How can you communicate most effectively about science, especially when the issues at stake may be emotionally or politically charged? As an organization dedicated to making America’s natural resources beloved, awe-inspiring, and accessible to a diverse public while preserving and protecting them in an era of climate change, effective science communication is critical--and difficult. 

We developed a training program that presented a set of science communication best practices and strategies, drawing on cognitive, psychological and behavioral science. A series of interactive exercises invited participants to evaluate, reflect on, and practice communication in different contexts and with different audiences. The training was delivered to NPS staff both in-person and via live webinar; an additional slide-based primer and the recorded webinar were shared broadly across the organization.