I have always believed that growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone, but I never imagined just how far mine would stretch when I applied for a UWE summer research internship.
The project focused on exploring how farming is represented in children’s picture books- a crucial study given the growing need for accurate environmental education and the challenge of addressing outdated and unrealistic western farming stereotypes. The idea of combining my love for children’s books with academic research was too intriguing to pass up, despite my lack of experience in the latter. Little did I know, this opportunity would push me to navigate unfamiliar terrain and teach me more than I ever expected.
When I first came across the job advertisement for this internship, it immediately caught my eye. The prospect of analysing children’s picture books was both intriguing and daunting – exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for. The idea of taking on something so different was simply irresistible. Excited yet slightly apprehensive, I decided to apply, eager to discover where this unexpected adventure might lead.
Fast forward to my first day on the job, I was greeted by a team of friendly, and incredibly brilliant researchers who tossed around terms like “content analysis” and “codebooks”. I frantically nodded along, hoping my wide-eyed expression did not give away the fact that I was completely unfamiliar these terms.
My first task was to compile a list of children’s picture books in the UK. It was an interesting process searching for books that met our criteria and going through various children’s book award lists. After weeks of literature reviews, and going through past research on the similar topic, I began to develop a more solid grasp of the research scope.
As I delved into analysing the picture books, surrounded by vibrant illustrations, whimsical characters, and stories that spark the imagination, I began to feel a shift. Gradually, my inner child, buried under layers of academic jargon and research papers, started to emerge. I found myself captivated by how simple illustrations can convey complex ideas about farming, sustainability, and human emotions.
Over the next few weeks, as I meticulously scanned the pages of each picture book, cataloguing everything from the types of farm equipment to the diversity of characters, I realized that my scientific training had given me a unique perspective. I was able to approach the data with an analytical rigor that complemented the team’s social science expertise. Together, we uncovered fascinating insights into how children’s literature may shape young minds’ perceptions of the agricultural world. It turned out that analysing patterns in scientific data was not so different from analysing patterns in children’s books.
But the real turning point came when I stumbled upon a charming book authored by Chitra Soundar and illustrated by Kanika Nair, featuring Farmer Falgu, an Indian farmer who sets out on a journey to find some peace when the mooing, clucking, and quacking on his farm become too much for him to handle. As he travels, he encounters a series of noisy situations. First, he meets a musician, then a snake charmer, and finally, a dance troupe- all of whom add to the noise rather than reducing it. Initially frustrated, Farmer Falgu eventually learns to embrace the sounds and joys of the world around him. This, I realized, is the power of children’s books, not only do they inspire, educate, and cultivate a sense of wonder, but they also remind us to find peace amid life’s noise and chaos.
As my eight-week internship ended, I find myself reflecting on just how much I have learned and grown. I may have started out as a bewildered science nerd, but I am leaving with a newfound appreciation for the nuanced world of children’s literature, and a deep respect for the researchers who dedicate their time to understanding its impact. Who knows, maybe I will even pick up a few children’s picture books for my own bookshelf. After all, the adventures of Farmer Falgu and his pals might just be the perfect complement to my collection of science-themed nonfiction books.
Here’s to embracing our inner child and the unexpected joys that come with exploring new academic frontiers!
Research Project: Representations of farming in children’s literature: how do we move beyond Old MacDonald?
One of the major challenges facing science and health communication is effectively engaging and informing society on scientific topics. At this year’s SciComm South West Conference at UWE Bristol, Ana Vasconcelos, a PhD researcher and visual science communicator at the University of Coimbra, presented her research on improving visual science communication using a participatory design approach.
Ana’s work focuses on autoimmune encephalitis (AE), a group of neurological disorders that cause inflammation of the brain, leading to potentially debilitating impacts on patient’s lives. In Portugal, where her research is based, there is a lack of effective, easy-to-understand resources for AE patients and their families on crucial topics such as the treatment and management of their condition. Her project aims to promote effective communication about AE, and improve the health literacy of patients, their families and wider society around this condition.
