Good science communication is a key force in driving change, but finding common ground can be a challenge – especially across linguistic barriers, says Jacqueline Gamboa.
Tag Archives: scicomm
The long and winding road for training scientists to engage the general public
Efforts to encourage better public outreach are admirable, but better communication between scientists must come first, says David Rubenson.
{credit}iStockphoto/Thinkstock{/credit}
Exploring science communication
Science communication comes in many forms. Discover your favourite, says Andy Tay
There’s a few reasons why scientists may be discouraged from science communication. Here, I’m hoping to break down some of those barriers, and introduce channels and platforms where scientists can practise. First, here are some of the reasons stopping more scientists from practising science communication, as well as my rebuttals.
Is a picture worth a thousand words?
To communicate science is to tell a story. And the best stories come with pictures, says Thaís Moraes.
Translating the results of a research project into a 10-minute presentation or article can be a difficult task. It must be informative but also succinct and appealing. It has to tell an interesting story. It has to entertain. And you shouldn’t have too much text.
Thais Moraes
Let’s talk about #SciComm
Science communication is a young field with many voices and few guidelines. Let’s find a way to combine our voices in order to protect the integrity of research endeavors, says Judith Reichel.
There are plenty of reasons to become active in the field of science communication, and for many early career researchers (ECRs) still exploring research, it’s a great way to find their niche and voice their opinions.
Yet, like many of its participants, the field of science communication itself is fairly young, and is constantly evolving from its original aim — to translate scientific findings to the public, in order to raise awareness and funding for the grand scientific endeavor. When 3000 new academic papers are published every day, it‘s impossible for any single scientist to keep track of every development.
Science communication is practiced by a range of journalists, editors, freelance writers and free-time writers, yet the aim remains the same: to communicate important findings in quick soundbites that provide enough information for scientists but are still digestible to the general public. Continue reading
Lost for words — the language of science communication
While English is largely regarded as the global language of science, science communication doesn’t enjoy a unifying language.
Naturejobs journalism competition winner Catherine Carnovale explores this distinction.
Should I get an unpaid internship in science communication?
Dan Cressey of Nature, and Rob Dawson of the Meningitis Research Foundation, speak at the Naturejobs Career Expo, London, 2016 about the benefits of an internship in science communication.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivcHblYSd94
Highlights from the Comm4Science science communication conference
You need to prepare to get your science in the news. And when it comes to interacting with journalists, loosen up and let your emotion come through.
Guest contributor Virginia Schutte
The international conference Comm4Science: communicating science beyond the lab took place in Heidelberg in early May. Around 100 participants attended, where they met a great roster of speakers, took part in a communication workshop, and asked questions of a panel of experts.
Virginia Schutte
The precious, precious networking platinum that is Lindau
Alaina G. Levine is live from the Lindau Conference
Lindau is a special conference. Here, under the banner of Educate-Inspire-Connect, and above cobblestone streets, next to a city hall dating back to the 1400s, networking is very much encouraged, supported, facilitated and emphasised. And the networking here is precious, precious platinum.
Bridging science and real world impact with confidence
What does it take for someone in science to make a difference in the world? We often seek success and validation through the rigour of our research and studies, but the key may be in our attitude.
Naturejobs career expo journalism competition winner Diane N.H. Kim
Confidence is not something we normally associate with science. In this field, grounded in facts and far from emotions, it’s no wonder we have trouble seeing how our attitudes affect our success. A confident attitude is considered much more important for an actress on the red carpet, or a politician delivering a speech. Scientists are still largely portrayed and perceived as solitary individuals with passive personalities, spurred by a media portrayal of a lone scientist in their basement lab.
Continue reading