b'And the stakes are high. GMO products could be the key to reducing the impact of climate change and tackling hunger and food insecurity around the world. If science isnt trusted, GMOs and other modern practices are If were not there [on each social media platform] as scientists andat risk.farmers, were letting someone else tell the science and farming story.Start the Conversation Kevin Folta For many scientists and experts in their fields, its easy to overload people with facts. But the fact is, most people who dont have scientific backgrounds dont care about the nitty-gritty details of scientific testing as an expert would. It takes a different approach.Anytime you are promoting scientific ideas, youre going to have people who are not excited about them, says Kevin Folta, profes-FACEBOOK STANDS OUT AS REGULAR SOURCE OF NEWS FOR AMERICANS sor at the University of Florida. It applies to all % of U.S. adults who. science, whether youre talking about genetic engineering or climate change.Use site Before starting the conversation, think 68% 74% about how to be a better communicator. It starts by figuring out what neighbors, friends, Facebook YouTube relatives and, really, anyone cares about. Here are a few tips to get the conversation started 36% the right way:Regularly23%Avoid inundating people with facts andget newsfigures. Talk about why you care about on sitescience. Make it personal and talk broadly about the motivation to promote science. 40% For example, gene editing as a tool to fight 25% hunger and keep farmers in business.Twitter Instagram Cater your conversation to the person 15% 11% youre talking to. If talking to another scientist, feel free to get into the details and processes. When talking with some-one who knows little about science, meet 15% 22% them where they are. They might not want Reddit Snapchat to hear about the statistical approach it 6% 4% took to make research reproduciblethey want to know how evidence relates to their values and concerns.25% Ask questions and show empathy. Listen, 12% and show them you are listening. People LinkedIn TikTok are passionate about their foodand they 4% 3% should be. Learn more about what moti-vates them and their fears, acknowledge 19% them and keep this information top of 4% mind when talking about GMOs or other WhatsApp Tumblr controversial topics.3% 1% Its tough to convert someone to 100% stand behind science, but its possible to sway Twitch 6% them on several aspects. Understand their 1% backgrounds and why they think the way they do. Employing these three tactics helps get the Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Aug. 31-Sept. 7, 2020. News Use Across Social Media Platforms in 2020 conversation off on the right foot.60/ SEEDWORLD.COMJUNE 2021'