The growing volume of scientific research has left the scientific community struggling to stay abreast of findings in their specialties. It is even more difficult for ordinary citizens to discern the facts relevant to the decisions that they face. These facts could be spread among many research areas, each surrounded by uncertainty and controversy.

 Recent events, such as the pfisteria outbreak in the Chesapeake watershed and the emergence of West Nile virus in the Northeast—not to mention the current terrorism crisis—underline the need for the scientific community to improve its risk communication. This will require better understanding of how individuals absorb and apply technical information.

Without such understanding, scientists who hope to have their research serve public purposes will not achieve their goal. Effective communications can aid individuals in making their own behavioral choices and policymakers working toward the common good.

This mini-symposium discussed the challenge of risk communication and how we, as scientists, can more effectively engage the media, communities, and individuals.