SciComm 101
Lecture
So, what is Science Communication (AKA SciComm) and why on earth should you care about it? You are here for the science, not a degree in communication!
In a nutshell, SciComm is a set of communication skills. If you recognize yourself as a researcher or student in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), acquiring SciComm skills is crucial for your current and future pathways of your career and can literally be a game-changer.
If you want to hear how, the SciComm 101 lecture will get you in the know about SciComm.
SciComm 1:1
Training
Ask any scientist—preparing to deliver a lecture, whether to experts in his or her field or to non-professionals (i.e., the general public, funders, policy makers etc.), can be a daunting task. In either setting, the messages need to be clear, concise and, most importantly, memorable.
Finding that phrase, conclusion or bottom line —the one that’ll linger in the minds of your listeners when they go home—is key to any successful presentation.
Combining your messages together with the right body language and vocal delivery can make a huge impact on your audience and strengthen your confidence. This is what SciComm 1:1 is all about.
In SciComm 1:1, you get personal, tailor-made training that will get you the impact your research deserves.
The training includes the following:
- Reducing the usage of jargon and technical terminology
- Researching audiences to adapt lectures accordingly (ERC interview, media etc.)
- Understanding paradigm gaps with a specific audience
- Extracting the essence of your research—the bottom line
- Building the narrative
- Practicing body language and vocal delivery
- Designing an effective PowerPoint
- Before/after video recording to measure progress
SciComm together
Workshop/ course
"There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals." — Idowu Koyenikan
A journey is a good analogy for workshop training. At the beginning, you know you have a destination (learning a new skill), and in order to achieve it, you’ll need to walk through challenges and all sorts of winding roads (practice and feedback). But when you reach your destination (acquiring a skill), you look back and realize you went through a change. In the SciComm workshops, you are not walking alone; you have others to support you—and that makes all the difference.
In the SciComm workshop/course, you and your peers will walk together through the following:
- Raising awareness to your usage of jargon and technical terminology
- Adapting to different communication landscapes and audiences
- You can’t unknow what you already know— the curse of knowledge
- Understanding paradigm gaps between you and others
- Extracting the essence of your research: What is the bottom line?
- Getting the right message across
- Narrative, storytelling and the power of analogies
- Practicing body language and vocal delivery
- Improv exercises to practice effective body movement
- How to effectively use props in your talk
- Using PowerPoint— the right way!
- Every participant will get a before/after video recording to measure progress