Noted actor and long-time host of PBS’ “Scientific American Frontiers,” Alan Alda, will go head-to-head with world-renowned physicist Brian Greene in a conversation entitled, "Why Communicating Science Matters," to commemorate the establishment of the Center for Communicating Science (CSS), the first of its kind in the United States, developed with funding from the US Department of Education by the School of Journalism at Stony Brook University.

"Why Communicating Science Matters" takes place from 4:00 – 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 23, in the Staller Center at Stony Brook University and is free and open to the public. Later that evening, at 8:00 PM, the public is also invited to attend an exclusive screening of an exciting IMAX 3D film. For more details and ticket information visit www.stonybrook.edu/advevents.

One of the world's foremost string theorists, Brian Greene is a Rhodes Scholar and Professor of Mathematics and Physics at Columbia University. He is author of "The Elegant Universe," a book about string theory that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2000, and helped translate "The Elegant Universe" into a three-hour documentary series for the Public Broadcasting System. He will sit down to discuss "Why Communicating Science Matters" at Stony Brook with Alan Alda, the long time host of PBS' "Scientific American Frontiers" and a passionate advocate for solid popular science, who has been leading this innovative effort to help scientists connect better with the public. Through the CCS at Stony Brook, Mr. Alda has been teaching science graduate students to play improvisational theater games with the goal to free them to talk about their work more spontaneously and directly, and to connect personally with their audience. Early reports from students say the workshops helped them in teaching, defending a thesis, and simply explaining their research to people outside their fields.