Cooked Illustrations’ Post

Science and Headline - Where Do They Meet? The intersection of science and headlines is a fascinating domain where the rigor of scientific inquiry meets the art of engaging communication. In today’s information-saturated world, crafting headlines that capture the essence of scientific discoveries while enticing the reader to delve deeper is an art form. These headlines must balance accuracy with intrigue, ensuring that they are not only clickable but also faithful representations of the science they describe. This balance is crucial for fostering an informed public that appreciates the nuances of scientific advancements. Journalists and communicators play a pivotal role in translating complex scientific concepts into accessible language that resonates with the general audience. The challenge lies in simplifying the science without losing the substance, a task that requires a deep understanding of both the subject matter and the audience's interests and comprehension levels. Effective science headlines spark curiosity and provide a gateway to deeper understanding, encouraging readers to explore the full breadth of the research and its implications for society. Moreover, in an era where misinformation can spread rapidly, the responsibility of crafting accurate and informative headlines has never been more critical. Science headlines that meet at the crossroads of accuracy and engagement have the power to educate, inspire, and even change public perception and policy. They are a testament to the importance of science communication in shaping an informed, curious, and critically thinking society.

Great stories connect, engage, and are memorable —why not use #storytelling to communicate your work? 🎤 The FOODSTORIES Project, of which EUFIC is a part, has created free resources to help professors, researchers and scientists in the food sector bring their workshops, events, and daily communication to the next level! 🚀  Explore what’s available: 📚 Exercises toolbox: 19 storytelling exercises and theoretical insights to guide you. 🗣️ Facilitator’s guide: Practical tips and recommendations for running storytelling exercises in group settings.  What are you waiting for⁉️  🔗 Download the resources here: https://lnkd.in/gCj_u_bA

Asking for your thoughts/help/advice! I want to make cool, digital science communication projects that teach you something before you realise you are looking at something "educational". I wonder, "What would science communication look like if a cool brand did it?" My goal as a creative professional is to help create a new approach to science communication that could compete with whatever else the internet throws at you. No more vector drawings of little figurines in lab coats, but interactive data visualisations, a page that lets you experience synesthesia (e.g. associating numbers with colours), or calculate your lithium footprint. That's why I started a platform called Curiosity Odyssey. It's a prototype of this "new wave" and I like where things are going. Yet finding a way forward can be a challenge. While many agree that narrowing the gap between science and society is important, funding opportunities are few and far between. Opportunities often focus on helping academics communicate their research. But isn't the issue that academics are not communicators, designers, or writers? If science communication wants to burst out of its confines, it should become more multidisciplinary. Somehow, Danish breweries, like Carlsberg Group, seem to be the odd ones out by providing funding for this kind of work (to which I have applied). So, after my long-winded intro, I want to ask you two things: 🌻 What do you think of this analysis (and am I missing something)? 🌼 Where should I look, and who should I talk to? - - - P.S. There are plenty of examples of incredible science communication that are pushing science communication into a new direction, such as: 🌌 Every video by in a nutshell – kurzgesagt 🍮 The Pudding: https://pudding.cool/ 📰 Some multimedia stories by Reuters such as this one: https://lnkd.in/eBap5ibd

Reflecting on Science Communication (Part 1) 💡 Last week, I attended a workshop on the Basics of Science Communication with two amazing facilitators, Jens Foell and Stina Börchers from Nawik and it was a real eye-opener. I realized that many of the people (family and friends included) I talk to about my work might not fully understand what I do, either due to differences in background knowledge or perhaps how I present the information to them. Too often, these conversations end with responses like "interesting" or "oh nice," which, while polite, might indicate that my message didn’t fully connect. 😬 I learnt just how crucial it is to communicate science clearly and accurately—and sometimes as simply as possible—so that anyone, even without a scientific background, can relate to the concepts and topics we’re passionate about. At the end of the day, the outcomes of the work we do are meant to benefit our societies at large, one way or the other. Through social media, I’ve seen numerous science communicators in various fields who are making science accessible and engaging. The likes of Rumbidzai Takawira, Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa (Ruvhy) (I follow their content closely, and it is truly inspiring), and my former Uni-mate Shamiso Banda—who frequently shares amazing content on her YouTube channel—are just a few examples. They, along with many others, are doing a fantastic job of translating scientific research for communities and raising awareness on critical issues. In short, it’s vital for researchers, programmers, and professionals from all disciplines to communicate their work in a way that resonates with any audience. I am a Hydrologist, and a Researcher, but Science Communication resonates with me too, and i would love to explore that more! So, in my next post, I’ll take on the challenge of explaining what I do in layman’s terms—let’s see how it goes! 🙂 #sciencecommunication #STEM

