Extended abstract: A pressing issue: The emergence of the press conference in popular and professional science and engineering communication

The press conference is an emerging genre in science and engineering communication, playing an especially important role in popularizing science. However, it can present both dangers and opportunities for public engagement and professional communicative practices. Two case studies — a 2010 presser on a significant astrobiology finding and the presser announcing the finding of the Higgs boson — represent a study in opposites in terms of approaches and results, but both problematize the use of the press conference for both popular and professional science and engineering communication.