20 December 2019
By Karien Joubert, December 2019
During the first week of December 2019, CREST hosted Australian science communication experts Jenni Metcalfe and Toss Gascoigne for a week of workshops and a two-day masterclass.
The week kicked off with a media skills workshop for postdocs, including practical on-camera interview exercises. This was followed by ‘Science Communication Awards Day’ co-organised by the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research and The Conversation Africa. Young tuberculosis researchers presented their research, while Jenni and Toss provided feedback and tips.
Close to 50 researchers and institutional science communicators attended the two-day masterclass on 4 & 5 December 2019. This included intensive sessions on how to plan and integrate science communication as part of research, and how to engage specific audiences more effectively. Recurring themes included the importance of distilling core messages, identify key target groups and crafting compelling and relevant messages, keeping in mind that listening is one of the most important communication skills.
The week concluded with a one-day workshop focused on ‘making the most of academic conferences’ from a science communication perspective, including tips on how to network and use social media.