In 2019, Canada’s first Communicating Science workshop (ComSciConCAN) series took place. I attended and later shared tips and tools I learned there, which you can read here. Now, one year later, ComSciConCAN alumni have hosted events across Canada, including ComSciConGTA, which took place virtually last week for 50 graduate students based in the greater Toronto area (GTA). In this post, I’ll share what I learned while co-organizing ComSciConGTA, and a few tips on transitioning your event to an engaging virtual format.
To host ComSciConGTA, it took a nine-person team, including both graduate students and some who recently defended from the University of Toronto (UofT), McMaster University and the Ontario Tech University.
Originally, we were planning to host ComSciConGTA at UofT in late July. But, as you can imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our planning, leaving us undecided as to whether we should host our event in the fall or postpone to 2021. How could we recreate the excitement of ComSciCon – packed with panels, workshops, one-minute pop talks and a Write-A-Thon, in a virtual environment – without overwhelming participants?
It took several meetings before we decided that the show would go on: we would plan for a virtual meeting in the fall of 2020.
And then, the complicated logistical groundwork began.
First, we had to drastically reduce our schedule, keeping in mind the potential for screen fatigue. This meant prioritizing workshops to teach different aspects of science communication, and inviting local experts early. Given that this was a local ComSciCon series, we wanted to feature the experts present right here in the GTA.
We opted to forego Zoom, and selected Remo instead, so that we could recreate the feel of a conference, complete with “tables” for mingling. And we sent emails, so many emails, to attendees, speakers and Write-A-Thon experts, that one of the co-organizers, Dr. Tammy Rosner, dubbed herself “the inbox fairy.”
After several months, thanks to financial support from UofT’s Dunlap Institute and School of Graduate Studies, ComSciConGTA took place on Saturday, September 26, and in the evenings on Tuesday, September 29 and Thursday, October 1, 2020.
Are you curious about what our speakers shared with our 50 attendees? Here are some key lessons:
Getting Started in Science Communication. In this workshop, Dr. Sara Mazrouei, a science communications professional, defined science communication as the practice of communicating science-related topics to non-experts, and emphasized that it involves building bridges, and understanding the relationships between scientists and the broader community. Mazrouei also introduced the growing landscape of science communication in Canada and recommended that attendees should read relevant academic literature, start translating their science into easily understood content, seek additional training, and network broadly.
A Guide to Science Communication on Social Media: Sarah Habibi is a science communicator who uses both Instagram and TikTok to share her science. In this workshop, Habibi described trends across different social media platforms, and offered five critical tips for success, including: understand the platform’s culture; purposefully plan to maximize your engagement; consider what makes you unique when it comes to content creation; engage with your audience; and, reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Wandering my way into Canadian Science Communication: Lessons Learned and Ideas on Where to Start: In this keynote, Dr. Cylita Guy shared her journey as a science communicator, highlighting key lessons along the way, such as to know your audience; to develop a digital presence; and, to take the unexpected opportunities. For example, Guy had been unsure about whether she should give a talk at Story Collider, but giving that talk led to an opportunity to write her first children’s science book. She also reminded attendees that sometimes it’s not about the science – it’s also how people feel during the interaction. Guy ended her talk with a question for everyone to think about: what do you want your science communication niche to be?
Connect and Draw Out: Building Relationships for Science Outreach and Engagement: The Ontario Science Centre’s Dr. Rachel Ward-Maxwell and Vishnu Ramcharan shared suggestions on how to approach public engagement, emphasizing how important it is to build genuine relationships, and to connect with and draw out attendees. At the end of the workshop, Ramcharan said that the communities and people you get to work with can truly fulfill you.
Science Writing: When it comes to writing style, freelance science journalist Dan Falk recommended attendees should keep it simple, avoid jargon and be your own editor. Read your draft, take a break, and then read it again. Are there any words that can be removed? Falk also recommended a number of books to further explore the field, including The Elements of Style, On Writing Well and The Craft of Science Writing.
As an organizer, I also learned a few things myself from hosting ComSciConGTA. One key lesson was to be prepared for the unexpected, and to be ready to jump on “stage” in the event of technical glitches. Another lesson was to build flexibility into the schedule. Speakers will inevitably run over their time slots due to questions (always a good problem to have), so by including activities that weren’t critical in our programming, we were able to adjust timings and still stay on track with our schedule.
Did you miss ComSciConGTA this year? Rest assured that you can still take part – either by following along as ComSciCon-CANWest takes place this November, or by keeping an eye out as calls for ComSciCon applications open again next year.
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