Public Engagement in Risk Communication
November 17, 2008
Edmonton, Canada - The Public Health Works Speaker Series welcomes Dr. Thomas Barker, a visiting scholar at the University of Alberta, School of Public Health to speak on Public Engagement in Risk Communication.
Dr. Barker will explain the importance of community engagement and showcase ways to engage the public in disaster preparation, response and recovery. He will also demonstrate a qualitative study in risk communication for pandemic influenza.
Dr. Barker is Director of Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University, and has directed doctoral studies in the areas of public policy discourse for nursing care facilities and risk communication for the Houston, Texas health system. His research uses a multidisciplinary approach, including investigators from communications studies, social work, and community and rural health to identify issues in risk communication for public health. Dr. Barker is a Fellow in the Society for Technical Communication (STC), the international association of technical communicators, policy writers, health writers, and information technology communicators. He is a member of the Environmental Health and Safety Special Interest Group of the STC and has received the prestigious J. R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching. At Texas Tech University, Dr. Barker heads a faculty of 13 full-time professors in technical communication.
Media are invited to attend the presentation, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Following the lecture, Dr. Thomas Barker will be available for media interviews at 10:30 a.m.
Media availability:
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 10:30 a.m.
#500, Plaza 124, 10216-124 Street, Edmonton, AB
-30-
For media inquiries, please contact:
Noreen Remtulla
Alberta Health Services, Public Affairs
Phone: 780-735-3475
Pager: 780-969-4543