At SciComm South West, Ana highlighted this issue, and her approach to improving the visual information resources for AE patients through participatory design. To test the effectiveness of participatory design against other methods, Ana is creating three different AE infographics: one designed by Ana alone, one co-designed with clinicians who interact with AE patients, and another co-designed with AE patients and their families.
Co-designing communication resources with patients themselves is an innovative way to ensure resources meet their specific needs. For example, Ana found that some AE patients she spoke with experience cognitive impairment as a symptom of their condition, making infographics with busy or small text difficult to understand. To engage the target audience effectively, Ana asked AE patients to rank the issues surrounding their condition from easiest to most difficult to understand, prioritising the content included in the infographics according to the patients’ needs. This level of specialised content and accessibility measures in science communication is essential for ensuring effective sharing of information.
Ana hopes to produce a toolkit for other science communicators as a result of the project, promoting good practice in developing effective infographics for various scientific areas, in health and beyond. While the project is still in progress, Ana plans to contribute to the furthering of participatory approaches in visual science communication and to raise awareness about AE among wider society. By encouraging participatory design for health communication, Ana’s research not only advances the field of visual science communication, but also empowers the voices of AE patients, prioritising health literacy for patients, their families and the wider public.
By Jen Springer, MSc Science Communication student at UWE Bristol.
I’ve attended many interesting scientific conferences, but recently I was lucky enough to participate in an outstanding one. On June 7, 2024, I volunteered at the SciComm South West Conference. What set this conference apart was the inspiring enthusiasm of all participants. Speakers radiated passion for science communication and shared their energy with the audience, passing it on like a chain reaction, creating a unique atmosphere of authenticity and excitement.
The keynote speakers, Dr Lindsay Keith and Wyn Griffiths, epitomised this vibrant atmosphere. They shared their experiences with inclusion and the story of SMASHfestUK. In starting this work, they aimed to engage a young audience from South East London, a diverse area with numerous intersectional challenges. The speakers adopted a co-design approach, asking local school students what they wanted to see at the festival. The resounding answer was “Aliens and zombies”. “Okay,” – the science communicators said and made it. Of course, it wasn’t so easy. A story was needed – a good story. Balancing scientific accuracy and creativity, they created a story about a highly virulent disease with “zombie-like” symptoms that arrived on Earth via multiple meteorite strikes. They called on everyone’s help to find a cure together with scientists and engineers.
And it worked! Despite the lack of widespread promotion, more than 1,000 people participated at the first event. SMASHfestUK brought together many different activities, including interactive demonstrations, linked together by one story. For example, one of the interactive activities was called “Survival Supermarket Sweep”. People had 30 seconds to fill a basket with everything they could bring into the bunker to survive as long as possible. At the checkout, they would get a receipt, which told them how long they would live based on the items in their basket. Since this first event, SMASHfestUK has reached 150,000 people and a lot of communities: students, artists, and scientists. By immersing themselves in the story of saving the world, young people have changed their attitudes towards science.
Dr Keith emphasises the idea of working in spaces where people are. Instead of creating an artificial environment and trying to impose structures upon people, it is easy and natural to use the structures that the audience is already comfortable with. Such an approach has been implemented in the Gene Home project Lindsay has also been working on at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences. In eight weeks, Dr Keith and her colleagues created a fascinating space in an ordinary retail unit in Westfield, a massive shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush in London. Visitors could find a typical West Indian families living room inside, and they were impressed, saying: “This is my aunt’s front room. How did you know that?”. Exploring the kitchen, bathroom, and other spaces of the Gene Home, they had their vital signs checked, read a timeline of Black biomedical science innovation, and explored how the Windrush generation and their descendants are taking control of their health. That allowed visitors to engage in work happening on prostate cancer policy, diabetes, and heart disease, which is crucial for medicine around migration communities.
Both speakers continually engage with their audience, work, and learn together, adhering to the concept of co-design. They highlighted the need for the entire science communication sector to go further, emphasising the importance of collaboration, inclusivity, and community engagement. The passionate way the speakers discussed their challenges and achievements, as well as the discussion that continued amongst participants throughout the coffee break, once again confirmed the enthusiasm and authenticity of the keynote and the entire conference. Inclusion and diversity was a topic that was serious and real, not just of interest to people for the sake of ‘ticking boxes’.
