Outreach & Effective Science Communication

As a researcher, being able to communicate with a wider audience and explain your findings can help you increase your visibility, find funding for your research, broaden your network, and have your findings implemented in society. When you communicate with the media and the general public, whether it is in an interview or writing for a website, you need to be concise, use well-chosen examples, start with the most important findings of your research and avoid jargon. Furthermore, it helps when you are able to show your enthusiasm for your work. During the course, participants will practice all these skills, helping them develop in their role as a pro-active communicator. Specifically, participants will learn to:

- Present their research in an engaging and concise way for the general public;
- Talk about their research during a radio interview and deal with difficult questions;
- Start thinking about their own communication strategy

General Information

Programme

Day 1
Morning:
- General principles for science communication (including core message, enthusiasm, using the golden circle)
- Pitching and presenting (theory and practicing, getting feedback from other participants and the trainer)

Afternoon:
- Discussion on media: which media fits your themes and wishes? Participants start thinking about a media strategy.
- Using LinkedIn to put a spotlight on your research: what can you post about, what are strategies to make your posts engaging? How can you use video and images on LinkedIn? Including practicing writing and making posts
- Homework for next time: participants prepare a pitch with a prop for a general audience.

Day 2
Morning:
- Using images and metaphors to present your research
- Practicing final versions of presentations (without slides)
- Preparing the interview

Afternoon:
- practicing a radio interview: Including practicing your main message, dealing with difficult questions, framing and using the judo technique.
 

At the end of the training course, participants will have learnt:
- How to pitch convincingly
- how to use various engaging starts to grab the audience’s attention
- how to deal with journalists and difficult questions
- how to develop their own media strategy.
 

Fee

Fee includes study and training material, coffee/tea and lunches.

Cancellation condition

You may cancel free of charge up to two weeks before the start of the course. After this date you will be charged the University fee. Unless:

• You can find someone to replace you in the course and supply the course coordinator with the name and contact information of your replacement.
  In this case you will only be charged a € 50,- cancellation fee.
• You (PhDs and postdocs of Wageningen University) have a valid reason to cancel (illness or death in the family 1st or 2nd degree).
  In this case you will be charged the reduced fee and your supervisor/PI must send a mail indicating the reason for cancellation.

Information

For more information please contact  Anja.mosselman@wur.nl