Communicating with Media, Funders,
Policymakers, and the Public

Thursday, January 16, 2020
8AM-7PM
Coffman Memorial Union
300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis
Register NOW!

Land-grant research universities like ours were created to share knowledge with the broader community. It is part of our mission and something we all care deeply about. For scientists and researchers, that call to communicate has taken on special resonance in recent years as debates about vaccines, evolution and climate change point to a divergence between scientific consensus and public opinion.

Speaking Science is a science communication conference designed to help scientists, engineers, and other researchers develop stronger storytelling skills that will make their work understandable and compelling to the media, thought leaders, potential funders and general audiences. The conference is specifically designed to provide faculty, post-docs and graduate students across the University of Minnesota with a unique opportunity to learn how to better communicate their science to audiences beyond the academic community.

The one-day conference will feature special guests including President Joan Gabel, an all-star media panel, a keynote speech by national best-selling author of Lab Girl and award-winning scientist Hope Jahren. The afternoon is focused on in-depth interactive trainings, and break-out sessions that include mock interviews with local journalists that will provide participants with invaluable feedback about how to frame their research in the most compelling way possible.

What You Will Learn

In interactive and small-group sessions, you will explore and understand the techniques of effectively telling the story about the impact of your research.

Build your storytelling toolkit

• Identify your “big idea.”
• Transform technical language into accessible information.
• Talk about your research by telling stories that everyone will understand.

Focus your message

• Determine the purpose in telling your story.
• Clarify the action you would like people to take after hearing your story.
• Discover new ways to craft your message to engage your audience.
• Develop a short, understandable summary of your research.

Define your audience

• Find and define your audience.
• Determine where to tell your story.
• Discover what stories resonate with various audiences.
• Build a plan for promoting your research.