As an international student with English as a second language, I was grateful to be part of this approach. You’ve just read a post that was written by a soon to be graduated science communicator who had written and spoken very little English before the age of 30. I think this is the best evidence yet that efforts to achieve diversity and inclusion in science communication do work despite all the challenges. Let’s keep moving forwards!
For a field that is often perceived to be a niche branch of the wider STEM tree, the topics discussed at this year’s SciComm South West conference were remarkably diverse.
Following an insightful address from keynote speakers Wyn Griffiths and Dr Lindsay Keith about the practice of inclusion in the industry, attendees were treated to a varied menu of short sessions encompassing many aspects of science communication.
In one room, CERN’s Chetna Krishna discussed the work that goes into launching a podcast for an audience that’s ‘in awe of CERN, but don’t know exactly what we do’, from choosing a logo to ensuring diverse voices are heard. Sam Ridgeway then delved into the hot topic of Artificial Intelligence, and how he harnesses it in his work in documentary filmmaking. One interesting takeaway from Sam’s talk was the importance of always being polite to ChatGPT, as it could prompt better, more helpful answers! Staying on the topic of filmmaking, Ross Exton explored the importance of storytelling and well-structured narratives for producing meaningful and educational videos, facilitating an interactive session testing out the ‘But…So…’ framework on different well-known stories, prompting some amusing contributions. In the next room, time machines, science show questionnaires and climate education were just some of the exciting talks taking place before the conference took a short break for lunch, and a nature walk around campus!
Whilst the range of topics varied greatly between each talk, there were some common themes arising. Conversations about funding, ethics and audience engagement were facilitated during the Q&A time for each session, highlighting the challenges and opportunities across the different research contexts. Another idea discussed by several speakers was co-design, the practice of involving users and stakeholders throughout a project, to better meet the needs of end users. PHD student Ana Vasconcelos demonstrated how important participatory processes such as this one are for engaging niche audiences, taking listeners through her fascinating research into information design for the Portuguese autoimmune encephalitis community.
It was a privilege to share the space with such innovative and hard-working minds, and particularly inspiring to see so many speakers credit their time on the MSc Science Communication at UWE Bristol, which is currently celebrating its 20th year.
Sarah Adams, MSc Science Communication student at UWE Bristol.
Discussions about zombie fungi, exoplanets, and vegetarian spiders; seamless segues; and Taylor Swift. All to be expected during a typical live Love & Science show on local Bristol radio station, BCfm Radio.
Love & Science was started by former UWE Bristol SciComm lecturer Malcolm Love, many years ago. Now, it’s run by Andrew Glester, current Lecturer in Science Communication at UWE Bristol, and a collective of science enthusiasts with a wide range of interests and backgrounds. Many of the episodes are aired live, with sparkling discussions about science stories that have been making headlines, and occasionally interviews with individuals working in science. Some episodes are also partly or completely pre-recorded, like a special episode I had the opportunity to create on the discovery of the shipwreck Endurance. This means anyone can get involved – living local to Bristol is not a requirement.
I got involved in Love & Science after completing the Science on Air and Screen module, and I’m so glad I did. It’s such a fantastic opportunity for any MSc Science Communication student to get involved in live radio and science communication. I found myself using so many of the skills and knowledge that I had learnt on the MSc, from across all the modules. BCfm is predominantly aimed at Bristol residents, but is also streamed on DAB and online, and people can listen in from all over the world, so it’s important to really think about the audience, and how to best communicate different science topics in an engaging and accessible way. Presenting the live shows involves using interview techniques and story crafting, and finding fun and novel angles. I also enjoyed looking out for local science stories, as well as the more national and global ones. Pre-recorded shows and segments enabled me to develop my editing skills, and to create pieces of radio that I’m proud of, and have been able to add to my portfolio. If you’re interested, there is also the opportunity to learn how to use the desk in the studio, which maybe isn’t for the faint-hearted, but feels brilliant once you’ve got the hang of it.
