Posts in: Preparing Science Leaders

I recently published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It was the result of many months of research, but also an opportunity to learn what it’s like to be a scientist communicating about my research and engaging in public discourse about the environment. These lessons will serve me well as I create the conditions for other scientist...

This winter, I’ve had the privilege to witness a bunch of kids learning to ski (admittedly, while finally truly learning to ski myself). While supporting my daughters – one a future Bode Miller downhill-bomber, and one who’s slightly more cautious but still a strong skier – I was struck by the many parallels (pun intended) between learning to ski and learni...

Culture is an important, but sometimes overlooked, aspect of communication. Understanding the behaviors, beliefs, and norms of your audience can (and should!) change how you talk about your own work. One key reason COMPASS brings journalists and policymakers to our communication trainings is to give scientists a window into their worlds. Journalists Chris Joyce...

In January, right after the holidays, Nancy Baron and I traveled to New Orleans to work with the leaders from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – a 10-year research program to investigate and understand the effect of oil spills on the environment and public health. The Gulf is the focus of a lot of investment in research these days, and these scien...

By Nancy Baron Published December 23, 2015 Title: Do You Want Your Research To Change The World? Categories: Communication, Leadership, Science Tags: advocacy, conferences, connecting, government, journalists, audience, outreach, So What?, Nancy Baron At the 21st Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals held last week, I  stood in front of a vast con...

By Heather Mannix Published Oct. 6, 2015 Categories: Communication Tags: conferences, context, connecting, IMCC, know your audience, passion, perspective, practice, story A little over a year ago, eight scientists stepped out of their comfort zones and took to the stage to share a piece of their worlds. Without leaving a dark auditorium in Glasgow, we were transp...