Welcome to the Cornell Risk Communication Research Group (RCRG). The RCRG consists of faculty, students, staff and collaborators who conduct research in the areas of environmental, health, risk and science communication. Our collaborators include representatives from the Departments of Communication, Entomology, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and others.

 

COMM 486/686: Risk Communication

FALL SEMESTER. Instructors: Katherine McComas (e-mail) or Cliff Scherer (e-mail)

Examination of theory and research related to the communication of scientific information about environmental, agricultural, food, health, and nutritional risks. Concentrates on social theories related to risk perception and behavior. Examines case studies involving pesticide residues, waste management, water quality, environmental hazards, and personal health behaviors. Emphasizes understanding, applying, and developing theories.

This course is divided into undergraduate (486) and graduate (686) components, which meet separately. The graduate course emphasizes theoretical components of risk communication research to a greater extent that its undergraduate counterpart. The undergraduate course, by contrast, focuses more intensely on risk case studies.