SciComm BASICS | Science and the World Out There - How to Communicate Your Research to a Non-Scientific Audience in an Understandable Way

Description

When you are used to discussing complex issues with colleagues – using scientific jargon and nerding about the finest nuances – shifting your perspective to look from a layman’s perspective is hard. To a large degree, that’s to blame on the so-called “Curse of Knowledge” – the peculiar phenomenon that the more we know about something, the harder it becomes to talk about it in simple terms.

But simple terms is exactly what’s required when speaking to non-scientists. This workshop helps you make that shift. We’re going to take a look from the other side to answer question like these:

How do you find these simple words when you’re deep into the details? And how can you explain the relevance of your research to someone who’s highly skeptical of it? How can you spark curiosity even if you think your topic is “super dry”? And where do you find simple explanations that could rival a good TikTok video – while remaining true to your science? How can you make your talk interesting without becoming sensationalist?