Alan Alda: The Science and Art of Communicating

Alan Alda may be a film and TV legend, but lately he’s been thinking about science. In 2009, he founded the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, at Stony Brook University, which trains science professionals to talk to the public about their work with more clarity and ease. His new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?—which he discusses at this Smithsonian Associates event—explains how improved communication in every field can change our lives for the better. Alda spoke with Washingtonian about why he’s passionate about the cause.