Need help on AGU lecture title!

[wonderingmind42]

For those still around, I just received an invitation to give a 15 minute talk at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union this year. Unfortunately, the deadline for the abstract is this Thursday (Sep 2)!

I could use some help on choosing a go-for-the-jugular-drag-them-in-the-room (or at least, slightly engaging) title for the talk. Especially from those of you who frequent scientific conferences.

Apparently the reason they've invited me is because at the AGU Council meeting two months ago the council decided the AGU should be playing a major role in "getting the word out" to the public on issues of global environmental change. This is apparently now one of the two "top priorities" for the AGU.

"The AGU Council has agreed that we need to encourage and support scientists to communicate their findings to the public, and that this will be a somewhat delicate issue to go beyond just the science issues and reach towards advocacy."

So they're holding some sessions by scientists who've written books aimed at communicating climate change to the general public, to give other scientists ideas on how to move that direction also. I guess I got sort of swept in along with the crowd there. Other confirmed presenters are Jim Hansen, Naomi Oreskes, and Dorothy Kenny.

My step-father Jim Hawkins, prof. emeritus of ocean geology, Scripps Oceanographic Institute, just happens to be staying with us now and says the invitation looks like it's on the up-and-up. So, I guess I get to present at an actual scientific conference!

Now, help me with the damn title. The abstract is due in just over 48 hours, and I'm not particularly fond of the book title (though it does have the colon that is apparently required in all academic titles.)

Cheers,
Greg (nursing severe back pain, and getting ready for students in a week)

[goney3]

Hi Greg, here are some links to climate talks at the institute I used to work for (might be inspirational?) - very technical sounding.
http://online.itp.ucsb.edu/online/climate08/
http://online.itp.ucsb.edu/online/climate_c08/
http://online.itp.ucsb.edu/online/pyrogeo_c08/

Johan Rockstrom recently did a great talk for TED titled "Let the environment guide our development"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgqtrlixYR4

But something simple and directed might be more appropriate:
"Climate Advocacy: Why AGU Members are Paramount to Our Global Future"

I'll try to come up with some more in a bit.

[BaerbelW]

Hi Greg,

congratulations on being invited to AGU!

For what it's worth, here is a suggestion (but I'm not sure if it qualifies for an AGU-presentation):

As this is about communication and spreading information how about a title which includes something like "The least asked question: What if you are wrong?"

Cheers
Baerbel

P.S.: hope your back heals soon! Students next week? Does that mean the "pink slip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyCXBYP_pZE)" didn't really come?

[DXR_13KE]

"A warming planet"
"Mad Max in real life"
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire"

[goney3]

"Knock Rocks and Talk"

"A shaky conversation"

"It's not just the weather"

"Earth, Space, and why your neighbors should care"

[776281]

The range of error; what if I am wrong.

[wonderingmind42]

Thanks, all! Keep 'em coming, and also take a look at the comments to my plea on YouTube. Some good ones there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVntLY9Eyro

Oh, and in terms of the pink slip (keep meaning to do an update on YouTube), the "Tier 1" cuts were made--about 4 teachers in my building, but I wasn't in them, and no further cuts were made this year, so I still have a job.

But then, we already know we'll have to make more cuts next year. :(

My class sizes are 35, 37, and 44. Keep in mind these are American teenagers, not Japanese or something. So...it'll be a handful. At least I still get a paycheck.

Cheers,
Greg

[776281]

Greg,

Methinks they are far more interested in how you reached so many people than any analysis of the science. Why did your video go viral? Why did Manpollo get so many hits? How do they get past the traditional mass media that seems so determnined to ignore the problem.

The AGU know the science, how do they get the message out? A ten minute Youtube might be more effective than a hour long presentation. People of today tend to very short attention spans, trained on the ten second media bite.

You found an angle and ran with it.

[DXR_13KE]

Maybe something like Disturbed did:

"Another Way To Die"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsYVHZFukzc

[Viviann]

Hi Greg,
I just came across your videos last night. Very clever and different. I think your title should reflect your style which is attention getting to say the least. So yeah, maybe something from Dr. Zeuss. Keep your videos coming and I will pass them along.
Regards,
Viviann

[sinimod]

Greg, congratulations on being invited to give a talk by the AGU, which, as you say, is a great honor. They clearly admire your style and your ability to communicate, particularly through this relatively new mode of communication represented by youtube. The climate science community has realized that they have been outcommunicated in the media by the monied interests in the so-called culture wars. The need to effectively get the message across to large numbers of people is critical to advancing the cause of addressing climate change. Tony is right, people have short attention spans. Dr. Richard Alley’s talk on CO2 in geologic history is a wonderful talk, but far too few people respond to hour long lectures on the topic.

In addition, because of immediate needs (such as jobs and the economy), I think people still have trouble relating to something that they feel “might” happen decades down the road, not to mention suspicion that many have that climate change is just a way for government to get more power.

I wish you the very best at the meeting in December and hope that I can be of some assistance if you need it. I hope you have time to deal with this considering your large classes. Hope your back doesn’t hold you back at all, you are going to need all the energy you can muster to deal with your classes and put together the talk.

[Ken Zakreski]

Die Another Day!