One of the great things about Love & Science is that it’s a safe space to learn and practice. Even making mistakes is to be expected – it’s all about how you handle them. Personally, I feel that getting involved with Love & Science should be viewed as an essential add-on to the MSc, especially for anyone with an interest in radio or podcasting. But even if radio or podcasting isn’t your main area of interest, it’s still perfect for developing skills in engaging audiences, communicating about complex science topics, or telling science stories. Plus you get to pick your favourite cheesy tunes to play on the radio. Who wouldn’t want that?
Rebecca Landon, MSc Science Communication student at UWE Bristol.
I was sitting near the cascade steps in Bristol City Centre when I had a rare epiphany. A guest on a podcast I was listening to mentioned that she worked as a freelance science writer, and it sounded like the dream job. Two thirds of an MSc in Science Communication later, and there I was, only a hundred metres or so from that spot in the City Centre, entering the Our Media building that houses the offices of one of the most successful popular science magazines in the UK, Science Focus.
Over the course of my week-long work Learning Lab placement, I was able to shadow a few different members of staff. On my first day, I spent time with the Online Editor, learning how to put an article online, and how to set up the daily newsletter Instant Genius. She talked me through all things SEO which was absolutely fascinating, and I helped compile the weekly report, looking at which articles have been most popular over the previous week.
By the end of my first day I was completing an ‘Everything You Need to Know’ guide to NASA’s Artemis programme. It was different to the kinds of articles I’d written previously, as it’s a style of article that’s designed to be updated regularly, but it was a format I was familiar with, having been a regular reader of the website. It just goes to show how important it is to really get to know the work of a magazine, online or print, before trying to pitch to or write for them.
I got to practice more familiar skills from my Writing Science module on the Master’s course, by writing a news article about how people with the ‘Dark Triad’ personality traits use humour, and another about using human sweat to power wearable technology. After I’d finished writing, the Commissioning Editor spent time going through my work with me, which was invaluable. It showed me that the skills I had learnt as part of the module had already prepared me well for professional science writing, and that we can never stop learning. I also had the opportunity to offer suggestions for edits for pieces by regular contributors; it was encouraging when the editor agreed with me, and even more useful to understand his thinking when he disagreed.
Near the end of the week I met with the Editor, who listened to my ideas and gave me some valuable advice and insight into making a career out of science writing. Our conversation made me realise that it was an achievable goal for me and helped to focus me on my next steps.
I’d recommend the Learning Lab placements to any student on the MSc Science Communication at UWE Bristol. For those that aren’t sure exactly what they want to do, it would be a great opportunity to explore different options and get a feel for what roles are available. For me, it gave me the confidence that a career which had previously felt like a distant dream could be a reality, thanks to the skills and knowledge I had gained on the MSc.
Rebecca Landon, MSc Science Communication student at UWE Bristol.
In our last blog post we updated you on our 2023 Infographic data gathered from 55% (n=165) of graduates who completed the MSc Science Communication programme between 2003 and 2022. We also contacted a number of graduates requesting their participation in a case study. In this second blog post we capture some further points from these case studies.
One potential career area that’s often popular with students starting our programmes is the media, and we’ve met more than one budding ‘Sir David Attenborough’ over the years, but working in the media can take a variety of forms and 13% of our graduates now work in this field. One student who’s found their niche in the media is Dylan Casella, who is currently Head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Off the Fence, a factual production and distribution company in the TV and film industry. Dylan graduated from the MSc just over five years ago.
Dylan described his job role to us:
What that really means in simple terms is I find documentary series, specials and one offs for my company to take to the international market and help producers reach wider audiences with their stories. Whilst this can cover any factual genre or topic, our calling card is Natural History, Science and environmentally focused docs. As part of my role I also provide executive producer support for many of our producers to help add the finishing touches to their documentaries.
Sounds like a dream job doesn’t it? For Dylan, one of the MSc modules had been particularly important to his future career:
The Science on Air and On Screen module was a really fun and interesting exploration of storytelling through radio and film production. Moving into science and factual TV and radio production was my goal after the course, and that module provided the skills and the springboard for me to make the move into the industry.
