ASC

Members of the scicomm community may have noticed a shift in our brand over the last few months as we rolled out a new name on social media, teased it at the Science Talk ‘22 annual conference, and now launched a new and improved website.  It’s official: Science Talk has changed its name to the […]

In the latest Association of Science Communications (ASC) Q&A, ASC’s Dr. Allison Coffin discusses science communications from a foundation perspective with Russ Campbell, Director of Science Communications and Strategic Partnerships & Senior Communications Officer for Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF), a private foundation that supports biomedical research, career development for scientists, and STEM education in N.C. Allison Coffin: Can you […]

Dr. Allison Coffin and Dr. Kiki Sanford from the Association of Science Communicators (ASC), formerly Science Talk, sat down with Jessica McNellis from s2s Public Relations and Communications to breakdown their favorite moments from the 2022 Science Talk Conference, the unexpected challenges organizing a hybrid event, and what they have planned for next year. Hosting your first in-person event […]

At Science Talk 2022, hundreds of science communicators from around the world shared their expertise and made new connections. In my previous post, I wrote about my experience meeting fellow science communicators in person for the first time. Today, I’m going to share my personal takeaways from the workshops and talks at the conference. Out of the […]

Get a group of science communicators in a room, and you’re in for a fascinating conversation. Extend that gathering for two full days, and you’ll gain insights that will reshape how you approach your work. That was my experience at Science Talk 2022. I arrived knowing almost no one. My shift from physics and math […]

In a special guest Q&A, Science Talk’s Dr. Kiki Sanford sat down with Brooke Smith, Director of Public Engagement with Science at The Kavli Foundation, and Rick Borchelt, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, to talk about key themes discussed during last year’s SciPEP (Science Public Engagement Partnership) Conference and […]

First principles of communication, science-specific or otherwise, require both a transmitter of information and a receiver. And if you are to be successful then it’s vital to create – and maintain – a connection between the two. The internet contains almost all of the information in the history of our species. But if you can’t connect to […]

This post is part of series on “The Many Arms of SciComm” which will introduce concepts and ideas leading up to Science Talk ’22. Registration is open until March 16th. Four years ago today I left my position at UNC Research to start my career as a full-time freelance photographer, videographer, and science writer. Four years. That’s 1,461 days. It […]

This post is part of series on “The Many Arms of SciComm” which will introduce concepts and ideas leading up to Science Talk ’22. Registration is open until March 16th. It’s 7 am and I’ve pulled my second all-nighter this week because I can’t sleep. Over the past two years, the COVID pandemic has slowly became […]

As science communicators, it is our responsibility to translate & communicate scientific findings in such a way that “Science” (with a capital S) inspires confidence among anyone who could potentially be impacted by them. Reaching out to those with differing perspectives with the goal of understanding is essential to truly earning trust, especially among those who have been historically ignored or harmed. Climate, environment, health, technology… all the places where science intersects with society require attention from the science communication community.

The end of December often brings a lot of dormant feelings to the forefront. Winter holidays, breaks from work and school, and the culmination of another year can bring peace, excitement, nervousness, and often…wonder. Have you ever felt, even subconsciously, wonder with science in popular media? Did you know it’s there for a reason? David Kirby […]

Science communications has been under an intense microscope for almost two years. With public engagement in science at the core of that scrutiny, we were eager to dive into how it has trickled into university research programs.​ In a special guest Q&A, Science Talk’s Dr. Allison Coffin sat down with Susan Renoe from the University of Missouri and Advancing Research […]

Last week, I talked about how Compassionate Science Communication can provide value for and have lasting impact on our audiences. It requires the communicators to first learn what our audiences care about before offering a relevant scientific perspective. How? Let’s review the steps that guide the process:  Listen: Approach our audience with curiosity—ask questions, listen, try to […]

Imagine you have been wanting a pair of orange shoes for a long time. You finally find a pair that would go perfectly with your favorite orange outfit and are feeling pretty happy after trying them on! A salesperson then approaches you and says: You shouldn’t get those orange shoes. They don’t pair well with […]

The COVID-19 pandemic taught scientists that the way in which scientists communicate science impacts global communities. Lecturers that teach science communication (also called SciComm) at various levels draw upon and recognize the importance that all forms of science communication play in society — not just in their own lives, but in their students’ lives, too. […]

Advocates of the arts often talk about their transformative potential—for both the individual learner or practitioner and society at large. This is especially true in the context of improving scientific and critical thinking skills. Approaches employed in the arts can enable scientists, science communicators, and the general public to critically examine questions of method (scientific […]

From climate change, vaccines and virus developments to artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and diversity and inclusion: science is saturated with new research and technological advancements. So which conversations can we expect to steal the limelight over the next few years?  Science Talk’s Dr. Allison Coffin and Dr. Kiki Sanford sat down with Jessica McNellis from s2s Public […]

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “chemistry”?We asked, and the answers will probably not shock you. Out of the hundreds of people surveyed in our Perception of Chemistry Survey, positive responses like “It’s amazing” were few and far between — our responses primarily ranged from “boring” and “difficult” to […]

This resource was featured in How Science Communication Can Improve Your Career on Neuronline. Visit today to read more. In our column, we’ve previously blogged about lecturing about SciComm and different SciComm exercises you can do in your class. In this post, we provide some do’s and don’ts for developing a SciComm module or course for your students. Do: Recognize that a core goal […]

Identity politics has permeated vaccine hesitancy, opinions on climate change, and society’s response to the COVID-19 virus. We are living in a moment in history where identity politics is playing its most prominent role in scientific conversations.   Science Talk’s Dr. Allison Coffin and Dr. Kiki Sanford sat down with Jessica McNellis from s2s Public Relations and Communications to discuss […]

This resource was featured in How Science Communication Can Improve Your Career on Neuronline. Visit today to read more. We’ve previously blogged for Science Talk about how to lecture about science communication. In this post, we’ll talk about practical science communication exercises that educators can use, and discuss a few do’s and don’ts in undertaking these exercises in the classroom. […]

This resource was featured in How Science Communication Can Improve Your Career on Neuronline. Visit today to read more. University science programs, both undergraduate and graduate, have an exceptional variety of scientists conducting ground-breaking, cutting-edge work. However, these research institutions do not often train students in effective science communication. That’s not to say that some universities have not made […]

Reflecting on the fifth annual Science Talk Conference that wrapped in March, we were surprised at the emphasis around empathy in science communications in multiple keynotes, panels and industry workshops. Coming off a year when the value of science communication has never hit closer to home, we decided it was worth discussing more. Science Talk’s Dr. […]