Learn tools and strategies to help you effectively communicate your social science with diverse audiences.
As more people realize how interconnected people and the environment are, there is a growing need and opportunity for social scientists to engage with others about their work. And yet, translating social science findings into clear, concise, and compelling messages without losing the depth of their explanatory power is difficult. But like any skill, through training, practice, and feedback, we can all become more strategic and effective social science communicators. Grounded in science communication research and practice, this interactive virtual workshop will help you gain tools and skills to strategically communicate your work to diverse audiences. Over the course of three hours, COMPASS trainers guide you through techniques and tools that help you communicate your work in a meaningful and understandable way that can resonate with your audience. The workshop will also provide opportunities for you to put into practice what you learn through facilitated group discussions and small group feedback activities. By the end of this workshop, you will have:
- A stronger understanding of how to build a meaningful connection with your audiences
- Experience using the Message Box, COMPASS’s signature tool for breaking down complex topics into digestible, effective messages
- A draft COMPASS Message Box of your own, on a topic of your choosing
- A draft metaphor or example that helps your audience understand an abstract idea or process.
- Feedback on your draft messages and metaphor/example.
By registering for this workshop, you are committing to active participation in the workshop, for the benefit of both yourself and the group. Please also plan to use a webcam whenever possible during discussion and breakout room portions of the workshop. Due to the progression of materials presented and the paired exercises, we cannot admit participants who are more than 15 minutes late. More information can be found in the FAQ page on our website.
Who could benefit from this workshop?
We’ve designed this workshop to meet the communication needs of those who use social science methods and approaches to understand social phenomena, but it is open to anyone who would like to build their strategic communication skills. Given our mission at COMPASS, the majority of participants who have been involved with our workshops are professional researchers, scientists, and science users whose work focuses on the environment, and many of our examples draw from this work. However, this workshop is suitable for anyone seeking to make their communication efforts more strategic and relevant for their audience.
