- ESC ONET - European Science Communication Network Cape Town, South Africa March 21, 2010.

- ESCONET - European Science

Communication Network

http://www.esconet.org/

Cape Town, South Africa March 21, 2010

ESConet Trainers

Vision

• What? -- Workshops to train EC-funded scientists and researchers involved with FP6 and/or FP7 funded research project/networks how to better communicate their science – at least one member of each network may receive training for free.

• Why? – Aim to improve the ability of EC-funded scientists to interact the media, for example presenting their work on TV and radio, and with the public establishing a better dialogue with society.

Mandate

Implementation

• Esconet trainers is funded by the European Commission under its 7 th

Framework Programme.

• How? -- Trainers Team – solid team of professionals in science communication specialized in different areas such as science journalism, social sciences, science communication.

• Deliver two types of workshops

• Science Communication I

• Science Communication II (SCI is a prerequisite for attending SCII)

• 3 day workshop

• Held in the Centre for Advanced Academic Studies (CAAS), in Dubrovnik, Croatia

• Travel and accommodation covered by ESConet’s EC funding

ESConet Trainers

2009• Ten workshops were held in 2009 between March and July.

• Around 300 trainees received training.

2010

• Ten further workshops are scheduled for 2010.

• Dates: from 12 July to 15 August

• W1: 12-14 July W2: 15-17 July

• W3: 19-21 July W4: 22-24 July

• W5: 26-28 July W6: 29-31 July

• W7: 3-5 August W8: 6-8 August

• W9: 10-12 August W10: 13-15 August

Science Communication IObjectives

• Develop basic science communication skills for scientists/researchers who have had little exposure to science communication activities, for instance:

– How to write for the media, especially press releases – How to be interviewed by the audio-visual media, and acquaint them with

interview circumstances– How to use internet-based communication effectively

• Get researchers to think about– Own communication aims– Characteristics of their audiences– Motives for their audiences to be interested in science – Role of science in culture

• Get researchers closer to the media, to understand journalists and broadcasters

Science Communication IModules

Who Are You Communicating With And Why

Writing for the Media

Science in Culture

Talking to the Media

Science on the Web

How the Media Cover Science

Science Communication ITimetable

Day Session Module

1 Morning 1

Morning 2 Trainees arrive

Afternoon Introductions; Who are you communicating with and why?

Evening Evening Media writing: lecture; start practical

2 Morning 1 Media writing practical

Morning 2 Talking to the media: lecture; feedback on press releases

Afternoon Talking to media: interviews

Evening Feedback on interviews; How the media cover science

3 Morning 1 Public science on the web: lecture; start practical

Morning 2 Public science on the web: lecture; start practical

Afternoon Feedback on web practical; Science in culture

Evening Trainees depart

Science Communication IModules (some examples)

Writing for the MediaPress Release

• Write and structure a press release:

• Identify important points prominently and quickly (six ‘W’);

• Who did the research; what was found? When was done/published?; where? Why? How? What was it done for?

• Heading; subheadings; introductory paragraph (6 ‘W’); text; photographs/diagrams, graphs, tables…



Preparing a press release, IYA workshop



Media writing feedback session, IYA workshop


Writing for the MediaExample Press Release

• Unique gas bubble deepens understanding of the Sun to help maintain communications satellites

• A Croatian astronomer yesterday witnessed a unique bubble of gas ejected from the Sun. Such events are capable of destroying vital communication satellites bringing down mobile phone networks, navigation systems and international defence systems. As well as being extremely dangerous for the astronauts living on the International Space Station.

• This particular ejection of gas, imaged by the SOHO satellite, wasn’t on course for Earth however allowed astronomers to view such an event in its entirety. These ejections release dangerous high energy radiation and particles that interact with the Earth’s atmosphere and can even reach the surface of our planet. Seeing the entire picture of how gas is released from the Sun will help to provide crucial early warning systems so that satellites can be switched to a safe mode and not be destroyed and give time for astronauts to shelter in a safe part of the International Space Station. This ejection was so bright that it was also visible from the Earth-based Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

Lightbulb shaped bubble of gasreleased from the Sun

• Coronal Mass Ejection’s are the most dynamic global phenomena in the solar atmosphere and they are important because they have a great influence on our planet. Darije Maricic, from the Zagreb Observatory said “We feel very lucky to have seen this ejection from such an angle so we will be able to explore its entire structure”.

