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As a volunteer-run professional society, the Association of Science Communicators depends on our vibrant community for our success. Our volunteers help with conference logistics, community engagement, partnership development, and much more. For our first volunteer spotlight Q&A, we’re featuring Amanda Pluntze, ASC’s course coordinator. Scott Hershberger (ASC’s newsletter editor) spoke with Amanda about her work […]

The Association of Science Communicators (ASC) hosted its 7th annual Science Talk Conference last month and the evolution of science communication was on full display. This year’s theme centered around “Giving a Voice to Science” and participants saw that message echo through keynote presentations from leaders in the community, panel discussions pulling back the curtain […]

If we’re to give a voice to science and society, we mustn’t forget the role of lawmakers – and the communication lessons they can provide. I’ve blogged a lot about science policy and how to get involved at the Fancy Comma blog. I’ve talked about being a scientist in politics, ways scientists can get involved […]

What does it mean to “give science a voice?” Scientists develop an interest in science communication for many reasons (Besley et al., 2015), which can include informing people’s decision-making on forefront issues in their fields. Scientists, regardless of their specific areas of expertise, often find themselves in the role of advocates for science more generally […]

A new study finds that the majority of images related to health topics on stock photography sites are of light-skinned people within a fairly narrow age range, making it more difficult – and expensive – for organizations to create health education materials aimed at reaching other groups. The findings are significant because using images relevant […]

It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. – Charles Darwin Our dive boat bounces through another choppy wave, showering […]

ASC is personally asking our community to take two-minutes to review and digitally sign the below open letter, committing to 2023 as the year we build wide-reaching trust in science.  If you are looking for more information about our reasoning behind the letter, please visit this link. Science has been politicized to the detriment of […]

Anyone who has been in a grad program (or still is), knows the feeling of gnawing doubt. Unsure how you ever got into the program. Unsure how to do science. Unsure if you even still like science. Fortunately, when I was in grad school, I got the opportunity to participate in a stand-up comedy workshop […]

Interest in full-time scicomm careers is skyrocketing, but landing a full-time position that matches your experience and interests can be harrowing. And navigating a freelance career can seem overwhelming without a guide. After hearing her present at Science Talk ‘22, the Association of Science Communicators (ASC) reached out to Marley Parker, freelance science writer, photographer […]

Members of the scicomm community may have noticed a shift in our brand over the last few months as we rolled out a new name on social media, teased it at the Science Talk ‘22 annual conference, and now launched a new and improved website.  It’s official: Science Talk has changed its name to the […]

In the latest Association of Science Communications (ASC) Q&A, ASC’s Dr. Allison Coffin discusses science communications from a foundation perspective with Russ Campbell, Director of Science Communications and Strategic Partnerships & Senior Communications Officer for Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF), a private foundation that supports biomedical research, career development for scientists, and STEM education in N.C. Allison Coffin: Can you […]

Dr. Allison Coffin and Dr. Kiki Sanford from the Association of Science Communicators (ASC), formerly Science Talk, sat down with Jessica McNellis from s2s Public Relations and Communications to breakdown their favorite moments from the 2022 Science Talk Conference, the unexpected challenges organizing a hybrid event, and what they have planned for next year. Hosting your first in-person event […]

At Science Talk 2022, hundreds of science communicators from around the world shared their expertise and made new connections. In my previous post, I wrote about my experience meeting fellow science communicators in person for the first time. Today, I’m going to share my personal takeaways from the workshops and talks at the conference. Out of the […]

Get a group of science communicators in a room, and you’re in for a fascinating conversation. Extend that gathering for two full days, and you’ll gain insights that will reshape how you approach your work. That was my experience at Science Talk 2022. I arrived knowing almost no one. My shift from physics and math […]

In a special guest Q&A, Science Talk’s Dr. Kiki Sanford sat down with Brooke Smith, Director of Public Engagement with Science at The Kavli Foundation, and Rick Borchelt, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, to talk about key themes discussed during last year’s SciPEP (Science Public Engagement Partnership) Conference and […]

First principles of communication, science-specific or otherwise, require both a transmitter of information and a receiver. And if you are to be successful then it’s vital to create – and maintain – a connection between the two. The internet contains almost all of the information in the history of our species. But if you can’t connect to […]

This post is part of series on “The Many Arms of SciComm” which will introduce concepts and ideas leading up to Science Talk ’22. Registration is open until March 16th. Four years ago today I left my position at UNC Research to start my career as a full-time freelance photographer, videographer, and science writer. Four years. That’s 1,461 days. It […]

This post is part of series on “The Many Arms of SciComm” which will introduce concepts and ideas leading up to Science Talk ’22. Registration is open until March 16th. It’s 7 am and I’ve pulled my second all-nighter this week because I can’t sleep. Over the past two years, the COVID pandemic has slowly became […]

As science communicators, it is our responsibility to translate & communicate scientific findings in such a way that “Science” (with a capital S) inspires confidence among anyone who could potentially be impacted by them. Reaching out to those with differing perspectives with the goal of understanding is essential to truly earning trust, especially among those who have been historically ignored or harmed. Climate, environment, health, technology… all the places where science intersects with society require attention from the science communication community.

The end of December often brings a lot of dormant feelings to the forefront. Winter holidays, breaks from work and school, and the culmination of another year can bring peace, excitement, nervousness, and often…wonder. Have you ever felt, even subconsciously, wonder with science in popular media? Did you know it’s there for a reason? David Kirby […]

Science communications has been under an intense microscope for almost two years. With public engagement in science at the core of that scrutiny, we were eager to dive into how it has trickled into university research programs.​ In a special guest Q&A, Science Talk’s Dr. Allison Coffin sat down with Susan Renoe from the University of Missouri and Advancing Research […]

Last week, I talked about how Compassionate Science Communication can provide value for and have lasting impact on our audiences. It requires the communicators to first learn what our audiences care about before offering a relevant scientific perspective. How? Let’s review the steps that guide the process:  Listen: Approach our audience with curiosity—ask questions, listen, try to […]

Imagine you have been wanting a pair of orange shoes for a long time. You finally find a pair that would go perfectly with your favorite orange outfit and are feeling pretty happy after trying them on! A salesperson then approaches you and says: You shouldn’t get those orange shoes. They don’t pair well with […]

The COVID-19 pandemic taught scientists that the way in which scientists communicate science impacts global communities. Lecturers that teach science communication (also called SciComm) at various levels draw upon and recognize the importance that all forms of science communication play in society — not just in their own lives, but in their students’ lives, too. […]