The Beauty and Benefits of Science – the AAAS 2013 Annual Meeting (Boston, February 2013)

The 2013 meeting's theme, The Beauty and Benefits of Science, aimed at highlighting the rich and complicated connections between basic and applied research, and, just as importantly, providing examples of case studies where the “pull” of environmental or societal problems drives fundamentally new basic research. This article aims to focus on symposia that highlighted the “pull” of social media in the communications in science and how the reach of fundamental computing research has affected the daily lives. This report will be of interest to librarians, information specialists, scientists and social scientists, and policy makers.

This report includes selected presentations and discussions (as well as direct internet links to presentations) within one of the 14 symposium tracks: communications and public programs. In many cases the authors provide additional references to further document the scope of the presenters' work and research.

The symposium offered an array of the most recent and innovative approaches in the way science is conducted and communicated in a digital world. Two themes centered on the following questions: “In a constantly changing online landscape, what is the best way for scientists and engineers to engage the public through social media?” and, “What new tools do we have to engage the public and to assess the impact of science communication?”

This is an important topic that touches on the way science is conducted and communicated in a digital world.