• For further information contact

Dr.sc.Darije Maricic

Email [email protected]

Tel. 01 4851355

Zagreb Observatory


Talking to the MediaInterviewing for the Radio

• Prepare and simulate a media interview:

• Preparation for the interview:

• Review experiences of media interviews

• Discuss media approach to interviews

• Discuss preparation for media interviews

• Importance of clear focus points

• Anticipating possible questions

• Simulation:

• Radio interview in a studio; and self-critique



Preparing for a radio interview, IYA workshop



At a radio station in Dubrovnik

Science Communication IIObjectives

• Train scientists and researchers to

– Cope with more high-pressure and challenging science communication situations

– Communicate to policy makers and potential funders – Communicate about risk to citizens and controversial science

issues. – Take part in dialogue in which science has an important role and

listen to opinions of others – Appreciate social science techniques in planning and evaluating

science communication activities

Science Communication IIModules

Communicating to Policy Makers

Communicating Risk

Science in Dialogue

Social Science for Science Communication

Science Communication IITimetable

Day Session Module

1 Morning 1

Morning 2 Trainees arrive

Afternoon Introductions; Communicating to policy makers: lecture

Evening Communicating risk: lecture; start practical

2 Morning 1 Communicating risk; practical

Morning 2 Communicating risk; presentations and feedback

Afternoon Science in dialogue: lecture

Evening Science in dialogue: start practical

3 Morning 1 Science in dialogue: practical

Morning 2 Science in dialogue: presentations and feedback

Afternoon Social sciences for science communication

Evening Trainees depart

IYA WorkshopOverview

Background

• Special workshop organised for IYA 2009 Nodes in the context of the IYA

• 12 trainees went to Dubrovnik from 25 to 27 March 2009

Modules

• Who are you communicating with and why?

• Writing for the media

• Talking to the media

• Public science on the web

• How the media cover science

• Science in culture

IYA WorkshopFeedback

(…) “The venue was carefully selected so that trainees didn't lack anything. In 2.5 days we learned things that had always eluded most of us, very used to communicating science

(…) “It also gave us a chance to work on our less developed skills” (…)

(…) “It was a chance to learn from the best, a chance to learn from each other, and to realize that some problems we face are universal, while others are very local”

- Ricardo Cardoso Reis, Portugal


“The training itself had an excellent balance between theory, practice and feedback on the exercises. The balance between the 3 main topics (press release writing, radio interviews and web design) was good, and the level of the workshop was perfect for me (with some empirical public outreach experience, but almost no formal training).

“The theory lectures were well structured and complete, with a good level of interactivity. The practical exercises were perfect: topic chose carefully so that we could use our knowledge, motivating as they were directly related to our actual work.

- Olivier Hainaut ESO, Germany


“The workshop exceeded all my expectations. It was a great opportunity to learn from the ones who know about science communication and to exchange experiences with people who have been working for long in the field. The lectures and the practical activities were all very helpful and had everything to do with our routines and with the challenges we have to face in our daily lives.”

“All was so exciting that even during the meals and strolls around the city we kept talking enthusiastically about astronomy outreach and the International Year of Astronomy.”

“The workshop taught us many small practical tricks, specially for when we need to interact with the media.”

- Raquel Shida ESO, Germany

2010 Training Program

ESConetWebsite

• http://www.esconet.org/

2010 Training Program

• From 12 July to 15 August

• Booking form online

• Booking forms should be returned by post or email

• Contact person: kajsa Magnusson, Project Manager

Email: k.magnusson [at] ucl.ac.uk

- ESC ONET - European Science Communication Network Cape Town, South Africa March 21, 2010.

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