7 How to be an Ocean Leader: Communicating Science

Why bother with Science Communication?

Simply put, our science has more impact when we know how to communicate it well, tailored to our audiences. We communicate our research differently depending on who we are presenting it to. For example, when we present to the public, we assume a different level of engagement, interest, and background knowledge compared to fellow researchers. When presenting to researchers outside of our discipline, we assume a different level of background knowledge compared to those within our discipline.

Think about the last time you were at some kind of scientific presentation, or last time you read something to do with science. What was the reading or comprehension level? Did you feel lost, or were you able to keep up with the ideas? Were there jargon or discipline-specific words or phrases that you did not understand?

A big part of communicating science is learning how to tailor to your audience. Ensuring that our science is understandable and accessible can help increase scientific literacy in the public, which helps with everything from understanding the news to encouraging youth to go into science. It is also important to make sure that those who are directly impacted from your research are able to access and understand it.

A main focus of this Course is science communication. We’ll be working on science communication (SciCom) skills throughout our time together.

Telling a story through science

Storytelling is a powerful method of communicating. Consider one of the readings for this week: “Ethical Considerations of Using Narrative to Communicate Science”, by Dahlstrom and Ho (2012). One of the most effective ways to communicate science is through storytelling. Story Collider is a non-profit organization that hosts a podcast, workshops, and events that are aimed at telling science through stories. Check them out here.