swim in a world dominated by social media? These questions and more will be fielded by Saturday's intrepid Civics-in-Science speakers.
A little about myself: I'm the senior editor of biomedical sciences at Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., in Chicago. I am also a freelance science writer and a contributor on the Britannica Blog, where I run a series called Science Up Front. Prior to moving to Chicago, I completed a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Arizona, where I also had the opportunity to freelance for the university's news service, covering a wide range of topics in science.
