April 22, 2024

Instructor: Samantha Meenach, PhD, URI

Location: URI
Session 1: June 8-10 (Avedisian 305)
Session 2: July 8-10 (Avedisian 305)

Course Overview

This WDT Module is designed to prepare students with critical science communication and collaboration skills essential in today’s scientific workforce. Instruction includes introduction to communication and collaboration concepts, theories, and approaches, followed by activities, group discussions, and exercises to develop and practice these skills. Topics include science communication and literacy, communicating research to general and specialized audiences, scientific and graphical abstracts, networking, mentoring networks, the three-minute research story, addressing conflict, and collaboration in science. Participants will work hands-on to outline a research project, draft a scientific abstract, and develop and deliver a three-minute research story.

The module is completed over 2.5 days. Participants who complete the module will receive an RI-INBRE Certificate of Completion.

Learning Outcomes

    Participants who complete this module will be able to:

    • Understand the importance of communicating research in ways that are accessible to multiple audiences, including the general public
    • Articulate what it means to be scientifically literate and reflect on their own scientific literacy
    • Outline a research project, including hypothesis or research question, aims, methodology, and significance
    • Write a clear, concise, complete and cohesive scientific abstract and design a graphical abstract
    • Build and maintain professional networks and mentoring networks
    • Apply strategies to navigate conflict and collaborate effectively in research environments
    • Develop, practice and deliver a three-minute (3M) research story to a general scientific audience

    Portfolio Contents

    Students will maintain a portfolio that includes:

    • Handouts and notes from each session
    • Research project outline
    • Draft scientific abstract
    • Three-minute (3M) research story outline
    • Reflection responses

    Resources Used in this Module

    • Slide decks for each session
    • Handouts including networking introductions, group dynamics behaviors, science communication and literacy, mentor roles, abstract writing, traits of good science collaborators, and 3M research story outline and rubric
    • Selected videos, including Neil deGrasse Tyson on science literacy and Three Minute Thesis competition examples

    Proposed Timeline (subject to change)

    TimeDay 1Day 2Day 3
    9:00 AM – 10:15 AMIntroductions; Networking Ice Breaker; Group Dynamics; Introduction to Science CommunicationDaily Check-In and Overview; Networking; Mentoring NetworksDaily Check-In and Overview; Practice 3M Research Story in Groups
    10:15 AM – 10:30 AMBreakBreakBreak
    10:30 AM – 12:00 PMScience Literacy; Communicating Research to the Public; Outlining Your Research ProjectThree-Minute (3M) Research Story3M Research Story Presentations (10:30 AM to 11:30 AM); Wrap Up (11:30 AM – 12:00 PM)
    12:00 PM – 1:30 PMLunchLunchWorkshop Concludes
    1:30 PM – 3:00 PMScientific Abstracts and Graphical AbstractsAddressing Conflict and Collaboration in Science (1:30 PM – 2:30 PM); Work on 3M Research Story (2:30 PM – 4:00 PM)
    3:00 PM – 4:00 PMWork on AbstractsWork on 3M Research Story (2:30 PM – 4:00 PM)