But Dylan also emphasised that the programme offers a lot of versatility for future careers, both in and beyond the media:
The skills on this course are highly relevant and extremely valuable. They’re specialist skills, but they’re also highly transferable, learning how to effectively (and creatively) communicate complex information in accessible forms for wide audiences is an invaluable skill to have in many walks of life. Having the depth of understanding this course provides gives you the perfect foundation to start a career in science communication.
A further graduate, who is now spending a bit more time in front of the camera, is Sophie Pavelle who graduated in 2018. Sophie is employed part-time by the conservation NGO, Beaver Trust, as a Communications Coordinator, which she also balances with freelance science communication commissions, especially writing for newspapers, magazines and book publishers about British nature, conservation, and climate change. In 2022 her first book Forget Me Not was published. For Sophie, the MSc programme had played an important part in exploring her career options and was the key benefit she described when we asked her what she’d appreciated about studying at UWE Bristol:
Being encouraged to find my own path in science communication, and discover skillsets and passions I previously wasn’t aware of, at an institution close to home that had brilliant facilities, and accessible transport links, has been invaluable in developing my career.
Sophie also enjoyed ‘meeting an amazing, diverse and talented group of people, the intimacy and creativity of the teaching environment, helped by small classes and valuable contact time with the lecturers and staff’.
Dylan and Sophie both studied with us full-time but part-time study is also a very popular way to undertake our programme and for a quarter of our graduates this was how they had studied with us, often already working in associated fields or alongside caring responsibilities. Michael Ormond is one graduate who was already working in the medical technology sector, and is now based at a company called Stryker. He works within the Joint Replacement Division, which focuses on implants for orthopaedic surgery such as hip replacements and knee replacements in his role as a Science Communication Manager.
Michael already had a lot of experience before starting the course, describing his role as sitting between the research team (which is his background) and the marketing team. For Michael the programme offered something extra:
The MSc in Science Communication widened my understanding of the process of science communication. Since completing it I have developed a few maxims which I apply daily; Start with your audience is an example! It was great to hear from other sectors about the challenges they face; this has helped me think more holistically about how I do my job. It has also helped me recognise the science communication is all around us and not just on the tv or on YouTube! Once you develop an eye for it you see it everywhere.
As a part-time student UWE had held a particular appeal for Michael: ‘For me, the main benefit of the UWE MSc was the format. I have worked full time whilst studying and was able to take only a few days of each month to come and do the course’. The location and team at UWE also appealed: ‘the staff were all very knowledgeable and being in a creative place with access to established science communication businesses such as Films at 59 added something unique.’
Photo credit: The Rosalind Franklin Institute
With the MSc at UWE Bristol now running for two decades we’ve also been able to witness our graduates career progression, and 41% (n=68) of graduates now work in senior, strategic or managerial roles. Laura Holland who graduated from the programme around 10 years ago is now Director of Strategic Marketing and interim Chief Operating Officer at the Rosalind Franklin Institute, a government funded research institute in Oxfordshire. For Laura the combination of practice and theory had been key in the programme and something she has continued to apply in her working life:
There is a rich and deep academic grounding in science communication which can’t (shouldn’t) be separated from practice. Knowing why the field works helps you perform science communication more effectively. I still seek out science communication literature now when I’m stuck with practical problems – it offers a different perspective and paths to explore.
Whilst Jo Silva, who also graduated some time ago is now Head of Communications for a medical department of the University of Oxford. For Jo, the connection of the programme to her career had been integral from the outset of her career as she explained with one example of a benefit she’d felt from studying with us:
A straightforward [benefit] was that I got my first job through my supervisor, before I’d even finished my MSc. That was neat! Many years later and looking back, what I realise is that the course prepared me incredibly well for the real world of work in science communication. It was very practical and relevant and I still use things I’ve learned then day-to-day.
We were delighted to catch up with our graduates in developing these case studies and the infographic. We are extremely proud of the contributions they are now making to science communication internationally, as well as the opportunities they have pursued in other career areas, the friendships they’ve formed and the stories they still have to tell. As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary in 2024, we’d like to say thank you to those who shared their experiences with us, as well as to all graduates of our science communication programmes at UWE Bristol. We can see you have learnt a lot, and we have also learnt from you.
