Communication - Townsend Huguley

In the TED talk given by Melissa Marshall, she compares communication and interactions with scientists to feeling like Alice in Wonderland, entering a new and unfamiliar world. The “wonderland” Marshall speaks of, is filled with amazing ideas from people in the science world, which no one knows of. She explains that great communication from scientists and engineers is key to the future of our world. Marshall reminds us that if we can’t understand the language of scientists, it would be basically impossible to tackle the great challenges our world faces, such as energy, environment and healthcare. Marshall keys us in on the fact that scientists and engineers must invite us in, using interactions that are filled with understanding.

I have never been a science person. I don’t like it, I don’t understand it and I especially don’t get why I need to be taking chemistry and physics as a part of my graphic communications curriculum. However, as I stated earlier, without understanding scientific information, it would be hard to overcome many obstacles. As a graphic communications major, I am constantly learning the best ways to make a product appealing to the consumer. Especially in the past few years, environmental health and sustainability has become a huge part of most people’s lives. It is important for me to know how the science behind saving energy and conserving the environment works in order to clearly relay it to consumers. Without the clear, understandable communication of scientists, I probably would not be able to easily convey such messages in my own communications. I completely agree with Marshall on the idea of entering into a “wonderland” when learning about science, as long as it is in a way that is easy to understand. Communication between science and really any other area of work is key to keeping the world spinning!