📜 Using Storytelling in Science Communication 🗨️ When comparing collecting scientific data with communicating scientific findings, there's a huge difference. You often run multiple experiments simultaneously to answer different research questions, resulting in complex and complicated data. ❓ There's often no clear beginning to your research question ❓ There's sometimes no clear end ❓ There's always another question coming up As a scientist, you have all the background knowledge of your topic, knowing every small detail of your project. However, to share scientific knowledge, it needs to be more straightforward. ❗ In your communication project, you need one storyline that answers one question. Thus, there should be one clear beginning and one clear end. ✨ #ScienceCommunication #SciComm

In Science v. Story: Narrative Strategies for Science Communicators, Emma Frances Bloomfield parses the complexities of conveying scientific knowledge amid rampant misinformation and eroding public trust. Acknowledging the dual power of narrative to inform and divide, Bloomfield’s engaging text shares tools for crafting effective stories and urges inclusive discourse in the face of polarisation, writes Chris Featherman. #SciComm #Misinformation #Narrative

I'm increasingly approached about supporting research projects with their communications and discussion increasingly turns towards funding. This is progressive and something I have long banged on about; especially as funders see this as important. https://lnkd.in/eDqbbfVV The problem is that despite funder's progressive approach to opening up and sharing research, alongside REF Impact and wider pathways to impact, communications are still often treated as an afterthought or bolt on. It isn't ideal and is also tied to inequality in research communication. https://lnkd.in/exvHXfPi Research communications don't have to be comprehensive, but they do require a strategy and funding. 🔴Else they happen too late 🔴Not at all 🔴Use expensive external consultants due to lack of in-house resource - although external consultants do still play a very important and bespoke role. 🔴They have no legacy. One solution is to develop a research equivalent to the learning technologist that has an understanding to communications, information literacy, technology, metrics and open research. https://lnkd.in/eKZePr9E

There are lots of people posting advice on how to write better papers and grants. It's confusing, sometimes conflicting, and occasionally completely wrong. How do you know who to listen to? 📌 Find out who the person is. Do they have a lot of experience in science communication, and preferably, are they formally trained? If not, don't take their advice too seriously, particularly if it seems too good to be true. 📌 Who follows them? It's not about the number of likes, it's about who is 'liking' it. Check to see if those commenting on posts are Professors, Post-docs and students from labs you know and respect. Finally, it's better (and quicker) to go directly to reputable sources to help you rather than see what's trending on social media, which is determined by opaque algorithms. Ask your institute to organise seminars or workshops from respected and experienced speakers, or access some of these quality resources below: https://lnkd.in/gEcacV4 https://lnkd.in/egBvrQUn Why listen to us?! You can see our team on our website, and many of us have worked at the top journals 😊 . https://lnkd.in/gdMQUiGi

I've been the newsletter editor for the Association of Science Communicators since summer 2022. From the start, I knew I wanted to use this as an opportunity to share the social science of science communication that I was learning in my master's program. Originally my "Connecting Research and Practice" writing appeared only in the newsletter, but now we are posting it to the ASC blog so you all can find it more easily in the future. Each Monday from now through August 5, visit the ASC blog for a short post from me about science communication research and how we can apply it in practice. This week's post is about strategic science communication, a topic that John C. Besley and Anthony Dudo have done a lot of insightful research on. Future topics include how to deal with misinformation, how people think about risks, and how to find scicomm research in journals. I hope you find these posts useful, and let me know if there are any topics you'd like me to cover in future blog posts!

Funders and publishers should roll out policies in ways to support their evaluation. https://lnkd.in/gtSEZN7n #openaccess #shaping #scientific #knowledge #communication #publishing #publications