Professional/Short course Science Communication Building Blocks
Page last updated 12 May 2023
Introduction
Designed by the team behind the Science Communication Unit (SCU), UWE Bristol's renowned Science Communication programmes, Science Communication Building Blocks, offers a unique opportunity to bring cutting-edge expertise to your staff, students and teams.
Whether it's running engaging events that showcase research, working with schools, writing about science for the public or promoting research through social media, there's a training course that will provide the skills required. We aim for those who attend our courses to leave us with creative science communication ideas and the confidence required to take the next steps. We have courses suitable for those new to science communication as well as those looking to develop their skills further and learn new ideas from the contemporary field.
Pick from a wide-selection of three hour sessions covering relevant topics for contemporary science communication and public engagement. Create your own bespoke programme, or select from a series of perfect pairings designed to fit into one day of training.
Browse through our Science Communication Building Blocks programme (PDF) and our new course Engaging Participants in Online and Blended Environments (PDF) to find out more about the sessions we offer.
Meet the trainers:
Science Communication Building Blocks are delivered by a team of experienced trainers who teach on undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional training courses at UWE Bristol.
Senior Lecturer in Science Communication in the SCU.
PhD student in the SCU in collaboration with the Eden Project, working on their current exhibition Invisible Worlds.
Sophie is Communications Officer for EU project ClairCity. Sophie has a background in environmental science and sustainable development, with professional experience in environmental journalism, marketing and event management.
Managing Editor and Project Manager in the SCU, working in environmental policy communications, editing and communicating science for change.
Senior Lecturer in Science Communication in the SCU working on online engagement and digital projects, as well as science comedy, with a background in cultural evolution.
Research Fellow and PhD student in the SCU working in digital and visual communication, with a background in Neuroscience.
Senior Lecturer in Science Communication in the SCU working on media representations of science, with a background in science reporting and editing.
Margarida is a Senior Research Fellow in the Science Communication Unit. Margarida develops engagement and communication projects while working in collaborative projects with academic and research staff in the Faculty of Environment and Technology.
Associate Professor at UWE Bristol and Co-Director of the SCU, working in science journalism, public relations and Sci-Art.
Associate Professor and Co-Director of the SCU, working in public engagement and evaluation.
Please note: The specific trainer for your Building Block session will be determined by staff availability but will be confirmed in advance of the session/s.
Entry requirements
Participants will need to be comfortable reading, listening and writing in English.
Structure
Content
We offer three levels of content:
- Introductory: No prior experience of science communication.
- Intermediate: Some previous experience of science communication.
- Advanced: Previous experience of science communication and actively working in the field.
Available sessions (all are three hours in duration):
Getting started in science communication
A brief introduction to science communication and key reasons why it might be important to your role.
Working with schools
How to get schools interested, what teachers need to know and how to increase the impact of your activity by reflecting your audience.
Science communication: A potted history
An interactive session that explores how the field of science communication has developed and examines some of its key drivers that shape what we do today.
Telling your story
What makes a good story? How do you present that in person or on film? And what will make it appealing to traditional or social media.
Engaging underserved audiences: Inclusivity in science communication
Strategies for identifying hard to reach audiences, identifying venues where they might be reached, and techniques to communicate science in accessible, approachable and engaging ways.
Science writing for researchers
Key techniques in science writing enabling you to write effective blogs, stories for the media and other forms of writing.
Using social media to communicate science
Get a clear insight into using the most popular social media platforms so you reach the audience or audiences you want to reach.
How to run a social media campaign for event promotion
Social media promotion of events (exhibitions, conferences, etc.) including how to plan, run, and evaluate a social media campaign.
Engaging Participants in online and blended environments (online only)
Over three short sessions, plus one short networking event, you'll build a community to safely explore the technology you can draw from, the existing skills you can already build on and come up with your own plan for delivering engagement in online and blended environments.
Communicating science for policy engagement
Developing skills in communicating scientific evidence to a policy audience in the most effective way possible.
Developing creative science communication projects
This session focuses on the start-up and ideas generation phases of project development.
Boost your science writing skills
Exploring how to write lively, engaging stories that are targeted well at their audience.
Developing creative evaluation techniques
An introduction to best practice in evaluating science communication and public engagement projects with an emphasis on evaluations which are creative, innovative and appealing for participants.
Features
Perfect pairings and example programmes.
Looking for a one-day training event for your team? Why not pair:
- Boost your science writing skills + Telling your story
- Developing creative science communication projects + Creative evaluation techniques
- Using social media to communicate science + How to run a social media campaign for event promotion plus many more combinations.
Looking for a two-day training event for science centre staff? Why not include:
- Developing creative science communication projects
- Telling your story
- Engaging underserved audiences
- Creative evaluation techniques.
Looking for a two-day training event for university researchers? Why not include:
- Getting started in science communication
- Engaging underserved audiences
- Science writing for researchers
- Communicating science for policy engagement.
Prices and dates
Supplementary fee information
Fees are to be paid via invoice. Find out more about the costs involved.
How to apply
How to apply
Our team of trainers can be very busy. When enquiring about potential building blocks training session/s, please indicate the following:
- if you have a preferred date/time of year for delivery
- an approximate number of participants
- the sessions you would like included
- if you are looking for online or in-person delivery.
In order to apply for any of these training sessions and for a quotation, please complete the online booking form.
**If you wish to apply for Engaging participants in online and blended environments, please complete a separate booking form.**
For any additional queries, please email science.communication@uwe.ac.uk
Extra information
If the course you are applying for is fully online or blended learning, please note that you are expected to provide your own headsets/microphones.
For further information
- Email: science.communication@uwe.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83919
You can also follow us on Twitter @SciCommsUWE.