Point Of Inquiry

Matt Nisbet is assistant professor in the school of communication at the Ohio State University. He focuses on the intersections between science, media, and politics, tracking how political strategists, scientists, and the news media selectively define science in ways that shape policy decisions, public opinion, and political culture. His writing has appeared in a number of scholarly journals such as the Columbia Journalism Review, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, in addition to magazines such as The American Prospect. He also writes a regular web column for Skeptical Inquirer on science and the media. In this interview with DJ Grothe, Matt discusses ways he says the scientific community should reframe discussions about controversial science and its implications for the public. Also in this episode CFI summer intern Colin Koproske, from the University of Southern California, shares his views about the importance of scientific literacy.