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CASCADE Course Communicating research to the public and media

Stockholm, Sweden 17-21 November 2008

The second communication course arranged by CASCADE was a remarkable success. In the course evaluation, the course participants gave the course 4,85 out of 5. The reason for the success was multiple, but the combination of really good speakers and very much practical items probably contributed.

The main objective of the course was to improve understanding for how and why to communicate science to the public and media. The course included theoretical and practical sessions on communication theory, communicating science, media, popular science writing and presentation skills.

The twenty participants in the course "Communicating research to the public and media" together with three of the course teachers. Stockholm, Sweden November 19.

Speakers and presentations

Nine speakers participated in the course. Among the speakers were Johan Falk, science journalist at the magazine Forskning & Framsteg (Science and Future, Sweden's leading popular science journal), Katarina Sternudd, press officer at Karolinska Institutet, Anna Larsson, researcher and journalist and Peter Lind, speaker and teacher.

Anna Karin Källén's presentation about the necessity of communication. Click to download (pdf).

 

One of the speakers, Anna Karin Källén, Head of Communications, SwedenBio gave her point of view on the necessity for courses like this:  

”From SwedenBio's point of view this kind of efforts like CASCADE communication course is absolutely necessary. As researchers, we need to improve our dissemination activities to the public, to be able to fulfil the goal to bring back research results to the consumers. Good communication is needed to maintain confidence in science; we have to talk less about molecules and targets and more about the benefit and value we create. Therefore, I find this initiative very useful.” 

Johan Falk's presentation in Web 2.0. Click to download (pdf)	Notes about Web 2.0. Click to download (pdf)

 

The titles of the speeches were: "Why good communication matters", "How to communicate science", "Presentation skills", "How to write popular science", "Web 2.0 and the new media" and "The communication between the researcher and the journalist". The course participants were also given presentations about the basics in communication theory and how media works and the role of journalist.

Workshops and popular science writing

The course included several exercises to reflect on why it is important to communicate science. The participants also had to give an oral presentation targeted to the public.

The course offered many interactive items, where the course participants had to read and analyze, write and talk about there own research and others.

 

Many items aimed to improve the participants' skills in writing a short popular scientific text about their research. This resulted in articles about their own research, possible to publish later on in different forums.

Teresa Belcher and Jennie Drew from Science Communication Ltd, UK took care of many of the work shops and practical items during the course for example one appreciated video taping session. 

Presentation in popular science writing. Click to down load (pdf)

Tips for successful popular science writing. Click to down load (pdf)

 

Interview sessions with real journalists

To manage an interview with a journalist and be able to present the main message and news for the journalist were some of the objectives with the course and in there were several training items. The "elevator pitch" and interviewing each other were two of those. In addition, the course participants met journalist students from Södertörns högskola and journalists who interviewed them. The journalists will write articles about their research. In this way, the course participants in short time could improve their skills in giving interviews.

Journalists, journalist students from Södertörn högskola and course participants in action.

And now?

As a follow up, we have created the Facebook group "CASCADE course Communicating research to the public and media". Here can the course participants and course teachers could keep in touch with each other after the physical course ended. In this way, we will be able to share ideas, best knowledge and good advices on how to spread research and excellence throughout Europe. 

Future prospects

Additional documents

The final course programme (pdf)

Course announcement (pdf)

Contact

Please contact Teaching manager Johanna Zilliacus johanna.zilliacus@ki.se or Communication manager Jill Jönsson  jill.jonsson@ki.se if you have any question about the course.