In 2016 we published an infographic that explored the career paths of our students after they completed their MSc. In 2024 we will be celebrating 20 years of our MSc science communication at UWE Bristol and we thought it would be timely to catch up with our graduates’ careers now and we’re even more impressed. You can view our updated infographic below.
To gather the data for the infographic we took a couple of routes.
Just over 300 students have graduated from our UWE science communication postgraduate programmes since 2003 and whilst we aren’t in contact with all of them, a significant number have kept in touch with us via a dedicated LinkedIn group that we use to share news and job opportunities. Following ethics approval from UWE Bristol (HAS.23.03.088) we drew together information on our graduates if they were a member of that group and included their postgraduate programme amongst their public LinkedIn profile. We also offered an opt out period for graduates who would prefer not to be included in the infographic. This resulted in data from 55% (n=165) of graduates who completed the programme between 2003 and 2022.
We also contacted a number of graduates requesting their participation in a case study. Here, and in a second blog post which we will be sharing soon, we capture some of the key points from the infographic and case studies.
77% (n=128) of our graduates now work in science communication directly and one clear example of this is Dr Amy Seakins, who after also completing a PhD, is now Deputy Head of Public Engagement at Imperial College London. Amy supports staff and students to engage the public with their research and work – her team runs training sessions, seed funding, awards, and networks all about engaging with public audiences. Amy is also,
‘passionate about evaluation, a lot of my work involves looking at the impact of public engagement and understanding the benefits for everyone involved’.
For Amy, some of the key aspects of her current role were underpinned by the teaching she experienced at UWE. When we asked her about a ‘take away’ from the programme she said:
‘I was amazed at the breadth of different roles in the science communication sector – the course really opened my eyes to the variety in the field. On a more academic note, understanding why two-way dialogue is so important over a ‘deficit model’ way of thinking has underpinned everything I have done since.’
Amy also highlighted that she’d most enjoyed one aspect of the programme:
‘The people. (That’s probably not a surprise from someone who works in engagement!) The staff are brilliant and so generous with their expertise. The fellow students and their varied backgrounds and interests – you really get to know your cohort and develop a great mini network for beyond the course. Plus the guest speakers and others you meet along the way.’
19% of our graduates now work in fields related to science communication, like science teaching, for the NHS, as civil servants or in the (non-science charity sector) but sometimes the boundaries between science communication and other types of roles can be quite blurred. One interesting example here is Andy Robinson-Noades. Andy graduated from our programme nearly 10 years ago, and now works as a Senior Concept Manager at LEGO Education in Denmark. Within this role, Andy is working on the development of FIRST LEGO League, an international STEM learning program for 4–16-year-olds that is delivered in over 110 countries. Andy said his tip for future students looking to develop a career in science communication would be to try things out:
‘The best tip would be to try out every opportunity you can, even if you don’t think it will be for you. These experiences will introduce you to new people, perceptions and techniques that you may not have been aware of but will, in my experience, pave the direction to your career.’
Andy also related this to aspects that he enjoyed in the MSc programme, saying
‘it was the perfect blend of theory and practical. We had the opportunity to learn the core of the subject, giving us the foundations to go and apply it into our own initiatives.’
Our graduates work in a breadth of fields from universities and research institutes, to industry, science communication associations and funders, with some graduates also developing freelance careers. 17% of graduates that are working directly in science communication are now working in charity-based settings, and one example here was Sarah Venugopal, who is now Head of Impact at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity). Sarah leads the team that evaluates the impact of projects that GOSH Charity has funded and helps to communicate that impact to the public. We asked Sarah for a tip for future science communicators, and she highlighted that flexibility has helped her:
‘Be open to lots of opportunities for science communication, even if it feels like a non-traditional route or form. After the course, I joined a graduate scheme in market research and learned a lot about qualitative research methods. I did a more “traditional” science communication role after this, and found I did more science communication on my graduate scheme than I thought! This set me up well for my future science communication roles.’
