Panel Discussion - Interfaces: Sharing Science with Concerned Communities

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) was established to investigate the impact of oil, dispersed oil, and dispersant on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. With the leadership of a twenty-member Research Board, GOMRI will invest 500 million dollars in research on the chemical, physical, environmental and public health effects of oil spills. An important component of the GOMRI mission is communicating results of the research with the public. Consequently, GoMRI has built a robust outreach program that includes key partnerships. The challenge was how to build a bridge between the science community and the public impacted by and/or interested in the impacts of Deep Water Horizon. A portion of the GOMRI science communication goal has been achieved by establishing partnerships with Gulf State Sea Grant Programs and, at the national level, with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Both partners reach different but important audiences. Sea Grant has accomplished, over the past approximately five decades of outreach, clear success in engaging local coastal communities in a two-way communication of coastal topics of concern. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History operates an on-line Ocean Portal and the Smithsonian Magazine reaches an extensive national and international audience in communicating topical science facts. The team will describe how they communicate the scientific research accomplished in the GOMRI 10 year research program to this wide ranging public education and communication program.