Randy Olson's "Don't Be SUCH a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style"

Randy Olson has a PhD in marine biology, and he worked as a professor before moving to Hollywood and going to film school. He now makes documentary films such as Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus (2006) and Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy (2008). His perspective as a scientist turned filmmaker gives him insight into how scientists could communicate better to lay audiences. And that's really his point in Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style.

The title of the book is a bit misleading, though. He usually italicizes the title as "Don't Be Such a Scientist" or Don't Be SUCH a Scientist. It makes me want to emphasize the "such" of the title, but that isn't what he means. It's more like his wife hanging her head in frustration and muttering, "Don't be such a scientist, Randy. You're too rational and cold. Just talk to me." Or something like that.

He is careful to say that the title is not Don't Be a Scientist. There's a place for the cold, rational communication of scientists, he claims. But when talking to non-scientists, scientists need to talk like non-scientists. They need to learn the communication styles of Hollywood and others that actually grab people and make them want to take action.

Stay tuned for more about Randy Olson's remarkable and effective book about how to become a better scientist by becoming a better communicator.