COMPASS Workshops for mCDR Professionals
Three free virtual workshops designed specifically for the mCDR community
As marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) research advances, researchers and professionals are increasingly being asked to communicate about complex, evolving, and at times contentious topics with policymakers, funders, journalists, community members, and others. Effective communication is essential for advancing informed, responsible, and equitable decision-making around mCDR.
Over the past six years, COMPASS has supported mCDR researchers and professionals to strengthen communication and engagement skills, helping them share their expertise with greater clarity, confidence, and impact. To expand access to this training, COMPASS is offering three free virtual workshops designed specifically for the mCDR community:
- Developing Your Message to learn how to translate complex mCDR science and technical information into clear, audience-relevant messages
- Communicating Risk to build skills for discussing uncertainty and tradeoffs in meaningful, actionable ways
- Engaging with the Media to learn from guest journalists and gain confidence engaging with the media about mCDR
Through interactive activities, peer feedback, and guided practice, participants will build practical skills for communicating complex science with a range of audiences.
See full workshop descriptions below. You can register for one, two, or all three workshops.
These workshops are designed for mCDR professionals who would like to more effectively communicate mCDR research or technical information to public audiences. They are not intended for individuals working in marketing or public relations.
Workshops
These three workshops are designed to complement one another, but each can also be attended as a standalone session. You’re welcome to register for one, two, or all three workshops.
Please note that each workshop requires a separate registration. The registration forms contain many of the same questions, including a few brief open-response items. If you plan to register for multiple workshops, you may find it helpful to save your written responses so you can easily copy and paste them into each form.
Developing Your Message
Wednesday, September 16 from 1—4 PM ET / 10 AM—1 PM PT
Good communicators are made, not born. Grounded in science communication research and practice, this interactive workshop helps participants develop clear, strategic messages about their mCDR work.
During this three-hour session, COMPASS trainers will introduce practical communication tools and strategies to help translate complex topics into meaningful, relevant messages for their specific audience. Participants will have an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned through facilitated group discussions and activities, including practice sessions with other participants in breakout rooms.
Participants will:
- Build a stronger understanding of the science behind strategic science communication
- Learn and apply the COMPASS Message Box to break down complex topics into digestible, effective messages
- Develop a draft Message Box on an mCDR topic of their choosing
- Receive feedback from peers through facilitated practice activities
Communicating Risk
Wednesday, October 7 from 1—4 PM ET / 10 AM—1 PM PT
As interest in marine carbon dioxide removal grows, researchers and practitioners are increasingly called upon to discuss uncertainty, tradeoffs, and risk with diverse audiences.
This interactive workshop explores how to communicate risk in ways that are meaningful, compassionate, and actionable. Participants will learn evidence-based approaches for discussing complex and evolving mCDR topics while maintaining trust and credibility.
Participants will:
- Deepen their understanding of the science behind risk communication
- Identify key components of risk communication and begin developing a strategic plan for communicating risk around mCDR
- Practice revising a key risk message for a specific audience
- Receive peer feedback on their risk message
Engaging with the Media
Wednesday, October 28 from 1—4 PM ET / 10 AM—1 PM PT
Media engagement can play an important role in shaping public understanding of emerging climate solutions. In this workshop, COMPASS facilitators and guest journalists will share practical strategies for communicating effectively with reporters about mCDR.
Participants will hear directly from journalists with deep experience covering climate and environment topics for local, national, and international audiences. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive Q&A panel with the journalists and practice applying communication techniques through facilitated group discussions and activities.
Participants will:
- Gain a stronger understanding of how journalists evaluate and report on science, environment, and emerging technologies
- Strengthen their ability to engage confidently and effectively with media
- Practice developing clear, compelling messages about mCDR using the COMPASS Message Box
- Receive feedback from peers on their messages
Frequently Asked Questions
I need to arrive late/leave early. Is that ok?
We are unable to admit participants who arrive more than 15 minutes late due to the progression of material presented. If you unexpectedly need to leave the workshop during a portion of the event or early, we cannot guarantee we will be able to readmit you to the workshop, depending on how long you are gone. Part of the magic of our workshops is the peer feedback and peer-to-peer learning that takes place. To ensure that is possible, we need everyone to be present for the full workshop.
What technology do I need to be able to participate?
The workshop will be held on the video conferencing platform Zoom. You will need a webcam, microphone, and stable internet connection. Recommended upload/download speed is 5Mbps/5Mbps. Test your internet speed here by clicking “run speed test.” This workshop will also incorporate the browser-based whiteboard program called MURAL.
My webcam doesn’t work. Can I still attend?
A functional webcam is highly recommend, but you can still attend as long as you are able to verbally participate in group discussion and paired exercises in breakout rooms.
Can I call in to the workshop?
This workshop includes visual content viewed via Zoom screen sharing and browser-based content, so we do not recommend that you solely call in to the workshop.
Will the workshop be recorded?
No. For the privacy and comfort of all participants, we have disabled platform-specific recording (we do not enable Zoom recordings, AI meeting summaries, or chat transcripts) and we also ask that you not record other’s comments in any way (including screen captures, audio or video recordings, or AI summaries). We will provide a PDF of the slides and any other relevant workshop materials.
Will there be other dates or opportunities to join a COMPASS virtual workshop?
These three workshops are a unique opportunity to take a COMPASS workshop specifically for the mCDR community on mCDR. However, we also offer monthly virtual workshops on a range of topics. View the workshop calendar or sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on upcoming events.
What does it mean to be waitlisted?
We create a waitlist for workshops that reach capacity so that we can offer spots as they become available. If there is a cancellation and a spot becomes available, we will open up registration for the first person on the waitlist and then work our way down the list as other spots become available. We will contact you directly to let you know if a spot has opened for you.
Still have questions?
Contact us at trainings@COMPASSscicomm.org and we’ll do our best to answer them!