777784 - Science Communications Short Course
Course Description
Communication is vital to the scientific process. Our live and online Science Communication short course is designed to equip you with the essential skills to convey your research to diverse audiences confidently. Learn to take a narrative approach to your outreach work and apply evidence-based communications strategies. Discover a cognitive approach to data visualization, uncover your stories, prepare and deliver presentations with purpose and learn how to work with journalists and policymakers.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your science communication game and inspire positive change. Enroll in our online Science Communication short course today and become a confident, strategic and influential communicator.
Course Outline
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| The science of communicating about science Building support for your work starts with helping others understand it. In this session, you’ll learn the six building blocks of communicating effectively about complex and abstract ideas. |
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| Strategy for science Connecting with funders, journalists and collaborators can feel overwhelming and distracting. In this session, you’ll learn to concentrate your efforts where they can have the greatest effect. |
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| Science of story Stories are the best tools we have for helping people understand and remember complex ideas. In this session, you’ll learn the seven elements of stories that build understanding and inspire others to act. |
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| Presenting with purpose Learn the secrets to creating and delivering compelling presentations. |
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| The essential rules of effective data visualization Data is fundamentally abstract and challenging for the human mind to comprehend. In this session, we’ll share science-based principles for sharing data and developing visualizations that help others comprehend your work. |
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| Building your influence Build your reach and credibility with journalists, policymakers and funders. Learn to work with the media, navigate a conference, and increase public scholarship. |
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Learner Outcomes
Skills you will learn include:
- Convey research to people with different expertise
- Present with confidence and pride
- Share data through visualizations that are memorable, compelling and credible
- Use stories to increase understanding and recall
- Create a summary of your research and incorporate story
- Understand how to connect with and learn from people who can benefit from your research
- Learn to work with journalists to help them report accurately on your work
- Learn to build your influence with potential collaborators, funders, journalists and others
- Communicate to overcome uncertainty and misinformation
Notes
FAQs
- What is the program for? This course is designed for people who want to advance their communication expertise. You’ll learn foundational theories behind great communications and practical skills that you can apply, from talking about your research to crafting more effective emails.
- Who should take this program? We believe everyone is a communicator no matter where they sit in an organization. Researchers, scientists, engineers, medical doctors and nurses, post-docs, museum affiliates and more will learn to move beyond an information deficit model of communicating, to create a strategy that helps you define why you're communicating as well as how and to whom.
- What is the time commitment? Every two weeks, you will attend class with your cohort. Class lasts three hours. We spend the time together with a little bit of lecture, a lot of active learning and always with time for discussions. After class, you have two weeks to complete a short assignment that allows you to apply the skills you’ve learned to your own challenges. The course is hosted in our learning management system, Canvas, and you will upload your work there, where you’ll be assigned a peer’s work to review.
- What if I miss a class? We know that your schedule can change at any given moment, but we encourage you to prioritize this course. Sometimes however, you just can’t make it and that’s OK. If you miss the class, there will be a recording posted on the Canvas site and you can still complete the after-class assignment. If you miss more than two classes or if you situation changes, please talk to us about your options.
Earn your digital credential
After successfully completing the course, you will earn a verified digital credential from the UF Center for Public Interest Communications. Credentials provide peers and employers concrete evidence of what you had to do to earn your credential and the skills you’ve acquired. You must complete all the assignments to earn the digital Science Communications credential at this course's end.
Testimonials
"“The course provided me with a structured framework for sharing my research with stakeholders, such as older adults, their caregivers, academic colleagues, industrial partners, and policymakers, and opportunities to learn from each other in our cohort. I have already applied what I learned to three presentations: one for community engagement, one for science conferences, and one for public advocacy. Such a valuable and great journey!”Hongwu Wang, UF Assistant Professor And Director, Technology For Occupational Performance (TOP) Lab