Communicating Climate Science w/ Josh Willis (NASA)

About this episode

Talia Sherman interviews Josh Willis from NASA about the challenges of communicating climate science and the implications of language in understanding global warming.

A defining quirk of fields like English, Linguistics, Comparative Literature, etc is that the the objects of study mirror the medium through which the objects of study are explicated. Literary scholars produce literature to explain literature. We explain language through language, not always the same language, but a linguistic medium matches a linguistic medium nonetheless. Climate change is not the same as language, not at all. So why is it that we make sense of our climate through language? Josh Willis, a Principle Research Scientist at NASA joins Tomayto Tomahto to discuss the communications war of global warming (or is it climate change?). We discuss why the explanatory language of global warming can be exclusionary or inaccessible and weigh the benefits of using plain-er language. Ultimately, it’s on hegemonic systems and power structures, not individuals, to reduce our global emissions, so why is it that individuals feel such pressure to make consequentially sustainable consumer choices? Josh Willis studies ocean warming and rising sea levels at NASA. He also teaches improv. His research profile can be found here Frank Luntz Jihad vs. McWorld

People in this episode

Host: Talia Sherman

Guest: Josh Willis

Topics covered

• climate science
• communication
• global warming
• language accessibility
• ocean warming
• sustainability

Keywords

• climate change
• communication
• language
• sustainability
• ocean warming
• sea levels
• improv

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA

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