This document provides an overview of a workshop on strengthening science communication skills at the National University of Mongolia. The workshop aims to help scientists better communicate their research to colleagues, the public, and potential funders. It will provide tools and strategies for creating professional communication materials like CVs, abstracts, and research talks. The workshop encourages clear communication in science by having participants practice "elevator talks" about their research and receive feedback. Effective science communication is important for advancing scientific understanding and contributing new knowledge.

1. Strengthening Science Communication
Professional Workshop Series at the National University of Mongolia
Workshop #1
Introductions and “Elevator Talks”
Dr. Christa Hasenkopf
Fulbright Grantee | Research Associate
National University of Mongolia | University of Colorado

2. Introductions!
Tell Us About Yourself!
Name
Position (grad student,
researcher)
What kind of science
are you interested in?
Anything else?

3. Workshop Description
Goal – Build Science Communications Skills Among:
 Colleagues at the Same Institution
How?  Colleagues around the World
 Scientists and the Public

4. Workshop Description
You will create a set of perfected professional
communication products:
CV/Resume  Abstract  10 min
research talk  “Elevator Talk”
With the hopes that:

5. Workshop Description
You will gain tools and processes that make
research easier:
Drop Box  Google Groups/Calendar/Alerts
 Web of Science Tricks  Peer-Reviewing
strategies
Again:

6. Syllabus

7. Workshop Website
www.christahasenkopf/workshop2012
 Content from workshop – Handouts,
PowerPoints, Syllabus, Schedule
Links to related content (e.g. Chronicles of Higher
Education on “Elevator Talks”)
Eventually, Mongolian version of the workshop
content (after end of course)

8. Workshop Description
Goal – Build Science Communications Skills Among:
 Colleagues at the Same Institution
How?
Why?
 Colleagues around the World
 Scientists and the Public

9. How Science Grows
Possible new bit
of knowledge
Humanity’s Eureka!
understanding
of science
Peer Review
(papers, conferences,
informal discussion,
new research directions)

10. How Science Grows
Possible new bit
of knowledge
Humanity’s Eureka!
understanding Eureka!
of science
Eureka!
Eureka!
Eureka!
Eureka!
Over time …. Eureka!
Eureka!
Trash

11. How Science Grows
Humanity’s Over even more time ….
understanding
of science ….the boundaries
grow and extend in
new directions.

12. Contributing to Science
If you want to contribute to
science, you need to:
Humanity’s  Communicate to the
understanding public your research area is
of science valuable
 Communicate to your
LOCAL and GLOBAL peers that
you deserve funding
 Communicate to your
GLOBAL peers that your
research is important.

13. Workshop Description
Goal – Build Science Communications Skills Among:
 Colleagues at the Same Institution
Humanity’s
Why?
 Colleagues around the World
understanding Strong communication
of science skills are essential for
conducting science.
 Scientists and the Public

14. And besides….
In science the credit goes
to the man who convinces
the world, not the man to
whom the idea first
occurs.
( By the way, if you’re
wondering – I was - Sir
Sir Francis Darwin, 1914 Francis Darwin was the
son of Charles Darwin)

15. Clear Communication
Is Tough!
Icebreaker Activity
 Find a partner (one of you will need a
piece of paper and pencil/pen)
 Pick one partner to be the Drawer, and
the other to be the Explainer.
 Explainers will get a picture (that they
MUST NOT show their Drawer
partner).
 The Explainer will describe the picture to the Drawer, who
will try to duplicate it based only on the Explainer’s
description. The Drawer can ask questions but the
Explainer CANNOT look at the Drawer’s paper.

16. Clear Communication
Is Tough!
If this can turn out like this…
…you can imagine, how difficult it can be
to clearly explain your science!

17. Why is it so hard?
 Hard to find the exact word to describe what
you see.
 Even if there is an exact word, your partner
might not know it, not have the skill to
replicate it, OR have a different interpretation
for what it means.
 Even if there is an exact word, your partner
might have a different interpretation for what it
means.
It means we have to choose our words very carefully.

18. And now to talk science!
Elevator Talks!
 Informal, impromptu, BRIEF
(30-45 sec) explanation of your
research
 Be ready for when opportunity
knocks! (conferences, visitors,
airports, who knows?)
Be able to:
Say who you are
What you do
What your research is/will be
Why it’s important

19. Keys To a good Elevator Talk
Elevator Talks!
Know your audience:
Colleague/scientist in another field/non-scientist?
Avoid jargon or acronyms
Focus on the BIG picture
Example: I’m talking to a non-scientist in France about
my research:
“I’m an atmospheric scientist from CU. I study
particulate matter in UB.”
“I’m an atmospheric scientist from the
University of Colorado. I study air pollution
in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.”

20. Keys To a good Elevator Talk
Elevator Talks!
Know your audience:
Colleague/scientist in another field/non-
scientist?
Avoid jargon or acronyms
Focus on the big picture
Write it out – maybe more than 1 version.
Practice it
Practice it again!

21. Example – My Elevator Talk
Audience: Educated, non-scientist
I’m an atmospheric scientist from the University of Colorado. I’m
currently working in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, collaborating with the
National University of Mongolia, studying air pollution. Air pollution
– especially in the form of soot - is a major problem in Ulaanbaatar.
It is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and the health
impacts have been severe. The World Bank estimates that
approximately 25% of all deaths in Ulaanbaatar are related to the air
pollution, yet there have been few studies published in the scientific
literature. Another impact of air pollution from soot is that it can
have a big effect on local and global climate. There’s a component of
soot that is actually second only to carbon dioxide for causing global
warming. All in all, this makes Ulaanbaatar an important place to
study air pollution.

22. Examples
Two good ones here:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/career
prep/jobsearch/elevator_talks.html

23. Your Elevator Talk
Scenario: You’ve just gotten into an elevator with an
educated, non-scientist, who is interested in providing grants for
scientific research.
 Design an “Elevator
Bill Gates Talk” for this audience
(in English).
 Shoot for 30-45 seconds.
 Write it down.
Who knows, maybe it  Try it out on a someone
was this guy? in the workshop.

24. Next Time
 Polish your talk and bring it to class next
time. You’ll have the opportunity to practice
your elevator talk in front of the class.
 You’ll receive feedback from your workshop-
mates.
 We’ll discuss Tools for
Smooth Communication
 Who has a gmail
account already?

25. One Last Thing….
This workshop is for YOU.
Have comments or suggestions
about ANYTHING in the class that
can make it better?
Let Me know!