Neurotalk: improving the communication of neuroscience research

Abstract

Neuroscientists face increasing pressure to disseminate results and discuss their implications with the public. Illes and colleagues consider the challenges that they face and make specific recommendations for individuals and institutions to promote this process. There is increasing pressure for neuroscientists to communicate their research and the societal implications of their findings to the public. Communicating science is challenging, and the transformation of communication by digital and interactive media increases the complexity of the challenge. To facilitate dialogue with the public in this new media landscape, we suggest three courses of action for the neuroscience community: a cultural shift that explicitly recognizes and rewards public outreach, the identification and development of neuroscience communication experts, and ongoing empirical research on the public communication of neuroscience.