Chalk Talks are a key component of faculty interviews and other informal presentations. But what does a Chalk Talk look like? We’ve curated some examples for you.
![Instagram for Researchers: A Breakdown of Content Types and How to Use Them to Share Your Work [2024]](https://bunny-wp-pullzone-1pwhmcn5fx.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024-instagram-post-types-1080x675.jpg)
Confident communication for researchers, scientists and science communicators
We empower researchers, scientists, and science communicators to connect, collaborate, and communicate effectively.
From tailored training and coaching to strategic workshops and expert facilitation, we help you share your work confidently with expert and non-expert audiences alike.
Training & Coaching
Skills-focused group learning scientists, reearchers and communicators, and one-to-one coaching for individuals who want to focus and improve independently.
Strategic Workshops
Participatory workshops and collaborative sessions to help research groups, teams, and communicators define, refine, and achieve communication objectives.
Expert Facilitation
Professional facilitation and moderation for scientific meetings and conferences, panels, retreats and events to add structure, guide conversations, and make sure that all voices are heard.
Who we’ve helped
From universities and research organisations to learned societies and conference organisers, to individual scientists and researchers, we work with individuals and organisations around the world.
How can we help you?
Your trusted partner for building research communication skills, sharing science, and helping scientists, researchers and communicators connect with expert and non-expert audiences.
How can we help you?
Expert-led training programmes, interactive learning, and webinars proven to build and embed skills
Our training
In person, live online, or with a blending-learning approach – we offer communication training for scientists, researchers and communicators when they need it and how they need it.
Where do you want to go today?
Popular
Natural presentation skills for scientists and researchers
Learn how communicate complex messages and research results clearly and effectively. We’ll start by getting to know your style, strengths and areas for improvement, and together, we’ll learn to plan, craft, and deliver presentations that resonate with expert and non-expert audiences alike.
Expect hands-on learning and continuous feedback to help you present better in person and online, and build essential transferrable skills along the way.
Clear, confident visual communication of science and research
An interactive training programme to teach participants how to communicate science and research effectively by applying visual communication best practices. Ideal for those seeking to improve slides, posters, scientific figures and graphic abstracts.
Combines useful theory, practical advice, feedback on participant materials and a chance to apply learning.
Individual and small-group coaching to build skills and practise them – at speed
Do you have a big talk coming up? Do you need one-to-one help to prepare for a chalk talk, faculty, or interview presentation? Do you want to learn practical skills quickly with the support of someone skilled in your area of interest?
Coaching might be the right approach for you.
Our coaching starts with a discovery call to identify your needs and goals so that we can tailor our sessions with you in mind. Expect a combination of guidance, feedback, and accountability to help you skill-up quickly and communicate at your best.
Collaborative, facilitated workshops that unleash creativity, prompt conversations and lead to actionable outcomes
Research and science thrive on interaction, collaboration, and shared insights—but enabling meaningful dialogue isn’t always straightforward. As experienced facilitators, we design custom workshops, structured conversations and meaningful meetings for organisations and groups working in science and research.
Learn more about
Facilitated workshops
Supporting science and research events with a unique combination of facilitation, training, coaching, moderation and hosting expertise
We put all our superpowers at your service to support and host a wide variety of science and research event formats, from research collaboration retreats to science communication gathering, and career development events to public engagement experiences.
Learn more about
Flexible event support
Bite-sized learning
Short webinars, learning sessions and mini-workshops for groups of 6-100. Book a session for a group, for a university-wide or organisation-wide strategic communication series, or offer conference attendees a chance to develop new skills as part of your event.
Our bite-sized sessions cover a range of topics, including:
- Storytelling and narrative in research communication
- Social media for researchers
- The power of plain language in research communication
- Podcasting basics for researchers and science communicators
- Finding, editing and using images to bring research communication to life
- Video editing for researchers and science communication
- And more…
Do you have an idea in mind for a short online workshop or series of workshops? Tell us! We love designing workshops customised to the needs of the participants. Choose from some of our popular topics, or get in touch for a custom-designed session.
Training formats
The world is changing. Attention spans are shorter. The demands on working and studying scientists to “get stuff done” are greater than ever before. And teams are distributed in many different locations. With that in mind, we provide training in different formats depending on your needs.
For groups
Webinars and online masterclasses
For talks, short training sessions, and facilitated “skill injection” experiences for your group, we offer interactive live-and-online sessions (using Zoom or similar platforms).
The “blended learning approach”
For longer programmes, we offer a blended learning approach that involves self-learning; individual assignments; group exercises; and engaging live-and-online sessions to tackle challenges, put skills into practice, and give and receive feedback.
Instead of exhausting participants with too much time in the group, we provide time and space for knowledge to sink in over multiple sessions. This approach caters to all learning styles – there is something for everyone! – and the “chunked” approach to learning makes it easy for participants to make time for the workshop in their busy schedules. New skills can be put to use in “real life” throughout the training, allowing participants to build confidence incrementally over a series of weeks or months.
