Stand up for Science: Practical Approaches to Discussing Science that Matters

Learn More About Sense About Science USA

The push and pull between science and society means that scientist need to develop better communication skills to be able to engage with the public, media, policy makers, or funders. And while working with the media in an integral part of this, it doesn’t always need to be—there are many ways of communicating with the public that do not require the “middle person”. These can include community outreach in museums, places of worship, libraries, or bars, as well as through social media conversations, blogs and op-eds for newspapers.  Scientists need to be better prepared to tell their own stories and to engage a diverse audience about their work and its purpose. 

Our focus is to make sure that when we get scientists excited about communication opportunities we also give them the tools needed. Public engagement needs to go beyond merely lecturing—it needs to be a dialogue that considers who scientists are talking to or writing for. To participate in a successful communication and engagement endeavor, we tell scientists to think about four facets: who is their audience; what is the goal of the outreach activity (both for them and their audience); why is it relevant to them and why should their audience care; and finally, what is the appropriate context and language for their intended project. They need to prepare, with these question in mind. They need to practice. And then they need to evaluate and repeat—this is crucial! The first time might not be perfect, but what is learned can help better the experience and the results in the future.

At Sense About Science USA we create one- and two-day interactive workshops that review the importance of public engagement, address concerns and questions, and discuss the core principles and ethics of science communication. You can contact us: http://www.senseaboutscienceusa.org/scientifically-speaking/.

Resources

• Our general Scientifically Speaking workshop page: http://www.senseaboutscienceusa.org/scientifically-speaking/
• Media Guide for Scientists: http://www.senseaboutscienceusa.org/guides-for-scientists/