CABI News

SciDev.Net’s training programme, Script, is inviting researchers to sign-up to its new series of monthly training webinars.

The first webinar, held in February, looked at how researchers can boost their career through science communication.

The next one takes place at 2pm (GMT) on Wednesday 29 March and will be led by Dr Charles Wendo, Training Coordinator for SciDev.Net. You can sign-up for this webinar and subsequent ones here.

Benefits of webinars

The inaugural webinar launched the new series by exploring how researchers stand to gain by communicating their research to policymakers and the public.

Advice and tips were also given on how researchers can explain their studies in such a way that their information will be interesting and easily understandable to the non-specialists.

The webinar also provided the opportunity to share ideas with other researchers with similar aspirations and ask questions of a panel of experts in the field of science communication.

The session was led by Dr Wendo and attended by (30) Researchers from across Africa.

Improving science communication

Script programme works to improve the communication of science to the general public, policy-makers and other interested groups.

It does this through the delivery of online and offline high-quality training in science communication for scientists, journalists and communication specialists.

Dr Wendo, said, “The free Script training and networking resource has benefited over 6,000 journalists and researchers since it was launched in 2018.

“It has done so by helping them to improve the flow of reliable, research-based scientific information – which ultimately has resulted in stories that have so far reached over 1 million people including policymakers.

“The webinar series is the latest asset in our portfolio of free resources which will further provide researchers with the necessary skills and networking to communicate science effectively.”

Free online courses

As well as the monthly webinars, Script also offers free online courses in science communication. These include Science Communication Skills for Journalists, Media Skills for Scientists and Science Communication Skills for Press Officers.

Script also provides free practical guides and includes advice on aspects such as ‘How to Give a Good Science Talk Anywhere,’ ‘How to Report the Science of COVID-19’ and ‘How to Give a Science Flash Talk.’

The resource is also able to provide bespoke science communication training packages for research organisations and institutions and connect journalists with scientists – and vice versa – through its Script Connect service.

Addressing skills shortage

Dr Wendo added, “A Script scoping study for a Science Media Centre for East Africa conducted in 2020 also identified skills shortage as the main impediment to good science journalism in the region.

“We hope that by offering resources such as the monthly webinar, we can help increase the capacity for science to be communicated more effectively to the public through the media.”

Additional information

Main image: The monthly Script training webinars are another tool to help researchers and journalists in Africa communicate science to the public and policymakers more effectively (Credit: Noah Friedman-Rudovsky for CABI).

About Script

Script is a training and networking programme for journalists, scientists and anyone who wants to communicate science in an engaging and accurate way.

Find out more about Script training by SciDev.Net – including courses, guides, news, and bespoke training from scripttraining.net

About SciDev.Net

SciDev.Net is the world’s leading source of reliable and authoritative news, views and analysis about science and technology for global development.

Our Mission is to use independent journalism to help individuals and organisations apply science to decision-making in order to drive equitable, sustainable development and poverty reduction. SciDev.Net is part of CAB International (CABI) – a not-for-profit organisation that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.

SciDev.Net operates editorially independently from CABI with its content overseen by an independent Editorial Advisory Committee whose role is to ensure our editorial independence protocol is adhered to. The protocol is available on request.

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