Attention all early-career scientists! Do you want to become a #scicomm superstar?

Have you ever dreamed of getting people excited about your work beyond the typical seminar setting?

Now’s your chance!

The Florida Museum and UF Thompson Earth System Institute invite you to apply for a brand-new science communication professional development training focused on giving polished, interactive science talks in an informal setting.

Graduates of the program will share their new skills by giving a talk at one of our popular Science on Tap events this fall! We are currently planning these events to take place virtually, but those plans could transition to in-person events as public health guidelines change. These talks will result in a professional recording, which can be a perfect resume booster.

Why apply?

• To learn how to effectively communicate beyond your peers to broader, non-scientist audiences.
• To learn how to better build support for science, which encourages more informed decision-making at all levels.
• To gain experience speaking to a broad audience in an informal setting.

Effective communication skills are no longer perceived as soft skills. Increasingly, they are becoming part of the core professional skills every science student and professional should have.

Who should apply?

We are accepting applications from anyone who considers themselves to be an early-career scientist, including graduate students and postdocs. We will be giving preference to those applicants whose research is related to air, water, land or life and is relevant to Floridians. A total of three participants will be selected to complete the summer training, and a Science on Tap talk this fall.

During the 6-week training, participants will learn science-proven ways to share their research in a way that inspires and informs the public and will work closely with science education professionals to develop a compelling and relevant presentation.

Program Overview and Timeline

• Tuesday, May 26 – Application Opens 
• Friday, June 12 – Application Due 
• Friday, June 19 – Notify Participants of Acceptance/Decline 
• Tuesday, July 14, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. — Session 1: Why Science Communication is Important
• Tuesday, July 21, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Session 2: Best Practices for Giving an Informal Public Talk
• Tuesday, August 4, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Session 3: Best Practices for Audience Engagement
• Monday, August 17 – Friday, August 21– Session 4: Peer Review of Presentations 
• September TBD – First Science on Tap
• October TBD – Second Science on Tap
• November TBD – Third Science on Tap

*Note: Dress rehearsals will be scheduled prior to each participant’s presentation date. 

Instructors:

• Sadie Mills: TESI educator and coordinator
• Chelsea Collison: Florida Museum educator
• Rebecca Burton: TESI communications manager

To apply:

Complete the following by 11:59 p.m. on June 12, 2020. 

• Fill out the online application: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6XwfFSpl6FlFqiV
• Submit a 1-3-minute video via Flipgrid that answers the following questions:
  • Who are you? (Name/Title)
  • What is your area of research?
  • What is one interesting fact about yourself (unrelated to your science)
  • Why should the public care about your research?
• Click here for instructions on how to upload your video. 

For more information about the Science on Tap program, visit: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/science-on-tap/