Asheley Landrum, Ph.D., an associate professor and interim assistant dean for research in the College of Media & Communication, was recently invited to serve on a consensus panel for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). She was selected to participate on NASEM's Committee on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science based on her research in the areas of science communication, political communication, environmental communication, and social media.
Landrum's research addresses scientific consensus and acting on the best available findings of previous research. Landrum, like other selected researchers who serve on the panel for NASEM, conduct review studies or meta analyses and compile it together to form a scientific consensus.
Since receiving the high honor of having her research and hard work represented by serving for NASEM, she has continued to strive for excellence in representing the CoMC.
“[NASEM] is a huge association above all others related to research since it covers more of a variety of topics and subject areas,” said Landrum. “This organization convenes consensus panels by interviewing and selecting experts from a variety of different perspectives all on one certain topic.”
Once NASEM completes the interviewing phase, researchers begin examining literature on specific topics, saying what they know and don't know, what needs to be done for future research, and what could potentially be impossible to know. On the organization's website, readers will find reports on topics ranging from biology and chemistry to broader topics such as science communication, literacy and misinformation.
As for Landrum and her recent appointment to the organization, she is proud to have been selected to serve on a consensus panel.
“It is an honor to be selected to be on the panel,” said Landrum. “The process required being nominated by other experts— they send out a call for nominations for researchers to be on the panel. Different researchers also sent in submissions and NASEM had 300 or more nominations. After nominations have been made, a committee goes through them to publicly post their preliminary selections of who will serve. Through this experience, it has been a very exciting journey.”
In addition to serving on a consensus panel for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Landrum has also been hard at work as a class of 2022 fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Landrum received the lifetime honor by demonstrating scientific excellence throughout the course of her research.
“Specifically, my research is on the science of science communication,” said Landrum.
“It is about how science is communicated among its networks and stakeholders. Primarily, I look at how the general public hears about science through media outlets.”
With the accomplishments she has received thus far and her positive impact on CoMC, her work will continue to be recognized for years to come.
“It's a really big deal for me and it is even more exciting to be at the table sitting
with other researchers whose work I've read,” said Landrum. “I feel closer to other
researchers in this space, and I also get the opportunity to hear different perspectives
on this work.”