For Sarah, exploring opportunities was something that had started during her time in Bristol:
‘Bristol is a wonderful city – big enough for there to be lots to do and yet still maintain a community feeling. Studying in Bristol provided me with great opportunities to gain experience in Science Communication alongside the course – I was able to volunteer at @Bristol (now called We The Curious) in my free time. There are lots of science communications opportunities in and around Bristol: my first paid job in science communication after the course was an evaluation of a student film festival in Exeter.’
Bristol is a very active city for science communication, and 28% (n=47) of our graduates have stayed based in the city after their studies but we also have a large network of graduates around the globe. Dr Wilasinee Triyarat who completed her MSc and PhD at UWE is one example, as she is now the Director of Research and Academic Services Division at the National Center for Public Awareness of Science, National Science Museum, Thailand. In this role she has developed a science communication curriculum for university students to recognise the importance of science communication and the role of science communicators, and she is currently working on research to promote good health for older people through museums to support Thailand’s transition to an aging society. Wilasinee also enjoyed her time in Bristol:
‘Sharing ideas and experiences between classmates was an important part of the MSc that allowed me to explore new ideas. In addition, I made new friends from different backgrounds. We are still in contact and support each other’s science communication careers. The benefit of learning with experts from various backgrounds was my most enjoyable moment. It gave me new perspectives and ideas that have supported my career.’
International students are an important part of our programme, and we’ve been delighted to welcome many over the years, who have shared with us examples, stories and insights from their own societies and cultures. We also welcome students to our programme from an array of disciplinary backgrounds, and this means that a number of our graduates are now involved in communication roles that communicate a wide range of different types of research. Paloma Salgado Tonga, has also returned to a museum setting but is now Director of Experience Design at the Interactive Museum of Economics in Mexico. There she leads the research, content development, graphic and museographic design teams to develop permanent and temporary exhibitions for the museum, both in the national and international arena. Paloma’s top take away from the programme had been that the ‘tools you need and develop for a creative and innovative science communication can come from unexpected places and be applied in many different fields’. This also formed the basis of the advice she would provide for future students looking to develop their careers:
‘Search for new projects, in different disciplines (design museums, tv, podcasts, pop ups, art museums, etc.) and experiment using their mechanisms, tools, and ways to innovate in science communication. The way we communicate and open conversations with other people changes very quickly and is a complex human endeavour. Dare to experiment, dare to use art, design, different spaces, literature, poetry, anything that helps you build a bond between science and the public. Neutrality is overrated. Dare to be creative.’
In the next instalment of these blog posts, which will be published next week, we’ll be looking at some of the other career areas our students are now working in, the different ways you can combine study and working, and how our students progressed to more strategic areas of their careers.
We live in an era when more and more of the science we watch and read appears online and there have been growing problems with misinformation and the polarisation of views. It is also a relatively small proportion of the public, in some countries, who engage with science and are involved with discussions and debates about the trajectory of science.
At the same time, the boom in the availability of opportunities to communicate science online, through the likes of social media, blogs and podcasts, has democratised who gets to communicate about the science of everything from vaccines to nuclear energy. But how do we define what is ‘good quality’ science communication? It’s not a straightforward question to answer.
A new project funded by the European Commission, COALESCE, is looking to address these challenges and questions. A consortium of 13 partners across Europe, including the Science Communication Unit (SCU), have come together to develop a European Competence Centre for Science Communication and a SciComm Academy for capacity building and training. Within the project we’ll synthesise and bring together the insights from Horizon2020 SwafS (Science with and for Society) projects and other sci com research to offer advice, expertise, resources and tools enabling new, innovative, science communication techniques to be adopted. Anyone who communicates science – from journalists, to public engagement experts, bloggers and vloggers – will have access to these resources.
The Competence Centre and Academy, which will be online, will also amplify the work of the existing science communication networks out there that are already doing fantastic work and help to share their insights into good science communication practice. Co-creation will be used to create materials within COALESCE to enable mutual learning and ensure the resources meet the needs of those who will use them. As part of the project, national and regional hubs will be created across Europe that will act as physical venues, bringing communities of practice together and ensuring that the Competence Centre’s materials and resources are relevant to and visible within national and regional contexts.
