Public image: Does it matter?

Abstract

Beginning with the end in mind: Yes, of course, public image matters, very much! It matters so much that we should all, as professional practitioners of the science, set it as one of our major priorities. This may go against our scientific grain, but we must, as scientists who deal with hard data, recognize the fact that how we are perceived by ourselves and others is of major importance in such areas as protecting the environment, addressing government intervention, operating safely, and advancing the science. How the public views geophysics and the oil and gas industry that has historically supported our science determines how we will be regulated or even preempted from doing geophysics altogether. It also determines whether young people will seek or shun geophysics as a career. The young are drawn to careers that make them feel they are contributing to the well being of the public as well as opening opportunities for themselves (Table 1). View this table: Table 1. The public defined A great deal has changed in this respect since geophysics became a factor in our culture. In the 1800s, seismology emerged from a black art to a respected science that was able to explain some phenomena that regularly spread fear among the population in times past. Around the turn of the past century, the ideas of sustainable development of natural resources were first promulgated by a …