Author: Jordan Gaal

  • Building trust from the beginning: Communicating new food technologies

    Building trust from the beginning: Communicating new food technologies

    Probiotics, hemp, upcycling – we’re witnessing a food tech boom. Developing a useful and profitable technology is the foundation for the future of food. But any new technology needs consumer buy-in to become widespread and viable. Effective and transparent communication can help people feel more comfortable with new food technology and allow start-ups to expand […]

  • Segmented science communication audiences for more effective messages

    Segmented science communication audiences for more effective messages

    An important step in crafting an effective science-related message is knowing your audience. Research in different countries has revealed distinct groups of people with differing attitudes towards science. John Besley from Michigan State University used survey data to determine six audiences for science communication in the United States. Besley used demographic and ideology information to […]

  • Choice and transparency drive increased support for GMOs after mandatory labeling

    Choice and transparency drive increased support for GMOs after mandatory labeling

    Consumer support for GMOs increased in Vermont after GMO labels appeared A recent study in Science Advances out of the University of Vermon and Purdue University demonstrated that the when GMO labeling appeared in Vermont it actually increased support of genetically engineered food. Many scientists and experts opposed mandatory GMO labeling for fear that support […]

  • Four ways to generate social engagement with science: A case study in space

    Four ways to generate social engagement with science: A case study in space

    To social engagement infinity and beyond! There are several challenges to social media communication, including limited space for copy and volatile conversations (see The “Nasty Effect”, a study out of UW-Madison about online incivility). Organizations that communicate science topics face an additional challenge: complex (and sometimes dry) information. In a paper from the Journal of […]

  • Five takeaways from the AFA Food Institute

    Five takeaways from the AFA Food Institute

    How do you pack a month of food industry exposure into just three days? Attend the Agriculture Future of America’s Food Institute. Tours, sensory testing, food banking, production, supply chain, and sustainability were just a few of the topics addressed during the last three days. Thanks to McDonald’s for hosting us at Hamburger University outside […]

  • Communicating disgust can lead to lower risk perception

    Communicating disgust can lead to lower risk perception

    There’s scientific consensus, the data exists, peer reviewed even, and there is absolutely no reason anyone should think otherwise. Despite this, nothing you say can convince some people otherwise. They’re fired-up, angry, emotional. They don’t believe the science. Does this sound familiar? For any scientist or science communicator, it should. If it doesn’t, it’s time […]

  • Food and agriculture’s silent majority

    Food and agriculture’s silent majority

    The majority of consumers who do not participate in conversations about food and are often indifferent on controversial food and agriculture topics are referred to as the silent majority. The vocal minority has been described as a group of consumers who contribute to a disproportionate amount of conversations about food. Manufacturers, especially those working with genetic […]

  • Applying the 7 strategies to communicate GMOs at UW-Madison

    Applying the 7 strategies to communicate GMOs at UW-Madison

    Last week, students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had the opportunity advocate for agriculture through an event called Ag Day on Campus. Ag Day on Campus is an annual event hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter. Students in the Collegiate Farm Bureau set-up on campus and spent the day educating their […]

  • Public involvement: the key to successfully communicating risk

    Public involvement: the key to successfully communicating risk

    Whether the risk exists or not, risk communication has become an essential form of communication in agriculture and bioscience. According to the World Health Organization, “Risk Communication is any purposeful exchange of information about risks between interested parties.” Common risks faced in bioscience and agriculture often relate to the safety of emerging technologies. Risk messages […]

  • Color and accuracy matter for effective data visualizations

    Color and accuracy matter for effective data visualizations

    Communicating data is difficult. Data can complicated and hard to visualize. The way the human brain visualizes images can be used to organize data so it is easy to understand. These simple tips can help you effectively communicate your data to as many people as possible. Color matters. The human brain craves contrast. When creating […]