The project is led by Erasmus University Rotterdam and Science For Change, a social enterprise based in Barcelona. Several members of the Science Communication Unit (SCU) are part of the team: Andy Ridgway, Emma Weitkamp, Clare Wilkinson and Emma Brisdion. The SCU will play a key role in raising the profile of the Competence Centre and Academy and making sure science communication practitioners are aware of the resources and tools the project creates. SCU team members are also involved in other aspects of COALESCE, including the work to create training materials and the creation of an impact and evaluation tool for science communication.
COALESCE team at the project kick-off meeting in Rotterdam, April 2023.
Speaking at the project’s kick-off meeting in April 2023, Jason Pridmore, from Erasmus University Rotterdam and the COALESCE Project Coordinator, said:
“The word ‘coalesce’ is about coming together and the COALESCE project is about the coming together of many different science communication research projects to produce a new project, that will focus on creating a Competence Centre for Science Communication for all of Europe. For me, that means making sure that we are effective at our science communication and that we are engaged with our public stakeholders and policymakers, that we are training people, engaging people in citizen science and that we are proliferating across different media landscapes.”
A number of COALESCE colleagues attended the Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference (PCST 2023) in Rotterdam in April to raise the profile of the project – but most importantly to start valuable conversations with researchers, practitioners and networks that will help shape the project’s work.
In the coming year, a website, podcasts, videos and infographics will be created to share insights and resources. To find out more and get involved now, you can join the conversation and help shape the Centre and Academy by connecting with COALESCE on Twitter (@ScicommEU) and on LinkedIn (COALESCE SciComm).
The COALESCE project partners are: Science for Change (Spain) Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands), Venice International University (Italy), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (Finland), Formicablu (Italy) University Of Valencia (Spain), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands), Science Communication Unit, University of the West Of England (UK), Stickydot (Belgium), The Spanish Foundation For Science And Technology (Spain), SISSA Medialab (Italy) and Tallinn University (Estonia). COALESCE is funded by the European Union.
Like most people I spend a lot of time in my home; on average we spend 80% of our time in our homes, much more than they spend in any other environment. This makes our homes very important for our health but, despite this importance, relatively little is known about air pollution in the home. This is partly due to the huge range of different homes (I mean, what is a “typical home”?) and partly because it is rather obtrusive for researchers to collect data in homes where people are living! Citizen science offers a powerful solution to this problem; by empowering people to take measurements within their own homes, citizen science research projects can not only offer participants a new insight into their home environment, but also allow the collection of data across a wide range of home environments.
Homes under the Microscope is one such citizen science project in which participants measured the concentration of airborne microfibre pollution in their homes. Airborne microfibres are produced when we use the textiles in our homes, they are just tiny fragments of material that have broken off from e.g. carpets, curtains or clothes and passed in the air around us. Now that many of the textiles in our homes contain plastic, many of the microfibres in our homes are also microplastics, but very little is known either about the amount of microfibres or what they are made of.
The pilot phase of the project recently ran in Bristol; participants were each given 8 sample collection dishes that they placed in 4 rooms in their houses (2 dishes per room) for two weeks. These dishes are just petri dishes with a sticky section at the bottom of the dish, any microfibres that land on the sticky section stay attached, so after two weeks we can count the number of fibres deposited.
One of the biggest findings in the study is that the concentration of microfibres varies a lot between rooms – bedrooms had the highest number of microfibres, closely followed by bathrooms. Whereas kitchens and hallways had much lower numbers. Samples collected were analysed in a laboratory to understand what the fibres were made of, from the samples tested so far 41% were found to be microplastic (most commonly polyester) and 55% were natural (most commonly cellulose). One of the purposes of the pilot was to shape the design of the main project, feedback from the pilot showed that the very simple microfibre collection method worked (which was a relief!) and that two weeks was plenty of time to collect a range of microfibre concentrations. Finally the participants took the time to give extensive feedback on the instructions and methodology, which allowed us to refine them and to make them clearer so more people can participate in the next phase.
“We all really enjoyed it, and it has taught us more about our home!”
