The AAA 115th annual meeting theme “Evidence, Accident, Discovery” is as relevant to the public face of anthropology as it is for central debates within the academy. It provides a pivot around which to engage with major world issues such as climate-change, social media, violence, catastrophes, human displacement and ideological inflexibility. Anthropology’s detailed focus on human condition, both past and present, brings a unique perspective to the understanding of our rapidly changing modern world. It is frequently the case, however, that anthropology does not reach a wider audience and this is to our detriment. Some colleagues underestimate the significance of public engagement while others simply don’t have the skills to clearly communicate what are perceived as complex anthropological insights and conclusions. As a result, and with only a few exceptions, anthropology is not a go-to discipline for public understanding of complex issues. To stem the creeping marginalization of our discipline, it is our responsibility to become public intellectuals and advocates for anthropology. Pioneering initiatives span the blogosphere, new media, web and traditional journalism, and trade and journal publication and include familiar names such as Anthropology Now, PopAnth, Peeps, the Boaz Network, the Allegra Labs, Savage Minds, Somatosphere, CARTA and BioAnth News. This roundtable brings together a cross-section of these colleagues to discuss what has been done and what should be done; what constitutes success and failure; what new innovations are on the horizon; what can be done to increase the involvement of the field? Some participants are individual academics who have taken up the challenge while others represent academic societies, foundations, or journals that are broadening their missions to reach a wider audience. The Wenner-Gren Foundation is one of these institutions and our 75th anniversary initiatives, including the SAPIENS news portal (www.sapiens.org) and the new Innovations in Public Awareness of Anthropology grant program, are introduced in this spirit. The question is not whether anthropology should have a public focus, but how we can best achieve our outreach goals. It is imperative to keep the discussion at the forefront of the field wherever and whenever anthropologists convene, to network and share best practice, and to raise awareness for the importance of public outreach and the significance of Anthropology to the world today. The “Anthropology and the Public” panel is a significant step in this direction.

Have an idea for an Executive Session at the 2017 AAA Annual Meeting? The call for papers is open from January 17- February 17. Get the details here: http://www.americananthro.org/meetings