SciCommTO Conference 2020: Day 2
George Vari Engineering & Computing Centre, 245 Church Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1Z4
Saturday February 22
Canada vs The World
9.00 - 10.30 AM
PANEL
A panel discussion exploring the state of science communication in Canada compared with case studies from other countries, including the UK and US. What are we good at? What are we bad at? What can we learn from our peers elsewhere and what can we bring to other places?
Dr. Imogen Coe MODERATOR
Dr. Chantal Barriault
Clint Jacobs
Dom McDonald
10.45 - 11.15 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Who is a Scientist?
10.45 - 11.15 AM
Science communication cannot be dissociated from the scientists behind it. In a world where facts matter less than we might like them to, let's deconstruct the image of a scientist and how it fits into our society, examining 'typical' attributes and habits of scientists, and co-creating a shared vision of who a scientist is - and why it matters.
Alon Eisenstein
Hook, Line and Sinker
How to Write a Headline
10.45 - 11.15 AM
The first way most people will interact with your scicomm project is through a headline. Whether it's an article, an event, a video, or a tweet, you have to give your audience a reason to read on. In this practical workshop, experienced science communicator Jon Farrow will introduce some best practices for writing headlines, before splitting into groups to critique existing headlines and craft new ones. Come with some lacklustre headlines or descriptions that need sprucing up and a grudging appreciation for clever wordplay.
Jon Farrow
You Need More than One Trick Up Your Sleeve
Communicating to Diverse Practitioner Audiences
10.45 - 11.15 AM
What we continually rediscover is that diverse audiences require diverse methods of engagement. In this presentation, Dr. Laura Huey shares some of the different tools and strategies used to increase access to research among practitioners, and to enhance their understanding of how research works and how findings can be used to inform policy and practice.
Laura Huey
11.15 - 12.45 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Understanding Science Capital
11.15 - 11.45 AM
The term ‘Science Capital’ sprang out of the UK about 5 years ago, but what exactly is it and how does it help us understand patterns in science participation? Join us for a look at how this conceptual tool evolved beyond education research for broader use in practice and policy. Come prepared to reflect on your own science capital and embrace a new way of thinking, or describing, your approach to science communication and STEM engagement!
Carrie Boyce
Breaking the Habit
Embedding Inclusive Practices in Scientific Communication
11.15 - 11.45 AM
In this interactive workshop we’ll view basic strategies and understandings of inclusive communication through a SciComm lense. We will cover issues of privilege, performative allyship and bystander intervention, and share actionable strategies to use our privilege as an advantage to embed inclusion in scientific communication.
Ana Sofia Barrows
Reaching Diverse Audiences
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
PANEL
We all know that we need to know our audience when designing an event or program. Many scicomm programs are created with the intention of reaching diverse communities in order to funnel strong, diverse, scientific minds into STEM fields. But how well do we know the audiences we are trying to reach? Participants of this workshop will have the opportunity to learn from members of diverse communities about how best to reach and engage community members.
Amber Sandy
Camilo Garay
Dr. Roopali Chaudhary
Clint Jacobs
Francis Jeffers
Social Media for SciComm
Tips & Tricks
11.15 - 11.45 AM
Neuroscientist & Science Communicator Samantha Yammine (@science.sam/@heysciencesam) shares her best practises for audience-first storytelling, alongside tips and tricks for engaging folks with your science through social media! Whether you're a daily tweeter or it's your first time sharing science publicly, come ready to hone modern communication skills that can be applied to any career and any type of science.
Dr. Samantha Yammine
Leveraging Creative Storytelling
11.15 AM - 12.45 PM
While there are many approaches to good science communication, storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting with audiences. Using a combination of lecture slides and written and oral group exercises, this workshop will discuss the ways and theory behind why storytelling can be used to effectively communicate science. Topics covered will include general communication tips, what narratives and narrative arcs are, and how we can use narrative elements in different mediums.
Dr. Cylita Guy
Dr. Krishana Sankar
12.45 - 1.45 PM
Lunch
1.45-2:30 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Indigenous Knowledge and Science Communication
Creating Space for Community Specific Science Programming
1.45 - 2.30 PM
A presentation about bringing Indigenous knowledge and science together, with a look at how to appropriately approach the topic, why community specific programming is so important and how the science community can support it.
Amber Sandy
Interviewing
The Art of Asking Questions
11.15 AM - 12.45 PM
Many producers of scicomm content are not experts on the topic they want to communicate, so they have to talk to the experts. The process of interviewing can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. In this practical and informal session, experienced interviewers will field questions about questions and provide tips for making the most of a researcher's precious time, covering everything from interview preparation to the art of the follow-up.
Jon Farrow
Cynthia Macdonald
Creative Solutions to Misinformation
1.45 - 2.30 PM
This workshop will outline a novel strategic framework for science communicators to address the spread of misinformation. The group will then engage in a facilitated discussion game to explore the pros and cons of specific strategies.
Anthony Morgan
2.45 - 3.45 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Measuring Up
The Art of Evaluation
2.45 - 3.45 PM
“We measure what we value and we value what we measure.” Even with the best of intentions, funders won’t continue to support projects that aren’t getting results. Counting visitors, feedback forms and cherry picking quotes are tools that can provide some insight, but never give the whole picture. This workshop will look at innovative and robust approaches to evaluating SciComm activities. Explore evidence-based techniques that help prove we’re achieving what we set out to do and quantifiably improve how we’re doing it.
Celia Du
Carrie Boyce
Visual Communication Toolkit
2:45 - 3:45 PM
This workshop highlights the key elements needed to create effective visual science communication products. The first half will focus on fundamental principles of graphic design including layout, colour theory, typography along with image/icon sourcing and accessibility. The second half will cover the application of these tools in creating science communication products including infographics, academic posters, and social media campaigns.
Julia Krolik
Communicating With Intent
2:45 - 3:45 PM
Recent research has demonstrated that effective science communication needs to consider how people learn, what they value, and how design and language can impact engagement. Our "Communicating with Intent" framework focuses on identifying the values and needs of specific audiences in order to shape communication goals, essential messages, frames, and delivery. Participants will leave with a deeper appreciation of what it means to "know your audience," and a practical tool to guide them through the essential message development of future presentations.
Michelle Reid
4.00 - 5.00 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
What's Curriculum Got To Do With It?
4.00-5.00 PM
When creating science communication content, youth are often seen as the “low hanging fruit”. While they may be one of the easiest audiences to access, they are, in reality, one of the most challenging groups to engage well. Research shows that having positive interactions with role models from an early age can shape academic and career goals, so science engagement with this high stakes group needs to be done well.
Explore some ways to effectively engage youth in formal (school) and informal (community) settings and build a roadmap to engage youth at their level.
Leigh Paulseth
Talveen Singh
Camilo Garay
Video Production
4.00-5.00 PM
Hold onto your butts - this is a Spielberg crash course in 60 minutes! There will be something for all levels of experience. Together, we’ll create a short video for social media.
Jocelyn Bentley
Scaling Your Talk
4.00-5.00 PM
Ever wondered how to you can scale your talk in length or depth? This workshop will combine theory and practice to provide you with tools to scale your talk depending on your audience and the time frame you are given. You can tell the same story and convey the same message in 3 minutes or 3 hours. Participants are encouraged to come with a story or research idea in mind.
