Science Communication 1: Introduction to Science Communication

Introduction to Science Communication (SCOM1001) offers a smorgasbord of all things science communication! Broken into three core elements - concepts, skills and contexts - and featuring diverse guest lectures, science communication methods, and much more, this foundation course is designed to help you taste a little bit of everything and discover the flavours of science communication. SCOM1001 is an excellent complement to any STEM, environment, psychology, health, or medicine degree. It gives students fundamental concepts and approaches to effectively communicate internally and externally from their core discipline to beyond. This is useful for cross-disciplinary research and problem solving, job or grant applications, stakeholder and public engagement, and many other tasks in professional science and technology contexts. It is also suitable for students from social science and arts disciplines who would like to build bridges to all things science. The course provides an introduction to contemporary social and communication issues in science, technology, and society. It explore questions such as: Concepts - how did science communication evolve and how does its history inform practice today? - what are the fundamental models and where are they useful? - how do the wider public view and engage with science, and how can you connect with them as a communicator? - how can we make messages relevant, convey complex ideas effectively, and tap into people's emotions? - how can science and science communication be more ethical, inclusive, and equitable? Skills - how can we use storytelling, podcasts and other narrative forms to engage? - how can we communicate through words, presentations, performances - even ideas from improv theatre? - how can we employ hands-on methods or live demonstrations used in science centres like Questacon and other informal science learning settings? Contexts - how can we best communicate in the media or online? - can science communication enhance policy making and better bring science into the political sphere? - where does science and its communication fit into areas like science fiction, comics and pop culture more broadly? - what role can science communication play in addressing issues like health, sustainability, climate change, or responsible AI? Note the exact contexts explored in the course may vary from year to year based on guest lecture availability. Focusing on current events and issues facing scientists, science communicators, policy makers, and the community, SCOM1001 students are encouraged to discuss their own perceptions of science and technology in the context of society, and the problems with (and solutions to) communicating science with non-expert audiences. A strong emphasis is placed on collaboration with other students, and students are expected to take an active approach to learning.