NSF Graduate Institutes for Science Communication and Public Engagement

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This project will address a compelling need for training of professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in communication with general audiences. It is aligned with the NSF Agency Priority Goal to improve STEM graduate student preparedness for the workforce. Four regionally based five-day workshops (GradSciComm Institutes) will be held over two years. The institutes are intended to challenge STEM graduate students and their faculty mentors to communicate clearly and effectively with constituencies outside of academe. The first institute will be held at University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the other three will be awarded on a competitive basis to other institutions throughout the U.S. Each regional Institute will be a starting point for more permanent and expansive STEM communication with the public.During each week-long Institute, STEM doctoral students and their faculty mentors will participate in a series of interactive plenaries and small group breakout sessions. Each session will build on evidence-based techniques for improving oral communication and presentation skills. Participants will gain improved skills for (1) engaging diverse audiences, (2) identifying and applying traits of successful presenters, (3) using stories and analogies to explain research outcomes and illustrate unfamiliar concepts, (4) organizing presentations around core messages and big ideas, and (5) designing impactful visuals and graphics. Presentations will be organized around core research messages. Post-institute activities will include instructional webinars led by communications experts and a virtual three-minute thesis competition judged by middle school students. Each regional Institute will provide the basis for ongoing training beyond the two-year funding of the grant.