This project will partially fund a half-day workshop on communicating science to the public and media and is geared toward graduate students and postdoctoral research scholars. The workshop will include sessions on the importance of communicating science, and exercises to allow participants to practice communication skills. The workshop will improve communication among disciplines within science as well and increase scientific outreach to the general public.
With the funding received from the National Science Foundation, the investigator organized a half-day workshop on communicating science to the media and public. While all scientists appreciate the importance of presenting their work within their disciplines, they are often less-prepared to present the significance of their efforts (and their use of taxpayer funds) to the broader public. The workshop aimed to fill this void in training, and it specifically targeted junior scientists. Participants included 26 PhD students, one research-active MD student, and two postdoctoral researchers from around the United States. The primary presenters were Duke University's manager of research communications and the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center's manager of education and outreach. The workshop opened with a presentation about the importance of communicating scientific research effectively with the mass media and with the changing face of communication (with emphasis on social media, viral videos, etc.). It quickly transitioned to more active participation, wherein the participants attempting to explain their research using various media. Some participants wrote descriptive statements similar to press releases while others created sketches or other illustrations depicting their research topic. After some sharing and discussion of each other's creations, a few daring volunteers sat in front of a video camera projected onto the big screen for a mock interview with a journalist. Following each interview, the group discussed strengths and weaknesses with their poise and presentations. The feedback from the workshop was positive. Many students had not previously appreciated the impact of effective communication outside their scientific communities, so awareness was raised. Others had never received training or practice in presenting their research in the form of "sound-bites" likely to be used by media reporters. Some participants wrote after the workshop that they found themselves using their new skills in a variety of settings. Finally, the workshop was conducted below the awarded budget, and the residual funds were returned to the NSF. The scientific merit and broader impacts of this activity were intertwined, and they focused on the training of young scientists in presenting their (or any) research to the broader public. As a result of this training, these young scientists benefit directly in a skill that can facilitate their success, but the public at large benefits in that they will be able to learn better about the exciting contributions produced from these scientists.
