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Don't Be Such a Scientist

Talking Substance in an Age of Style

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

Authors:
  1. Randy Olson

    1. Malibu, USA

    View author publications

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  • A timely guide to speaking out for science in an era of attacks and denial
  • Author has a unique and witty voice and storytelling style
  • Author has become a successful speaker and consultant on science communication
  • Second edition is updated to include author's insights on current events, including 2017 March for Science

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction to the Second Edition

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 1-18

  3. Don’t Be So Cerebral

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 19-51

  4. Don’t Be So Literal-Minded

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 53-87

  5. Don’t Be Such a Poor Storyteller

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 89-126

  6. Don’t Be So Unlikeable

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 127-156

  7. Don’t Be Such a Poor Listener

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 157-180

  8. Be the Voice of Science!

    • Randy Olson
    Pages 181-212

  9. Back Matter

    Pages 213-234
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Keywords

About this book

When Randy Olson first described his life-changing encounter with an acting teacher in Don’t Be Such a Scientist, it seemed like the world of science was on the cusp of gaining new respect in the public eye. Through his writing, speaking, and films, Olson challenged scientists to toss out jargon in favor of a more human approach, bringing Hollywood lessons to the scientific community. Yet today, in everything from government funding cuts to climate change denial, science is under attack. And while communicating science is more crucial than ever, the scientific community still struggles to connect with everyday people.
The time is right for a new edition of Olson’s revolutionary work. In Don’t Be Such a Scientist, Second Edition, Olson renews his call for communication that stays true to the facts while tapping into something more primordial, more irrational, and ultimately more human. In more than 50 pages of new material, Olson brings his pioneering messageto this new age, providing tools for speaking out in anti-science era and squaring off against members of the scientific establishment who resist needed change.
Don’t Be Such a Scientist, Second Edition is a cutting and irreverent manual to making your voice heard in an age of attacks on science. Invaluable for anyone looking to break out of the boxes of academia or research, Olson’s writing will inspire readers to “make science human”—and to enjoy the ride along the way.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Malibu, USA

    Randy Olson

About the author

Randy Olson earned his Ph.D. at Harvard University and became a professor of marine biology before moving to Hollywood for his second career as a filmmaker. Since obtaining an M.F.A. from the University of Southern California School of Cinema, he has written and directed the critically acclaimed films Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus (Tribeca, '06, Showtime) and Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy (Outfest, '08), and co-founded The Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Project, a partnership between scientists and Hollywood to communicate the crisis facing our oceans.

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