{"id":21225,"date":"2023-11-15T10:08:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T10:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/?p=21225"},"modified":"2023-11-15T10:09:07","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T10:09:07","slug":"what-happens-to-our-science-communication-graduates-the-sequel-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/what-happens-to-our-science-communication-graduates-the-sequel-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens to our science communication graduates? The Sequel Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our last blog post<\/a> we updated you on our 2023 Infographic data<\/a> 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<\/a>. In this second blog post we capture some further points from these case studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One potential career area that\u2019s often popular with students starting our programmes is the media, and we\u2019ve met more than one budding \u2018Sir David Attenborough\u2019 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\u2019s found their niche in the media is Dylan Casella, who is currently Head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Off the Fence<\/a>, a factual production and distribution company in the TV and film industry. Dylan graduated from the MSc just over five years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Dylan described his job role to us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Sounds like a dream job doesn\u2019t it? For Dylan, one of the MSc modules had been particularly important to his future career:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But Dylan also emphasised that the programme offers a lot of versatility for future careers, both in and beyond the media:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The skills on this course are highly relevant and extremely valuable. They\u2019re specialist skills, but they\u2019re 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.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>, 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<\/a> 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\u2019d appreciated about studying at UWE Bristol:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Being encouraged to find my own path in science communication, and discover skillsets and passions I previously wasn\u2019t aware of, at an institution close to home that had brilliant facilities, and accessible transport links, has been invaluable in developing my career.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Sophie also enjoyed \u2018meeting 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\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dylan and Sophie both studied with us full-time but part-time study<\/strong> 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<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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:<\/p>\n\n\n

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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.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As a part-time student UWE had held a particular appeal for Michael: \u2018For 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\u2019. The location and team at UWE also appealed: \u2018the staff were all very knowledgeable and being in a creative place with access to established science communication businesses such as Films at 59<\/a> added something unique.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo credit: The Rosalind Franklin Institute<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With the MSc at UWE Bristol now running for two decades we\u2019ve also been able to witness our graduates career progression, and 41% (n=68) of graduates now work in senior, strategic or managerial roles<\/strong>. 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>, 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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There is a rich and deep academic grounding in science communication which can\u2019t (shouldn\u2019t) 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\u2019m stuck with practical problems \u2013 it offers a different perspective and paths to explore.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Whilst Jo Silva, who also graduated some time ago is now Head of Communications for a medical department of the University of Oxford<\/a>. 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\u2019d felt from studying with us:<\/p>\n\n\n

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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.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We were delighted to catch up with our graduates in developing these case studies<\/a> and the infographic<\/a>. 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\u2019ve formed and the stories they still have to tell. As we celebrate our 20th<\/sup> Anniversary in 2024, we\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Clare Wilkinson<\/a>, Science Communication Unit Co-Director &\u00a0Dr Amanda Webber<\/a>, MSc Science Communication Programme Leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 … Continue reading “What happens to our science communication graduates? The Sequel Part 2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":21243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":4,"footnotes":""},"categories":[795,12,794,3,4],"tags":[728,55,837,85,729,844,840,374,841,120,848,846,148,152,5,221,845,847,6],"class_list":["post-21225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-of-health-science-and-society","category-msc-science-communication","category-school-of-applied-sciences","category-science-communication","category-science-communication-unit","tag-beaver-trust","tag-clare-wilkinson","tag-dylan-casella","tag-films59","tag-forget-me-not","tag-jo-silva","tag-laura-holland","tag-media-officer","tag-michael-ormond","tag-msc-science-communication","tag-off-the-fence","tag-rosalind-franklin-institute","tag-science-communication","tag-science-on-air-and-on-screen","tag-scu","tag-sophie-pavelle","tag-stryker","tag-university-of-oxford","tag-uwe-bristol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21225"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21247,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21225\/revisions\/21247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/science-communication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}