Communicating your science to non-specialists

If you wish to attend, please let Athena Dinar (amdi@bas.ac.uk) know in advance.  She will let BAS reception know to expect you, as you will need a visitor's pass to get into the conference room.

Trainers: Athena Dinar, BAS Senior Press & PR Manager; Paul Seagrove, BAS Press & PR Manager; and scientist/science communicator Dr Helen Czerski

Who should attend: scientists, including early career scientists, who would like to enhance their science communication skills

1.30pm - Welcome and introduction to the session - Athena Dinar 

1.45pm - The voices of science - who, why, when? - Helen Czerski

Every member of our society has to wade through a constant clamour for attention from marketers, politicians, the X-factor, cats wearing orange peel hats, and magazines telling you how to run your life.  Filtering is essential to staying sane, and often the filters are "what's relevant to my life today?" and "what's the most fun?". 

No-one would argue that science and technology aren't important but when it comes to allocating precious mental time and effort,  the subtleties of new science and why it matters often don't make the cut.  

In a sense, we're a victim of our own success - many people assume that science is going to continue to sort problems out, whether they know about it or not.  

But for that to happen, science needs funding, and therefore the goodwill of politicians and the public.  

We no longer have a choice.  

As the isolated ivory towers crumble in the world of Twitter and Instagram, the voices of science must be heard, and we must all take some responsibility for that. Some will do more than others, but we all need to be aware of the landscape and to understand the compromises involved.  

Helen will discuss examples of current voices of science, some that you'll have heard of, and some who you won't know, and set out the current landscape as she sees it.   An important part of this is ethics and the structure of scientific "stories", because it's vital for science to maintain its integrity as it competes in the clamour.   What should we say, who should be heard, and who do the public listen to?

2.30pm - Promoting your science - the role of the Communications Team - Athena Dinar

"If scientists want to sustain and improve the relatively high levels of public trust that they enjoy, they must engage with the media."  - Professor Sir Colin Blakemore

Learn how the Communications Team can help you explain your science results effectively through different 'channels' including Press Releases, news stories, feature articles, web and social media. Find out how the Communications Team "sells in" stories and works in partnership with others to create science communication campaigns.

3.00pm - Break for coffee/tea

3.15pm - Introduction the Media - Paul Seagrove

According to the recent MORI poll the majority of the public get their information about science from the media.

Get insight into how the journalists work across all media - newspapers, radio and TV programmes - and learn how to get the best from the experience. Find out about science and environment journalists need from scientists; why deadlines are important and how to prepare for interviews.

3.45pm - A thousand voices - Helen Czerski

For the past few decades, society has been drawn together by common events shared via a small number of communication channels.   40% of the UK population watched the current Queen's coronation in 1953, in spite of TV sets being relatively rare, and in the second half of the twentieth century almost universally watched experiences became part of the social glue of this country.  

But a massive fragmentation is currently taking place: Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr, blogs, podcasts, Periscope and virtual online worlds have joined the traditional media of magazines, radio, TV and newspapers.  Each one attracts a very different demographic.   With so much on offer when you have something to say, how do you choose?   This session will be about the pros and cons of various social media channels, and some general principles to bear in mind when dipping your toe in these waters. 

4.15pm - Examples of good radio/TV interviews - Athena/Paul

4.30pm - Ends