Beginning in Autumn 2026, undergraduates at the University of Chicago majoring in Climate and Sustainable Growth will be able to specialize in Science Communication. The track, led by Assistant Instructional Professor Jordan Bimm, will teach students different theories of science communication and practical skills in science podcasting, journalism and more.
“People who know about the wider climate challenge that we face understand that it’s not just science, it’s not just policy, it’s not just finance: there is this public communication element to it as well,” says Bimm. “There is a very strong case that part of the solution to the climate problem is a new generation of people who are trained to communicate science to different public audiences.”
The track is made up of seven existing courses. Majors selecting the track will be required to take Introduction to the Field of Science Communication. From there, they can choose to take three of the following: Crafting a Science Think Piece, Producing a Science Podcast, Designing a Science Exhibit, Science Newsroom, Writing the City, and Visualizing Urban and Environmental Change. While each course already includes a significant climate science component, Bimm hopes to develop a course dedicated to climate communication possibly as soon as next year.
The Science Communication track joins the three existing Climate and Sustainable Growth major specializations: Climate Science and Technology; Politics, Economics, and Society; and Finance. The track adds a new dimension to the interdisciplinary Chicago Curriculum on Climate and Sustainable Growth, which aims to provide students with an understanding of the climate and growth challenge from all angles.
“The gap between what scientists know and what the public understands has real consequences, and the Science Communication track trains students to close that gap,” says Senior Instructional Professor Conor Carney. “Good science communication isn’t a soft skill. It’s a strategic necessity.”
Few universities offer in-depth science communication programs for undergraduates. Instead, they tend to offer a stand-alone course or yearly workshop. “We take a much more serious approach,” says Bimm.
Graduates of the program can enter the growing professional field of science communication, working as a consultant for a scientific organization, a science reporter, or a researcher, to name a few. Bimm himself is an award-winning professional science communicator, often featured on TV, podcasts and print media for his expertise on the history of space travel. But students pursuing any career path can benefit from taking “just one course,” says Bimm.
Outside of the classroom, students can conduct science communication research through the program’s undergraduate research fellowships. They can also attend a lecture series featuring professional science communicators.