Preface: Special Session SpS14 Communicating Astronomy with the Public for Scientists

Extract

Astronomers “have a responsibility to communicate their results and efforts with the public for the benefit of all”, especially since most are publically funded. The importance of science communication has never been greater nor have the opportunities for communication of science to the public been larger. While astronomers are highly trained in carrying out scientific research, in general they are poorly equipped to communicate the excitement and results of their research to a broader audience. Generally, they do not have information about the various opportunities for communicating astronomy nor on the resources to help them and support them in communicating astronomy.