The Science of Communications’

The Science of Communications’

Connecting Researchers & Practitioners

A Workshop for Risk & Crisis Communicators

Monday, June 2, 2008
Ronald Reagan International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
www.nagconline.org

What actually happens in someone’s mind when they have to evacuate a burning building, are told to shelter in place while authorities check out a suspicious package, or hear rumors of a dangerous chemical or biological release? What triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response? To whom do they listen in an emergency situation? How do they assess risk and react in a true crisis?

To begin to answer these questions, the National Association of Government Communicators (www.nagconline.org), with technical support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate, will host a full-day workshop on Monday, June 2, 2008, in Washington, D.C. on the “Science of Communications.” The workshop will connect existing risk and crisis communication research to practitioners in the field, identify future research needs, and launch a national dialogue on these challenges. Panel discussions and interactive sessions will focus on the science behind people’s reactions and how communicators can evaluate the effectiveness of what they say, how they say it in crisis situations, and how they can reach people who may be at risk.



Notable speakers and participants include:

Dennis Mileti, PhD, Professor Emeritus and Research Scientist at University of Colorado at Boulder and former Director, Natural Hazards Center, Institute of Behavioral Science
Admiral Stephen Pietropaoli, Executive Director of the Navy League of the United States (he was the senior Navy public affairs officer on 9/11 and it was his area of the Pentagon that was hit)
Tim L. Tinker, DrPH, MPH, leader of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Center for Risk and Crisis Communication
Tony Dorsey, Media Relations Manager, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, former Director of Public Affairs for the Washington D.C. Fire Emergency Medical Services Department and former NBC reporter. (invited – he’s getting it cleared through his office)
Mike Dunaway, Program Manager, Community Preparedness & Resilience, Human Factors Division, Science & Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Other government agency communicators, emergency managers, first responders and members of the media.

Emergency managers, public affairs officers from all levels of government, first responders, members of the media, scientists, and other professionals in the field are invited to attend.

NAGC has graciously extended its member rate of $199 ($50 discount) to members of the International Association of Emergency Managers. Register for this first-of-its-kind workshop at: http://www.nagconline.org.