[SILS Faculty Seminar] Trust in science: sheep farmers, Flat Earthers and the rest of us

When we as statisticians and scientists communicate our findings to the public, we’re asking them to trust us, and for them to have confidence in the way that we work. When the subject doesn’t have consequences for the way people live, such trust is often easily given. However if we’re talking about climate change, and its consequences for policy and regulation, then that trust can readily evaporate. But distrust is driven by more than that: the bewildering growth of interest in the Flat Earth seems utterly disconnected from policy.

In this presentation I’ll discuss a project investigating trust in science in New Zealand – I’ll talk about two local case studies: acceptance of climate science among high country sheep farmers, and the nature of Flat Earth belief in New Zealand. I’ll also present some early results from a population survey about levels of acceptance of settled science.