Building Trust and Understanding Through Accessible Science Communication

This panel discussion will explore strategies for making science communication more accessible, transparent, and inclusive to foster trust and understanding among diverse audiences. Panelists will share insights on tailoring messages to meet the needs of different communities, breaking down complex concepts without oversimplification, and addressing barriers like misinformation and scientific jargon. The discussion will also highlight the role of empathy, cultural awareness, and collaboration in building meaningful connections between scientists and the public. 

About the Speakers 

Shawneequa Callier, J.D., MA Bioethics, is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has also served as a Special Volunteer at the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health at the National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH for thirteen years. She has nearly two decades of experience analyzing the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of emerging technologies, which includes her time as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Center for Genetic Research Ethics and Law at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine. She works on various projects funded by the US National Institutes of Health that focus on the ELSI of genomics research and data science.

Brian Southwell, Ph.D., is Distinguished Fellow at RTI International where he oversees research to assess risk perceptions, mental models of scientific concepts, and public trust in science and scientists. Southwell also is an adjunct professor of Internal Medicine with Duke University, where he co-founded the Duke Program on Medical Misinformation and is a faculty affiliate with the Duke Initiative for Science and Society. In addition, he is an adjunct associate professor with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and an adjunct faculty member with the University of Delaware. At RTI, Southwell co-leads the All of Us Researcher Academy to improve equity in scholarly publishing for the National Institutes of Health. He is an active participant in efforts to address public understanding of science through peer-reviewed publications as well as public commentary, talks in venues such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, advising for projects such as NOVA Science Studio, and a consensus study for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. His research appears in more than 150 journal articles and chapters and four books, including Measuring Everyday Life: Talking About Research and Why It Matters, a book curated from interviews featured on a public radio show he created and hosts for WNCU 90.7 FM called The Measure of Everyday Life.

Namrata Sengupta, Ph.D., is the associate director for science engagement, policy, and advocacy at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Based in Broad's offices of communications and government relations, she develops and leads programs and community partnerships to advance Broad’s public engagement efforts and organizes strategic thinking and connectivity on matters concerning government relations and public policy across the institute. Sengupta facilitates Broad's relationships with neighboring communities; local, state, and federal government; international delegations; and the general public. She is also responsible for overseeing the Broad Discovery Center and related public outreach and educational efforts.

Outside of Broad, Sengupta serves as an adjunct professor of science communication at Clemson University. She is on the board of directors of two Boston-based nonprofits, Asian Women for Health and The Innovation Trail of Greater Boston, and is one of the Kendall Square Association’s Emerging Leaders. She speaks at various career panels and gives invited lectures on STEM careers and science communication in the higher education community. 

Sengupta holds a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from Clemson University, an M.S. in biotechnology from Bangalore University, and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Calcutta. 

About the Equity in Biomedicine Seminar Series (EBM) 

EBM is an institute-wide interactive meeting that focuses on critical issues related to equity and representation in biomedical research, especially as it applies to genomics research and precision medicine. Speakers dive into the equal or unequal social implications of their work: Who is affected? How are they affected? Why? The overall goal of this series is to foster discussions about equity and inspire Broad scientists and trainees to reflect on the social impact of their own research. Visit our homepage for a full list of previous talks. 

The EBM series is led by Alham Saadat in the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Office. The original organizing committee was led by Mireille Kamariza, and other committee members included Alham Saadat, Namrata Sengupta, Alicia Martin, Patrick Turley, Alex Bloemendal, and Bronwyn MacInnis. For more information about the EBM series or to nominate a future seminar speaker, contact Alham Saadat.