STEMskiller: Skill Set Map for Mentors of Early Career Researchers
ENGAGEMENT, INVOLVEMENT, COLLABORATION, TRANSDISCIPLINARITY, AND INQUISITIVNESS:
Impact and public engagement
Developing effective communication skills for public engagement
Definition:
“Communication skills” is an often overused term that lacks crisp definition and that can cover an extensive terrain ranging from interpersonal communications to academic communications to email communications to navigating cross-cultural and diversity-related communications issues and far beyond (in terms of “impact” activities, communications could include TV or radio interviews, for example). Academic writing, research group/team communications, and presentation skills are covered in the STEMskiller “Research and Scholarship” section and career-related skills are covered in that section. For mentors seeking an overview of basic communication skills mentees should possess in terms of writing for the public, see entry "Science for non-technical audiences and popular science presentations." Online communication strategies related to extending impact follow in the "Effective online engagement" entry.
Developing effective communications skills for all settings and audiences can be viewed as a career-long, lifelong effort and not the subject of a one-size-fits-all course for mentees.
Resources listed here are related to public engagement in particular venues.
Useful resources on Communication skills for public engagement:
National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement & Research Councils UK. (2017). How to… …work in TV. https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/how_to_work_in_tv.pdf
Getting started (do your research, choosing a channel, start small), pitching a proposal (putting a proposal together, talking to the right people), top tips.
Tags: IPS WC; IPS OC; PSR IKC; Comp TS; Comp GS
Peer Review: None
Table of contents:
- 4.2.5. Lay abstracts with impact
4.2.6. Engaging with schools
4.2.7. Effective online engagement (including research blogging, social media posting, podcasting, & hosting virtual events)
4.2.8. Evaluating public engagement
Author: Stephanie Krueger
Peer Reviewer(s): None
Last Updated: October 28, 2021