About

This is the official blog of the National Science Foundation’s “Science: Becoming the Messenger” workshop series. Throughout the year, NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program brings the workshop to eligible states across the nation.

NSF extends invitations to principal investigators (PI), early career researchers and engineers, graduate students, postdocs, public information officers (PIOs) and communications staff from in-state institutions and universities who would like to learn to communicate effectively to a broad audience.

Today, across academia and the research community, there is a growing interest in science communication. Scientists are asking how they can share their knowledge and findings across an increasingly challenging information environment.

Seminars and training workshops are, accordingly, springing up to meet this need. But never before has there been a team like the one NSF has assembled to help members of the scientific community at all levels become more effective messengers.

Featuring three accomplished communicators and trainers-Emmy award winning television producer Joe Schreiber, former PBS executive Dan Agan, and science blogger and author Chris Mooney-the workshop provides one-stop shopping for those seeking to reach a broader public about their work.

Over the course of the first day of training, participants learn how to craft their message and deliver it to a variety of audiences. They also have the opportunity to experience live interview training, to develop writing and new media skills, to hone their public presentations, and even to produce video.

For a preselected group of researchers, the course continues for a second day. During this second day, participants further refine their message and learn more about reaching out to colleagues, public audiences and the media.