Science communication workshops

You’ve done the science … now what? Tailored to those who have little to no experience in science communication, this module focuses on three core principles of science communication: defining your communication goals, knowing your audience, and creating your key message. From planning to delivery, applying these three concepts ensures that information is clear, relevant, and impactful—regardless of your communication method.

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) is riddled with discipline-specific terms that can be hard for non-specialists to understand. Build your confidence in communicating science outside your discipline, and gain tools to explain complex or confusing concepts in a simple, accessible, and engaging way. Participants will co-create takeaways that are directly relevant to their own projects. Themes and activities will include simplifying science jargon, making the abstract concrete, and using physical explanation tools.

With group discussion, role play, and practical tips, this interactive workshop will give participants the tools they need to navigate challenging conversations around science, while protecting their mental health. Topics range from climate change to vaccination, or can be customized to specific topics or situations participants encounter in their work.

Tailored towards participants with no background in statistics or data visualization, this workshop empowers communicators to elevate their data storytelling skills. Participants will learn how to choose the appropriate chart type for their data and research questions, and how good design choices can make data easier to understand and more user-friendly. No calculators or graphical software needed—this workshop emphasizes data visualization best practices that can be applied using any tools.

Stories are powerful tools to connect with audiences and engage them deeper in a topic, all while increasing retention. This workshop outlines how storytelling techniques like narrative and characters can help organize and provide context for your information and create an invested, empathetic audience. In this session, participants will explore elements of compelling science stories through hands-on activities, and refine their own storytelling using simple, practical tools.

Combining visuals with text can be helpful to summarize information and make it easier to understand. This workshop shares best practices for creating informative text and image-based visuals that are clear, accessible, and effective at communicating your message. Learn to avoid the pitfalls that can turn a good infographic bad.

Avoid death by PowerPoint and wow everyone at your next presentation! Learn the ins and outs of creating a great PowerPoint that will hook your audience and engage them in your topic, by exploring the principles of effective visual communication. We take an overburdened PowerPoint presentation and systematically strip it down—lightening and tightening it at every turn—until it is a lean and efficient communications vehicle.

This session will delve into the barriers that visually disabled individuals encounter with educational and outreach visual materials. Learn best practices, explore practical tools, and gain valuable insights into making your communication materials more inclusive and accessible to a wider audience.

Should I write a post, a paper, or a presentation? The right choice depends on your audience, your goals, and the message you want to convey! In this workshop, explore various communication platforms—along with their strengths and weaknesses—and how to adapt communication approaches appropriately. Discover the power of multimedia, discuss best practices, and explore new formats to elevate your communication skills.