On Thursday night, the Center for Communicating Science welcomed award-winning actor, Alan Alda, and world-renown string theorist, Brian Greene, for a conversation titled “Why Communicating Science Matters.” Both Alda and Greene told a telling critique about scientists’ lack of ability to communicate their works and how that is going to change.

Stony Brook is the first university in the nation to have the center. Howard Schneider, dean of the School of Journalism, is the Co-Chair of the Center for Communicating Science.

“Howie came and brought professors from Stony Brook and we talked about whether or not it is possible to somehow teach communicating science, and Howie made that concrete and started the center ,” Alda told the audience.

Alda, among being a director and writer, was the narrator of “Scientific American Frontiers,” a PBS television series, where he utilized his time interviewing the world’s leading scientists.

“We would not be here today, celebrating the opening of Stony Brook’s new Center for Communicating Science without Alan Alda,” Schneider said.  “He was the catalyst and inspiration for getting the center started.”

Alda discovered that many scientists were not able to effectively convey their work to the general public.  So he began with improvisational workshops, where graduate students practiced theatrical games to expand their ability to clarify their works and connect with the audience.

Workshops were eventually developed into courses and innovative training targeting scientists, professionals, students and faculty.  The courses aid in learning to master conversation clearly and present work to the public as well as connecting with the audience. The National Advisory Board for the center consists of acclaimed scientists and experts along with Alda.

According to Schneider, on Saturday, Nov. 6, an all-day workshop will be held at the medical school.  In the spring semester, courses for credit and workshops will be offered every semester on an ongoing basis.

Greene, a scientist,  had difficulty communicating his first time when taping, “The Elegant Universe,” a three hour program adaptation of his book, which aired in 2003 on the PBS series NOVA.  The program won an Emmy Award.  The tips that Alda gave him was to speak from his heart rather than his head.  This eventually boosted Greene to spontaneously describe quantum mechanics without a script.

Greene’s personal reasons for communicating science came from talking to kids and adults in classrooms.

“I spoke with them about some of the big ideas about cosmology and the Big Bang,” Greene said.  “You could see a change happening. You could see the eyes open. You could see a new world become open to them.”

Greene told the audience democracy could not persist if the majority of the general public is  intimidated by scientific ideas, which are important to understand when making major decisions.

“I’m a retired teacher and principal, so after 40 years, this is what you need,” said Liala Strotman, a Stony Brook alumni from Wading River.  “You need it for people to understand their government and mathematics, so I’m hoping that this is something that will grow.”

Strotman heard about the event through her friend and decided to come along.

“I came in with a sense of excitement and openness,” said Melina Carnicelli, a former mayor and retired education administrator.  “To have scientific discussion in the public arena was fascinating to me.”

Monisha Gera, a freshman, heard about the event through her suitemate.

“After coming out, it made me think about science in a new way and made me more interested,” Gera said. “I’m interested in sociology, but I never really thought that taking sociology can help you and communication skills can help you in science.”

The water glass exercise was a preview of one of Alda’s elucidating workshops.  With the assistance of  Schneider, Alda showed that when someone as engaged as Schnieder carries an overfilled glass of water across the stage without spilling, they will be just as captivating as someone who is fascinated with their life’s work.

“People won’t take their eyes off somebody who’s engaged,” said Alda.  “As we discover better ways to teach communication of science then, much of that will apply to any kind of communication.”

Over the summer, Alda taught workshops for authors and writers who wanted to promote their books at bookstores or on the radio.  The techniques used helped them be more effective in their presentation.

“It was really interesting to see that when they came in and did a reading or a poem compared to on the way out when they did it, there was a real difference.   You could actually work on how people present themselves,” Alda said.