Science Communication Training for Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal Experts

COMPASS is excited to announce a two-part workshop series in conjunction with the 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting, held in New Orleans in February 2024. Designed for physical and social scientists and technical experts working in the ocean carbon dioxide removal (oCDR) space, these workshops will help participants share their work and insights on ocean carbon dioxide removal in clear, relevant terms. Grounded in the latest research on science communication, COMPASS workshops are designed to help participants find the relevance of their science for the audiences they most want to reach—journalists, policymakers, the public, and even other scientists. In this two-part workshop series, participants will have the opportunity to engage with top-notch science journalists who will share insights on how scientists can become excellent communicators and provide 1:1 feedback on participants’ communication messages.

Please see below for more information about the workshops.

Date/Time
Session 1: February 1-2, 2024, 1-4pm ET
Session 2: February 18, 8:30am-4:30pm CT
Location
Session 1: Virtual
Session 2: New Orleans, LA (in conjunction with the 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting)
Price 
These workshops are free for participants to attend and funded by the ClimateWorks Foundation. Please note that participants will be expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs to attend Session 2 in New Orleans.

Eligibility & Application

We encourage technical experts and researchers working on, or whose work has relevance to oCDR across diverse disciplines including, but not limited to, the fields of social science, governance, engineering, and geosciences, to apply.

Workshop space is limited, complete this Google form to express your interest by November 30, 2023! We will review applications on a rolling basis, and will notify participants of acceptance by mid-January, 2023. Prior to the workshop, selected participants will be expected to complete a survey to help COMPASS better understand their goals and backgrounds, and design the workshop accordingly to address said goals.

For questions, please contact Alex Griffith at alex.griffith@compassscicomm.org.

Session Details

Session 1: Developing Your Message (Virtual) — February 1-2, 2024, 1-4pm ET

Note that participation in this workshop is required to attend the in-person workshop in New Orleans.

This workshop is designed for experts and scientists who study carbon dioxide removal in the oceans and want to learn how to share their research with diverse audiences for greater impact. Grounded in the latest research on science communication, this workshop will introduce participants to tools and strategies to help you communicate and distill what you know and why it matters to different audiences by using the COMPASS Message Box. This workshop will involve hands-on practice, feedback from trainers and peers, and interactive exercises. We will make use of a variety of virtual facilitation tools, including video conferencing breakout rooms and the virtual whiteboard tool Mural.

Session 2: Communicating with Journalists — February 18, 8:30am-4:30pm CT, New Orleans, LA

This session will be held in conjunction with the 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting.

Building upon the foundation provided in the “Developing Your Message” workshop, in this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to get real-time feedback from journalists in order to further refine their messages for audiences ranging from local to national and beyond. Workshop participants will also learn from journalists about how scientists can share the stories coming out of their research in compelling, clear ways and will participate in a Q&A session. The in-person workshop will also serve as a community-building opportunity for those working in the oCDR space.

About COMPASS

Since 1999, COMPASS has supported over 10,000 scientists to communicate about their work and engage beyond lab and field. We’ve connected them with journalists, policymakers, community leaders, and beyond, when and where it matters, ensuring science has a seat at the table. COMPASS pairs fundamental skill building with strategies and connections to drive impact. Working with us, you’ll gain communication tools you can use right away and the confidence to speak about your work.