Guest blog

Blog – Communicating your science effectively: know your audience

Blog by Dr Clíona Farrell

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Science communication has been a huge part of my scientific journey to date, and I have a passion for sharing my research and my love for science with the public. Understanding who your audience are is crucial for engagement when participating in science communication. In this blog I will reflect on my different science communication experiences to discuss some tips for getting to know your audience.

Science communication can take on many forms, but largely covers the organisation or participation in events which disseminate research or scientific knowledge to the public. In this vein, science communication can take a variety of formats. These include talks, posters, articles, blogs or social media posts, podcasts, or even through conversation and artwork. I have taken part in many forms of science communication, each varying in what is required from me. The target audience of each specific communication or outreach is the most important factor in deciding the depth and breadth of your research or field to cover. Although we generally think of the “lay audience” as one specific level to pitch at, there can be nuances to tailoring materials for different groups of lay individuals.

When communicating your research to any audience, you are standing before them as an expert. An audience may not care about the specific cell type or protein you research, but they do care about the overarching topics.

Before you start, check if you are up to date on the basic facts and figures for the specific disease you study. How many people are affected globally or in the UK? Are there any interventions or treatments available? Is the cause of this disease understood?

More likely than not, people are coming to hear from you because they have an interest in dementia research in general, rather than in your niche. Alzheimer’s Research UK and other charity websites are excellent places to get well sourced data on these topics. Having some preprepared answers, that don’t make sweeping claims, will benefit you, making you more at ease. It can also remind you to put your research in context. On this note, before you speak to the public, always check the news for any breaking headlines about your field, such as new drugs or policy decisions – these can often inspire audience questions. Moreover, people may be driven to attend your event as they are personally concerned that they or a loved one may be developing dementia. Prepare for these incidences in advance, being cautious not to give any medical advice as a non-clinical researcher. It is good to be aware if there will be any clinical colleagues present who may be willing to field these types of questions!

My first experience of lay communication during my PhD was presenting to a small committee of Research Network Monitors from the Alzheimer’s society, as they were the funder of my project.

The volunteers had prior personal experience with dementia, and had firsthand knowledge of the changes occurring to the life of people with neurodegenerative diseases, their families and carers. I met with this group annually, and they had all previously volunteered to monitor other projects, and so had learned a broad amount about the dementia field. However, as preclinical research tends to go, I was focusing a unique niche that they had not yet learned about. Over the years I learned that they really like to hear about how my findings relate more to the clinical outcome of people who have dementia-causing diseases, and that I needed to spend the majority of my talk focusing on the broad background of the field, with only one to two slides updating on data I had collected, always emphasising its relevance to their experience. In a small group setting, it can also help to format the talk as a conversation, asking questions to the volunteers about their experiences and opinions throughout. In my experience, if people feel heard, they are more likely to engage with you.

More recently I helped to organise and host a group of 16–17-year-old school students visiting our institute to learn about dementia research. We gave talks about the Alzheimer’s field and our research, gave a tour of our facilities, and the students had an opportunity to do an experiment simulation in the lab. For this talk, I wanted to give a broad overview of the Alzheimer’s field, beyond what is covered on the A-level curriculum, going from pathogenic mechanisms to models to future therapeutic targets. Leaving lots of time for questions was important here, as the students were incredibly curious, and more interested in the finer details, such as how future blood tests for neurodegenerative diseases may work, and how the stem cells we use as a model in the lab for research compare to those they had heard used as interventions in some cancers. When communicating your science to young people, they will often be interested in understanding how to become a scientist, so make sure to prepare some career related material. Take these questions as compliments that you have inspired the next generation!

The above science communication opportunities were in my own territory of the lab. Leaving your comfort zone by presenting your work in a public forum can be a completely different experience. A couple of years ago, I spoke at Soapbox science in London, an event where women and non-binary scientists stand on a soapbox in a public space and try to engage people walking by. Basically, busking with your science. In this case, the audience are not expecting to hear about science on that given day, so the talk needed to be an engaging, two-way pitch, with room for questions. Moreover, people will come and go as you stand there, meaning you need to be aware of being able to backtrack and cover the basics for the newcomers, while peppering in new details to keep the existing audience engaged. This is arguably a more difficult, but more rewarding type of communication, where you get to give someone a new perspective on your research. Other science communication events taking place in a public setting includes the likes of Pint of Science. In these settings it’s more important than ever to have good awareness of the breadth of your field, and any recent breakthroughs!

The final type of audience I have presented to is at the annual World Down syndrome day event, taking place in the Francis Crick Institute. At this event we invite people with Down syndrome from across London, their families and carers to a day filled with talks, activities and fun. The purpose of this day is to communicate the latest research in the Down syndrome field, through oral communication, but also through posters, and activities to improve the accessibility of the day. As people with Down syndrome have varying degrees of intellectual disability, we strive to provide information in a way that is accessible, while providing parents or carers with detailed information that they require. Therefore, as well as talks with slides, we also hang easy-read posters with our updates and have a wide range of activities where scientists and medical professionals can interact more one to one with participants on the day. Even if your event is not specifically for people who have accessibility needs, always consider if making your communication event more accessible will help your audience.

Finally, I want to stress the importance of language in science communication. The words we use can have a huge impact on our audience and can hold a lot of weight with the public. Be aware of how to refer to people experiencing neurodegenerative disease, and those participating within research. Be clear if you are describing a patient, or a research participant. Think about how to relate your work in a disease model to the people sitting in front of you. You should educate yourself on terms that may have historically been used in research papers to describe the disease or condition you study but may no longer be publicly acceptable. When in doubt, use person first language. Upsetting or alienating your audience should be avoided at all costs. The majority of our research is funded by charities or government agencies, and therefore we owe it to the public to be respectful and knowledgeable in our communication!

I hope I have persuaded you that there is not one generic “lay” audience, but an array of settings where tailoring content and style will really help you be successful in your science communication.


Clíona Farrell

Clíona Farrell

Author

Dr Clíona Farrell is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone.

 

 

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Dr Clíona Farrell

Dr Clíona Farrell is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone.

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