science communication through digital media
80% of researchers agree that outreach is important.
And there are many reasons to begin communicating science:
- a sense of obligation towards the taxpayer
- a sense of social responsibility
- a need for public support
- a mandate from funding programs
- a need for personal development
- a need for a hobby
But, the skills needed to communicate with lay audiences online are not part of the traditional academic career training.
This is why I want to help researchers choose a medium to try (first) and the basic knowledge necessary for a good start.
My upcoming online course will provide
- the basics of communication using digital media
- step-by-step procedures to produce digital SciComm content
- a practical overview over my creation processes
I am Dennis
I have a PhD in neuroscience and following more than a decade of research experience at internationally renowned institutions, I became an independent science communicator in 2019.
I have media experience from
- creating informational videos
- creating science communication podcasts
- writing and fact checking web video scripts for science journalists
- managing social media accounts for a SciComm event organizer
- running a rotating-curation account on Twitter
There have been many delays for a plethora of reasons, which is why I can not give you a publication date at this point.
The current outline of the course
PART 1: Universal Communication Basics
- Introduction
- 1. 4 Steps for Successful Communication
Lecture 2: 4 Steps to Communication.
- 2.1. Grabbing Attention
- 2.2. Satisfy Expectation
- 2.3.1. Engagement through Storytelling
- 2.3.2. Engagement through Pacing
- 2.4. Calls to Action
PART 2: Practicable Advice
Lecture 3: Gathering Material
- 3.1. Reporting – What do I need to cover?
- 3.2. Interview others: Asking the right questions.
- 3.3. Multimedia Resources
Lecture 4: From Outline to Text, Script and Storyboard
- 4.1. Writing: Blogs, Scripts and Storyboards
Lecture 5: Audiovisual communication
- 5.1. Audio: Sound, Recording, Mic-Technique, Editing, Gear
- 5.2. Video: Lighting, Recording, On-Camera-Performance, Editing, Gear
Lecture 6: My Production Processes
- 6.1. How I Microblog (Twitter)
- 6.2. How I Podcast
- 6.3. How I create web videos
- 6.4. How I create short-form Videos (< 60s)
Lecture 7: Attracting an Audience
- 7.1. Marketing & SEO
- 7.2. Building Community on Social Platforms
PART 3:
Lecture 8: Being a Science Communicator
- 8.1. Strategy for busy researchers.
- 8.2. Represent.