This document discusses effective science communication. It notes that traditional methods assume people are rational actors, but research shows most behavior is unconscious and influenced by others. The document recommends knowing your audience and their interests. It advocates using images to tell stories and conveying just a few key messages or slides. The document also suggests thinking like a journalist by focusing on compelling stories, relevance, and concise explanations of why findings matter. Overall it emphasizes crafting clear, memorable messages and reinforcing them consistently across communications.

1. Communicating science
Martin Pastoors
ICES/PICES Young Scientists Conference, Mallorca, 24 April 2012

3. Credits
Kristian Teleki Sarah Kraak
Vice President SeaWeb University College Cork

4. What is the issue with science?
Cartoon by Ian McGee (1997)

5. Science Society
Background
Finding
Supporting
Detail So What?
Finding
Bottom line

6. How we like to think about ourselves
• People are rational
• We always make
conscious decisions
• We are self-
determining individuals
We are clever
and intellectual

7. So information would simply flow ...

8. Traditional science communication

9. The Truth
• There is no rational
wo/man.
• Most behaviour is
unconscious.
• We’re influenced mainly
by those around us.
We are social !
Even scientists.

10. Know your audience

11. Why me, why
this, why now

12. Make choices how you
deliver your message

13. Your shopping cart for today
1. Don’t do this 2. Power of image 3. Just five slides
4. Think journalist 5. Best practices 6. Summing up

14. Don’t do this
Some observations at the ICES Annual Science
Conference 2010, Nantes

20. Things to hate about
communications

21. Being unnecessarily
complicated

22. Nagging people

23. Absence of a clear
story

24. Being boring

25. The power of images

26. (1984) Afghan Girl , Steve McCurry

27. SeaWeb PhotoBank

28. Images provide for
ASSOCIATIONS
Learning

29. Telling stories with images:
practical
Can I find 11 volunteers who will speak 20
seconds each?

43. Images are powerful:
use them!

44. First five slides method
1 2 3 4 5
Cliff Atkinson: Beyond Bullet Points

45. 1 What is the context (where, when)
Waar, wanneer?
Research funding is getting
restricted due to economic
situation.

46. 2 Relevance for the audience (you!)
Waar, wanneer?
Young scientists need to
better sell their research
findings to attract funding.

47. 3 What challenge do I face?
Waar, wanneer?
Scientist are not trained very
well in communication.

48. 4 Where do I want to be?
Waar, wanneer?
Become an effective
communicator on my
scientific results.

49. 5 How do we get there? Three messages
Waar, wanneer?
1. Focus on the message
2. Use the power of image
3. Think like a journalist

50. Full story in 5 steps

51. Think like a journalist

52. Common grounds
• Curious
• Analytical
• Skeptical
• Motivated
• Competitive

53. Experts and journalists have A LOT in
common in their search for
knowledge…
and NOTHING in common when
reporting their results.

54. Science & Journalist
Background
Finding
Supporting
Detail So What?
Finding
Bottom line

55. What journalists need from you
• A compelling STORY
• Ability to explain “so what?”
• Ability to be concise, to the point
• Connections to more sources
• Relevant, timely responses to inquiries

56. Stories packaged in a message box
Problems?
Benefits? Issue So What?
Solutions?

57. Myers and Worm, 2003
How did they turn
the analysis of
abundance of
predatory fish into a
compelling story
that spurred people
to action?

58. Problems?
Overfishing removed 90% of
large fish
Benefits? So What?
Maintain Threathens
economic and functioning of
ecological ocean
value in future ecosystems
Solutions?
Fishing effort needs to be
reduced

59. Think like a journalist when
“presenting” your findings

60. Best practices
( 6 8 rules )

61. Rule 1: Not more than three messages.
More is confusing

62. Rule 2: Messages are reinforced by
images, statistics and anecdotes

63. Rule 3: repeat messages often

64. Rule 4: Be personal

65. Rule 5: address the audience

66. Rule 6: Self explanatory

67. Rule 7: Messages take time to create.
Don’t rush the process

68. Rule 8: Consistent messages
in all your communications

69. Summing up

70. Message
Message
Message

71. SeaWeb PhotoBank

72. Try the first 5 slides method
1 2 3 4 5

73. Science & Society
Background
Finding
Supporting
Detail So What?
Finding
Bottom line

74. Communication leads to community,
that is, to understanding, intimacy and
mutual valuing.”
Rollo May

75. martin.pastoors@wur.nl