Ask us about how this approach is great for team building and encouraging interdisciplinary working, too.
In-person intensives
For multi-day workshops, training programmes and learning events, we offer engaging and lively live-and-in-person experiences.
These are ideal for organisations and participants who can commit the time and budget to be present and engaged over several days—not always easy when people have submission deadlines, urgent meetings, or have to find time to work in the breaks.
To keep energy levels high, our intensive in-person programmes are carefully designed with the group in mind, combining practical small group and individual activities with need-to-know theory, and lots of time to learn new skills AND put them into practice in a safe space. Tangible outcomes are built into the programme design so that participants can put their new science communication toolkit to use immediately.
For individuals
Learn in your own time
Join one of our on-going online courses for a combination of always-available video learning and individual assignments. One-to-one coaching and individual feedback on assignments is optional.
Webinars and online masterclasses
Sign up for our short public training sessions and facilitated “skill injection” experiences. These learning opportunities are typically 1-4 hours in length and are delivered using an interactive live-and-online approach (using Zoom or similar platforms).
Public courses
We offer a handful of science communication programmes each year that individual students, researchers and scientists can join online from anywhere in the world.
Our live-and-online science communication training is delivered using a blended learning approach that involves self-learning; individual assignments; group exercises; and engaging live-and-online sessions to tackle challenges, put skills into practice, and give and receive feedback.
Instead of exhausting you with a full-day workshop, these courses are delivered over multiple short sessions, with time between each session for you to apply your knowledge, try out new things, and get ready for the next installment.
Bite-sized, need-to-know theory and loads of opportunities to put apply your newfound skills is the main focus of these programmes.
Lots to think about in changing times. Why not arrange a time to chat about pros and cons?
How it works
Our science communication training and workshops are designed for researchers in science, technology, engineering, medicine and social sciences. If you are interested in building your skills, the skills of a group, or simply raise awareness about science communication at a scientific event, there are several ways that we can help you. What’s on your mind?
What learners and organisers say
Collaborating with Suzanne to organize a virtual workshop on the social media landscape in 2023 for Boston University researchers was a pleasure and a resounding success. From the initial planning stages to the workshop's execution, Suzanne’s expertise and passion for science communication were evident at every step. Her attention to detail and consideration of the diverse audience at BU ensured that the content was not only intellectually stimulating but also accessible to researchers with varying backgrounds. Suzanne’s enthusiasm proved contagious, creating an atmosphere of active participation and shared learning. I look forward to future collaborations!
This was a good refresher on best practice planning and design for posters. I particularly enjoyed the sessions on tools for choosing colour palettes, which I have since used in other communication materials, and the discussion about online and virtual conferences, which was an eye-opener for me during COVID. Thank you, Suzanne!
Loved this. So much information and still time for some good discussions with fellow students. I look forward to being able to use some of the ideas when I create my first poster.
I have just completed SciComm Success' Poster Design Workshop. It was full of interesting tips and tools, some of which I have already built into my poster planning. Although we had a big group and I expected a lecture/webinar format, Suzanne constantly invited us to provide feedback and our own experiences, and I enjoyed hearing what fellow biologists like and don't. I liked that the group was international and enjoyed the flexible and informal discussions - some via chat, some using whiteboards, some simple audio discussion. It felt as if we could all contribute, wherever we were. I would recommend this workshop for anyone new to creating posters for conferences. It would probably be a good refresher for poster presenters, too. Thank you, SEB, for the opportunity.
Working with us is as easy as 1,2,3…
We like to keep things simple. Here’s what to expect:
First, get in touch
Book a FREE exploration session to get started. You can tell us about what you want and need, we can brainstorm ideas, and together, we can explore the possibilities.
Second, get some ideas
Based on what you’ve told us, we will put together a proposal for you outlining our recommended approach to science communication training based on your input, along with the all-important outcomes, costs, and timescales.
Third, get started
Once you’re happy with what we’ve proposed, we’ll get to work on what needs to happen to make your science communication training a success.
Ready to build your science communication skills? We’d love to hear from you.
We believe that all good things start with a conversation.
Book a Zoom call with us (choose a date and time that’s right for you) or use the contact form to get in touch and tell us about what you need.
Why does science communication matter? Why should you bother sharing your research with non-experts?
Make an impact outside the “ivory towers” – science matters more than ever, but it’s not helpful if your research is locked behind a paywall, or is presented in jargon that only specialists can understand. If your research can help policy makers and voters make better decisions, or instil a love of science in young and old, or spark meaningful debates and discussions, or encourage critical thinking, or simply share the wonder of the world around us, then it’s worth sharing.
Give your scientific career a boost – raise your academic profile and the visibility of your research, and you’ll have a better chance of becoming more connected to your scientific communities, being seen by the organisations and research groups you want to be part of as you build your career.
Stand up for science – use your understanding of the scientific process and your specialist area to debunk fake facts and use communication as a tool for explaining why science matters; why an objective assessment of facts and data underpin decisions that affect society and the environment today and in the future; and recapture people’s trust in science and scientists.
