EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Explaining Science beyond the science

community

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Giving societysomething that is

critically important:

knowledge

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Overview

• Intro

• part I: mission statement

• part II: making it happen

• workshop

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Intro: Why ”explain” science?

• scientists

• decisions

• culture

• world-vision

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

How to ”explain” science …

• no single correct formula

• share a model

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

DIVERSITY

1 the state of being diverse. 2 a diverse range; a variety.

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

DIVERSITY

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

DIVERSITY

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Part I

building a mission

statement

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

hand model

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

what?

•What is the story?

•What response do you want?

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

why?

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

who? …

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

how?

• Strategic plan

• Communication team

• Modular

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

What?Why?

Who?

Where?

When?

How?

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Mission Statement Strategic Plan

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EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Part II

making it happen

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

awareness engagementunderstanding

planting seeds …

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Tell ’em

• Tell ’em what you’re gonna tell ’em

• Tell ’em

• Tell ’em what you told ’em

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

KISS

• Keep

• It

• Simple

• Stupid

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

European Science Awards - Science Communication Prize

•communication excellence•awareness-raising tool

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

pyramid to success …

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Commitment

• leadership

• commitment

• communication team

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Planning

• network building

• record keeping

• products

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Start with a calendar …

Earth Day Ocean Day

Easter

Winter week

Conference

Funding deadline

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

pre-planning activity

products

evaluation

products activity

activity

activity

activity

evaluation

evaluation

evaluation

productsproducts

products

products

products

products products

Project time line …

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

diversity

• strategies networking

web

print, graphics, multi-media

schools

press

events

info packs

combinations

• specialists scientists vs non

PhDs, MSc, post-doc

pedagogs

external

web

PR

journalists

graphics, multi-media

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

diversity

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

modular …

press

schools

scienceon

buses

workshops

malls

web

infopacks

confer-ences

film

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Summary

• handful of questions

• pyramid for success

• planting seeds

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Tell ’em what?

Ultimately, what matters is what your audience wants to know, not what you want to tell them.

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Audience

Story

Strategy

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

decision-makers

research

funding sources

employers

other scientists

future scientists

clients

Audience

• know your audience

• shoes

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

facts

story story

facts

Finding the story

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Telling your story

• language (KISS)

• metaphor

• zoom

• stop

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

research artic

le

post

er

press release

fact sheet

news clip

interview

newspaper column

popular science journal

short documentaryfilm

web p

age

Picking the right strategy

• context that works

• collaboration

• modular

• timing

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

•There you have it!

•Get out there

•and

•… GO FOR IT!

•Kick A.S.S.!

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

You’ve been told!

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Thank youAcknowledgements:

Odd Aksel Berstad and the MAR-ECO Public Outreach team

The Education and Outreach team at CoML

Rolf-Birger Pedersen and the researchers at the Centre for Geobiology

Participants in the Teacher-at-Sea Programme

Stein Unger Hitland for unfailing technological support

… and many more …

www.uib.no

www.mar-eco.no

www.geobio.uib.no

EASE 2008European Academy for Scientific Explainers

Break

= 10 min