Located in room 1005 Beckman Institute, unless noted. Schedule subject to revision.
Day zero
Participants will receive Assignment No. 1 via email. Due at 5 p.m. Friday, April 5.
Day one
5-6 p.m.
Dinner; meet and greet
6-6:15 p.m.
Sandra: Welcome and Course Overview
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- Why science communication?
- Grad students and sci comm training (or lack of) – some common experiences, desired outcomes
- Professional importance of science communication (competition is intense, science skills are high)
- Science culture’s sometime biases against communication (culture of academic publishing, culture of tenure, intellectual hazing, ugly slides, imposter syndrome)
- The Richard Feynman standard
6:15 – 8:15 p.m.
Lightning round
30 students share their questionnaire results with the group. Listeners take notes:
- What was particularly memorable?
- What did you not understand (terminology)?
8:15 – 8:45 p.m.
Stretch and coffee break
8:25 – 9 p.m.
Sandra: Loh Down on Science Communication lecture
Rohit Bargava “60-Second Science” example structure: Cooking show vs. science talk
Quick Overview of five-part six-minute “Mini-TED” structure:
- Title
- S.P.I.N. Opening (Rod Serling, Twilight Zone)
- Middle (history postcard, the DREDS, the “WOW”)
- Pre-Conclusion (in two-three years. . . )
- “Pie in the Sky” finish
- Titles and jargon
Assignment No. 2: (to work on in the a.m.)
Day two
8:30 – 9 a.m.
Coffee
9 – 10 a.m.
Writing time (S.P.I.N. openings, and if time, sketch rest of talk)
10– 10:30 a.m.
Share S.P.I.N. openings orally within pods
- Anonymous vote on most effective, top one is picked
10:30 – 10:40 a.m.
Break
10:40 – 11:30 a.m.
Five top “S.P.I.N.” openings presented to full group
11:30– noon
Sandra: Expanding on the Middle
- History postcard, aka: earlier solutions tried
- DREDS Rule (too difficult/rare/expensive/dangerous/slow)
- The WOW (Working backwards from)
- Scientific vs. colloquial language
- Using metaphors to essence highly technical material
Noon – 1 p.m.
Working lunch
- Review Sandra’s mark-ups of Assignment No. 1
Assignment No. 3
- Middle (expanded – fill in the rubric)
- Sketch pre-conclusion, ending
1 – 2 p.m.
Writing time
2 – 3 p.m.
Share middles/pre-c/conclusion within pods
- Anonymous vote on most effective, top is picked
3– 3:10 p.m.
Stretch break
3:10 – 4 p.m.
Top five middles/plus presented to group
4 – 4:45 p.m.
Sandra: The Loh Down on Science (90-second radio spots)
- Vocal techniques (fast/slow, pauses, ending)
- “Melinda Gates Elevator Assignment:” Can you explain your work to a layperson in 90 seconds?
Assignment No. 4
90-second “Loh Down” on your research (follow rubric)
Day three
8:30 – 9 a.m.
Coffee
9 – 10:45 a.m.
Writing time/open lab
10:45 – 11 a.m.
Stretch break
11 a.m. – noon
30 Students Present 90-second “Loh Downs” (with student scoring)
- Will be located in the Beckman Institute Auditorium
noon – 1 p.m.
Lunch/wrap up
Sandra: What to take away
- Careers in science communication
- Science and politics (example: climate change)
- Global importance of scientists communicating the next generation: K-12 science education needs updating
- Announcements of top three Loh Downs)