Let’s talk about science communication, but first, let’s start with Washington, D.C. This was my second visit to this beautiful city, and it’s one of my favorite cities in the U.S. so far. Please, New York City friends, don’t come for me! 😂 I love NYC equally! I’ve only been to six major cities in the U.S., so I am biased, but the food in D.C. is a delight. Nothing beats meals that remind me of the authentic tastes from Zimbabwe and South Africa. I am African, so yes, I’m biased towards tastes from the continent.

Now, let’s finally talk about science communication. This was the main focus of my trip, right? I was star-struck to meet amazing folks doing important work for our planet and frontline communities. Surprisingly, with all the professors, postdocs, and grad students, we worked collaboratively despite our differences in levels of experience in science policy and science communication. Some of the cool research that caught my attention:

• Environmental justice
• Drought studies using satellite data
• The impact of climate change on pollen allergens using satellite data
• Past climates

I thought I understood science communicatio11/27/2024, 1:53:04 PM11/27/2024, 1:53:06 PM11/27/2024, 1:53:08 PM11/27/2024, 1:53:15 PMn, but this workshop taught me how much I still have to learn. I’m just a beginner, like a student who has just started their first day of class. Science communication is a skill that requires practice and constant learning. If you’re a scientist/grad student looking to communicate your science through social media, to journalists, or with policymakers, consider taking formal training or learning from colleagues who excel in this area. Ask yourself these four questions:

1. Do you know when your research or paper is worthy of media such as the Guardian readership?
2. Do you know how to take images to communicate your research effectively?
3. Can you edit videos or images to better convey your science
4. Do your science stories have a scene, tension, climax, and a resolution (basics for storytelling)

Feel free to forget everything I said. But remember storytelling is important in talking/writing about science. So excited to share with you my journey as an American Geophysical Union Voices For Science Fellow in the next academic year.

Originally published on Medium.com on 24 April 2024