Spiros Kitsinelis: The Art of Scientific Communication, 20130311

1. Dr Spiros Kitsinelis
Science communicator
&
Research associate at
Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse France
Ehime University – Matsuyama Japan
Email: skitsinelis@ath.forthnet.gr
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2. Science Communication Goal:
Attract new generation to science degrees
Educate public for science topics
Make science and scientists popular
Increase the State’s interest and funding
Reach many audiences
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3. What attracts peoples’ interest
Health – science
Finances – politics
Leisure – sports and arts
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4. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_340_en.pdf
...nearly 80% of Europeans say they are interested in scientific
discoveries and technological developments, compared to 65% interested
in sport.
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5. Open
Accesible Democratic
Understandable
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7. ENJOYABLE – ENTERTAINING – FUN!!!
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8. Learn from existing succeses
Art and Science
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9. Exhibitions
Photography
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12. Novels / Graphics
Anecdotes
Drama
Mystery
Personal stories
Humour
Heroes
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14. Science Theater
• Follow a humorous approach
• Keep duration right (max of 60 mins for pupils)
• Combine topic with time of year (Valentine’s – Christmas)
• Personalise science terms (like chemicals)
• Combine topic with audience (sports for teenagers / cooking for housewives)
• Use props carefully – only when needed
• Language and info according to age group
• Record shows if possible
• Don’t compromise scientific accuracy
• Don’t forget that you are not a professional actor but a scientist
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15. Science film
Film is a powerful medium
A program could reach more people than a lecture /day for a century
- Avoid jargon
- Use images for words
- Bridge the mysterious with every day life
- Focus on importance of topic
- Experiment
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16. Good mix of science and drama
X No fiction with no science or inaccuracies
X Not documentary or film about science
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17. Change stereotypes
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19. 2012 L’Oréal USA For Women In Science Fellows Dr. Jacyln Winter, Dr. Erin Marie
Williams, Dr. Joanna Kelley, Dr. Christina Agapakis, Dr. Lilian Childress, with NYC City
Council Speaker Christine Quinn (Fourth from left). Photo courtesy of L’Oréal USA .
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/15/researchers-examining-critical-world-
issues-receive-loreal-fellowships-for-women-in-science/
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20. Facing Audiences
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21. Know your audience!
An audience or the general public can be categorised according to
Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Educational level
Occupation
Interests
Political views
and many other things
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22. Attract their attention!
Find a common language and examples they can relate to!
Ability to adapt!
Refer to topics that are related to
Everyday lives and habits (usually health issues but others too)
Things that are frequently brought up amongst friends so they can repeat what they
learned from you (appearing clever and well informed)
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23. Examples:
High school students - internet cafes, exams, vacations, football or social media
Over 60 - traditional coffee shops, politics and health issues
Hyperactive with kids
Controlled with adults
Find out details about your audience as you need different approaches for
different groups.
What they already know and what they expect to learn from the presentation.
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24. Bond with the audience!
 Pick a friendly face in the audience and focus on that. Singers sometimes
use the same trick to go through a concert.
 Face the audience and show them that you are comfortable on
stage, confident and that you know the subject you are talking to them about.
Don’t turn your back.
 A presentation is meant to be heard and not read. Don’t read from paper.
 Use humor that would be understood and appreciated by the audience -
Culture, political correctness, age appropriate.
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25. Performing!
 Don’t be monotonous. Fluctuate the tone of your voice other wise the
audience will sleep.
 Be expressive and animated but don’t exaggerate. A stiff immobile presenter
looks just as bad as someone that looks mad.
 Be yourself and talk like you would with a friend enthusiastically about the
subject. Being your self shows confidence.
 Keep the flow of the presentation and do not be taken aback by silence - do
not let any of the audience’s reactions affect you or the flow of the presentation.
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26. Presentation material
 If you are using a power point presentation, then use it in such way that the
slides accompany and complement your words and not the opposite.
 A rule of thumb for power point slides is that you should be using about one
slide per minute. So if you are giving a 45 minute presentation then aim for
40-50 slides.
 If you are using props and other objects as visual aids then get them out only
when you need them and use them for a specific purpose. Having many
things hanging around or using them for multiple purposes will confuse and tire
the audience.
 Don’t overwhelm your audience with material. Give them information they
are ready to understand at a pace they can absorb it.
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29. Non-verbal Communication (Chapter 5)
Know your audience!
Punctuality (monochronic – polychronic)
Body language - Gestures
Physical space - Touching

30. Practice at reading audiences
Take into account
- The circumstances – is it cold?
- Multiple signs
-The posture can also feedback the emotion
Practice with TV on mute
Women are better at reading signs (woman’s intuition)

31. Some examples
•Fake smiles – zygomatic muscles – left side only
•Use armchairs – folding hands inhibit learning and liking
•Give drinks or leaflets to unfold people
•Supporting the head means boredom
•Notice speed of nodding
•Mirroring means acceptance – couples using same muscles begin to look alike
•Check who is mirroring whom – then you know the leader
•Avoid classroom plan – back and sides less engagement

32. Appearing on the media
Invitations to participate in a TV or radio show are great opportunities to
communicate science to a very wide audience.
 Act normal and be yourself. This radiates confidence
that the viewer can detect and enjoy.
 Look at the interviewer and not at the camera unless
you are asked to.
 When you perform something in front of a camera then
imagine that the camera is a viewer and you are
directly addressing him/her.
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33.  Act like there is one viewer watching or listening as this creates the feeling of
intimacy between you and the audience.
 Practice in front of a camera at home in order to see what you will look like
when someone records you.
 Just as discussed in live talks, be animated but don’t overdo it especially as
camera may not be able to frame you at all times.
 Avoid wearing white colours or stripes.
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34.  Try not to dress in an eccentric way or use many large accessories so that
the audience is not distracted..
If you are on a radio show, use your hands and facial gestures, even though
people can’t see you. It will make you more natural and more expressive.
 Remember what you want to say. If you are reading then the listeners can tell
and it sounds just as bad as the presenter reading his notes.
 Decide what your message is going to be and try to convey the things you
want and this requires some planning.
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35. Interviewing
 Planning here is just as important. Know the questions you want to ask and do
some background research on the guest and his topic.
 Discuss the plan with the person you will interview but make sure you hold back
some of the questions otherwise the spontaneity of the answers will be lost and the
interview will look too rehearsed.
 Try to get answers on the basic questions of who, where, when, what, why
and how.
 No one likes an interview where one side goes on for a long time or when
answers are too short. Extremely short or extremely long questions or answers will
not look good. Plan for right time.
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36.  Try to get your guest in a relaxed state, throw some jokes when appropriate
and reassure them that everything can be rerecorded.
 Make sure you don’t talk or make sounds over your interviewee as it will
be impossible to edit. But do seem responsive through smiles and nods.
 When everything is done get all the correct information
(names, titles, institutions)
 Never show to anyone your material as they will always have comments
and requests to make for changes.
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37. Publishing your story
A journalist works on a topic by answering the six questions of
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
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38. Condense all the useful information in the first few paragraphs!!!
 editors might cut down significantly your story
 need to grab the reader’s attention as soon as possible
Newspapers and magazines will give you plenty of examples. Writing press
releases is a similar process.
It is science we are communicating so facts and scientific results must be
communicated and not personal opinions.
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40. Thank you for your attention!!!
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