Ideas, insights, and 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.
Know your audience
When I ask scientists, researchers and academics WHO they want to reach, one phrase comes up time and time again: the āgeneral publicā. But who is this mysterious āgeneralā public? Does a stockbroker have the same values and priorities as a social worker? A...
Look UP! Thatās what I am taking from āDonāt look upā.
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 āgeneral publicā can understand and hopefully act upon. Many of the people I coach and train are natural scientists who...
#Watch – Alan Alda On Why Communication Is So Important To Science
The unforgettable Alan Alda chats to Stephen Colbert on The Late Show about why it is so important for researchers and scientists to communicate their science clearly. Our favourite quote (paraphrased) is: “Communication is important in all aspects of relating. In fact, we had an FBI hostage negotiator on one of our podcasts who told us that the skills he uses to negotiate with hostages can be very useful in a marriage…”
Do you inadvertently turn your statements into questions? Hereās why (and how) to stop.
Read this out loud: Youāre giving a presentation? Thatāsā¦ good news? Except that youāre 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 youāre...
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 SnowĀ
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. Theyāre often text heavy. You canāt do much with the formatting (no...
A better (simpler) way to design posters?
Mike Morrison’s “better poster” design keeps the focus on the poster presenter whilst giving easy access to research. Ready to try it?
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. Paulās 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.
What else might be useful to you today?
Expert talks & skills training
Bite-sized sessions or deep dives to strengthen communication skills quickly and effectively.
Retreats & offsite programmes
Bite-sized sessions or deep dives to strengthen communication skills quickly and effectively.
Strategic workshops for teams & leaders
Facilitated planning and strategy workshops for communication teams and science communicators.