NSF Graduate Institutes for Science Communication and Public Engagement

该项目将满足培训科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)专业人员与普通受众沟通的迫切需求。它与NSF机构的优先目标保持一致，即改善STEM研究生为劳动力做好准备。将在两年内举办四个为期五天的区域讲习班(GradScience Comm Institutes)。这些学院旨在挑战STEM研究生和他们的教师导师，让他们与学术界以外的群体进行清晰有效的沟通。第一个学院将在北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校举行，其他三个学院将在竞争的基础上授予美国各地的其他机构。每个地区学院将成为与公众进行更持久和更广泛的STEM交流的起点。在每个为期一周的学院中，STEM博士生和他们的教师导师将参加一系列互动全会和小组分组会议。每期课程都将建立在循证技术的基础上，以提高口头交流和陈述技巧。参与者将在以下方面获得更好的技能：(1)吸引不同的受众，(2)识别和应用成功演讲者的特点，(3)使用故事和类比来解释研究成果和说明不熟悉的概念，(4)围绕核心信息和大想法组织演讲，以及(5)设计有影响力的视觉和图形。演讲将围绕核心研究信息进行组织。学院后的活动将包括由传播专家领导的教学网络研讨会和由中学生评审的虚拟三分钟论文比赛。每个区域研究所将为两年期赠款以外的持续培训提供基础。

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.