Latest News from State of the Planet
Meet the Woman Pioneering Sustainable Change in Fashion
Maxine Bédat advocates for improved transparency and sustainability goals within the apparel industry.
Environmental Sustainability and Consumption
The best way to achieve environmental sustainability is to develop a circular economy with services and products that have the least possible impact on the environment. Attacking consumption is futile and a waste of effort.
Army Veteran and Environmental Advocate: A Sustainability Science Student’s Journey to Columbia
Olivia Colton reflects on her experience in the military and how it connects with her education in environmental conservation.
In the Media
NJ earthquake shook local geologists into action, sending them to precarious places
Geologists from Columbia University gather data after NJ earthquake
Ocean Heat Has Shattered Records for More Than a Year. What’s Happening?
For the Media
Media Contacts
Press Resources
Guides and information to help the media connect with our scientists and experts.
Press Releases
Top stories from State of the Planet.
Key Ocean Current Contains a Warning on Climate
A new study shows that a giant current circling Antarctica has speeded up during past warm periods, eating away at the polar ice. It’s doing it again now.
Bottled Water Can Contain Hundreds of Thousands of Previously Uncounted Tiny Plastic Bits, Study Finds
Using a new technique, scientists have been able to identify extremely minute plastic fragments in bottled water, 10 times more than previously counted.
A New 66 Million-Year History of Carbon Dioxide Offers Little Comfort for Today
Scientists have produced a new curve of how atmospheric carbon dioxide affects climate. It makes clear that its effects can be long lasting.
Communicating Science
There are many resources to help scientists and scholars better connect with the press, public, policymakers, and each other. Here are some handy links, including handbooks, toolkits, insights on the relationships between science and the media, and fellowships for scientists who want to hone their communication skills.
More Resources
Guides & Toolkits
- SciComm Toolkits, American Geophysical Union
- A Scientist’s Guide to Working with the Media, American Geophysical Union
- Giving a Science Presentation to Non-Science Audiences, American Geophysical Union
- Communication Toolkit, American Association for Advancement of Science
- Social Media Workshop for Scientists: Extending Your Digital Footprint with Sree Sreenivasan, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science (Slides)
- A Research Communications Toolbox, Boise State University
- Op-ed Writing: Tips and Tricks, The OpEd Project
- Science Editing Handbook, Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT
- Media Training A to Z, TJ Walker
Videos
- Scientists Ordering Breakfast, NPR
- Life After Death by Powerpoint, Don McMillan
- Undergrads Unwittingly Subjected to World’s Worst Research Talk, NanoNerds
- Masters of Storytelling, TED Talks
- Randy Olson, TEDMED Storytelling
- Gavin Schmidt: The Emergent Patterns of Climate Change, TED
Books
- A Scientist's Guide to Talking with the Media, Union of Concerned Scientists
- (Desk Reference)
- If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?, Alan Alda
- Don't Be Such a Scientist, Randy Olson
- Am I Making Myself Clear?: A Scientist's Guide to Talking to the Public, Cornelia Dean
- Explaining Research: How to Reach Key Audiences to Advance Your Work, Dennis Meredith
Articles
- Inside EurekAlert, the News Hub That Shapes the Science You Read, Wired
- Attention, All Scientists: Do Improv, With Alan Alda’s Help, New York Times
- Science Communication Requires Time, Trust, and Twitter, Science
- The Science and Art of Science Writing, New York Times
- Stop Complaining about Your PR Firm. Here’s How the Media Works
- Public Science 2.0—Back to the Future, Science
- Capably Communicating Science, Science
- Outreach: Field Hospitality, Nature
- Why Scientists and Journalists Don't Always Play Well Together, Forbes
- This Is a News Website Article About a Scientific Paper, The Guardian
- Climate Experts Tussle Over Details. Public Gets Whiplash, The New York Times
Fellowships
- Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program, American Geophysical Union
- AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship, American Association for Advancement of Science
- Energy Journalism Fellows, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University