Insights & resources
Our portal of insights and resources is full of useful tips, videos, and links to resources that we think you’ll find useful in your pursuit of excellent research communication.
The right title for your audience
“Little Mermaid’s umbrella turns up in the Andamans”. What does this title say to you? If you saw it turning up in your local paper, accompanied by a photo of an interesting plant, would you want to click and read more? For us, this title made us think “Ooh, the...
Interactive scientific posters: visual, interactive, unforgettable
On my internet wanderings today, I found myself on the iF Design website, mouth agape as I explored an interactive poster designed by The Science Communication Lab. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbxCGCGYrg4 Entitled "Explore the Ocean" the poster was designed to...
Impressions from Pint of Science 2022, the Innsbruck edition
Pint of Science Innsbruck in Innsbruck, 9-11 May 2022. Five themes, five venues, three nights, and over thirty intrepid speakers from a range of research areas and scientific disciplines. And, of course, beer! [gallery...
Know your audience
When I ask scientists, researchers and academics WHO they want to reach, one phrase comes up time and time again: the “general public”. But who is this mysterious “general” public? Does a stockbroker have the same values and priorities as a social worker? A...
Look UP! That’s what I am taking from “Don’t look up”.
I am privileged to be able to spend my days working with scientists who want to learn how to turn their academic findings into information that the “general public” can understand and hopefully act upon. Many of the people I coach and train are natural scientists who...
Do you inadvertently turn your statements into questions? Here’s why (and how) to stop.
Read this out loud: You’re giving a presentation? That’s… good news? Except that you’re a little nervous? And hesitant? And so you start raising your pitch at the end of every sentence? Everything you say starts to sound like a question, even when you know what you’re...
Remembering names is part of communicating well. Here’s why, and how to do it brilliantly!
A quick summary (for the time-poor) Remembering someone's name and pronouncing it correctly is a key part of making a positive impression. It's also part of being a good communicator. Not bothering to remember someone's name or continually pronouncing it incorrectly,...
Telling a data story: visualising the spread of cholera with Dr. John Snow
Necessity is the mother of invention, and in the mid-1800s, understanding the spread of cholera was a matter of life and death. Cholera was a ruthlessly efficient killer, with both rapid onset and severe symptoms. By the time the disease made its way to London and New...
Make your LinkedIn profiles, posts, and articles POP with a symbol or two
Your LinkedIn profile may be one of your first touchpoints with potential partners, employers, employees, and random interesting people. The challenge is that there are millions of LinkedIn profiles. They’re often text heavy. You can’t do much with the formatting (no...
Making presentations “sticky” with stories
I love this story: Christopher Wren was a famous English architect and builder who lived from 1632-1723. Legend has it that he was walking past three stone cutters working on the rebuilding of St. Paul’s cathedral. He asked them each what they were doing. The first...
Recommended resources
Book of the month
We love this because it’s a great resource for scientists and researchers who want to learn how to tell stories with data, not simply throw a few graphs at people and expect them to work it out for themselves!
Podcast of the month
We love this because funding is crucial for researchers. Prof. Roger Barker gives an honest account of his experience and his current perspective, facilitated expertly by the insightful Dr. Sandrine Soubes.
Resource of the month
We love this because being able to frame conversations in a way that makes them meaningful for the people we want to reach is an essential skill that can be learned and fine-tuned over time.