3 December 2018

Tell a story, sing a song, & learn some stuff at AGU18!

Posted by Shane Hanlon

By Shane M Hanlon

AGU18 is…next week! Wow, that happened fast. We have a full slate of amazing science communication, policy, and outreach events planned for the entire week of the meeting! Check out our full list here and check out some highlights below:

Hands On

  • Register for free workshops! In addition to the week of programming we’ll be hosting in our Science Communication: Sharing Science room, we’re hosting two workshops on Sunday, 9 December, before Fall Meeting officially begins! Check out our general scicomm or storytelling via multimedia workshops. Attendance is free, but preregistration is required.
  • Poetry and science: Poetry can be a very effective tool in communicating science to a broader audience and can even help to enhance the long-term retention of scientific content. Come and learn from Tim van Emmerik how to turn your research into poetry by taking part in this fully interactive session. No previous experience needed.
  • Social media 101 and 201: Want to learn more about using social media to communicate your science? Or learn how to use or improve your game on different platforms to communicate with different demographics using different types of media? Check out our 101 and 201 workshops hosted by Beth Bartel and Wendy Bohon.
  • Storytelling in SciComm: One of the most compelling means of captivating an audience is to tell them a story. In this fast paced, interactive workshop, you’ll learn and practice some techniques for identifying the stories in your science and telling them.

Learn from the Pros

  • Ask the Experts: Interested in science communication and outreach but not sure where to start? Experienced in outreach and want to address specific questions and issues? Take this opportunity to stop by and talk with experts in a variety of fields.
  • Sharing Science in Plain English panel: Learn how to connect with public, media, and other nonscientific audiences to share science beyond the bench or field. Expert communicators will entertain, inspire, and inform you with effective communications examples and advice. Panelists include Yudhijit Bhattacharjee and Shaena Montanari. Lunch is provided.
  • Live Third Pod from the Sun podcast recording with photographer James Balog: Join us for a live recording of AGU’s podcast Third Pod from the Sun with guest James Balog as we dive into the lengths he’s gone to educate the public about climate change.
  • Voices for Science panel: Are you looking for a community of outreach-oriented scientists and professional resources to expand and hone your own outreach work? If so, AGU’s Voices for Science program would be an excellent fit for you. This panel session will feature scientists from the inaugural Voices for Science cohort, who will detail their experiences in outreach and how the Voices for Science program has changed their perspective on outreach work, created a support network of scientists locally and nationally, and enabled more opportunities for sharing their science with many communities.

Entertainment

  • The Story Collider: Join us for an evening of true, personal stories about Earth and space science with The Story Collider. These are science stories, not science lectures. Appetizers and beverages will be served. Storytellers include:
    • Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
    • Carol Finn
    • Ryan Haupt
    • Katharine Hayhoe
    • Sarah Kaplan
    • Janine Krippner
  • Open Mic Night: Join your colleagues and host Richard Alley for an evening of rhyming, singing, and storytelling about Earth and space science at the annual Open Mic Night. Space still available—sign up today!
  • Sketch Your Science all week: Stop by our sketch wall and draw your science. Prizes awarded daily!
  • Up-Goer Five Challenge: Have you ever been accused of being complicated or hard to understand when describing your research? We invite you to take this challenge. Inspired by the XKCD comic that describes the Saturn V rocket using only the thousand most common words in English, we ask speakers to present short (5-minute) scientific talks using the same limited vocabulary. Two sessions here and here.

Shane M Hanlon a Program Manager in AGU’s Sharing Science program