iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 11h

Science communication can be a lot more than slides and social media. It can be a quilt. A sculpture. Even music made from scientific data. That’s one of the ideas we’ll explore in our SciComm Workshop Series, starting Oct. 15. Reserve your spot today: scope.asu.edu/scicomm-work...

Promotional graphic reading, “Explore new ways to communicate your science,” featuring examples of science communication through textile art, sculpture, and sound. The graphic emphasizes that different media make different forms of communication possible and promotes the SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series, beginning October 15 with five live virtual workshops for $99.

010

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Your science story doesn’t have to live in a research paper. Make something people can actually hold! ✂️ On Oct. 21, join our live virtual Science Zine Workshop and turn your ideas into a zine using words, visuals, and your own voice. $25 · Details: scope.asu.edu/zine-worksho...

Promotional graphic reading, “Your science could be a zine,” featuring a handmade accordion-style science zine with collage illustrations of a whale, fish, coastal landscape, plants, and an octopus. The graphic promotes the SCoPE Science Zine Workshop on October 21 for $25.

010

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Five workshops. Practical #SciComm skills you can use right away. - SciComm foundations - Storytelling - Presenting your work - Multimedia - K–12 audiences Learn how to make your science clearer, more engaging, and easier to understand.

Graphic titled “Keep working while the ideas are fresh,” showing a researcher applying feedback to a presentation about Arctic sea ice. The final 30 minutes of each session are optional working time for participants to apply what they learned.

Graphic titled “Build skills you’ll use again and again,” featuring examples of a scientific presentation, data visualization, story outline, and audience notes. Skills include presenting with confidence, designing effective visuals, telling compelling science stories, and adapting communication for different audiences.

Graphic showing four researchers talking around a laptop. The workshop series is designed for graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and research professionals who are building or refreshing their science communication skills, including those new to SciComm.

Registration graphic for the October SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series. Five live online sessions run Thursdays, October 15–November 12, from 12–2 p.m. PT and 3–5 p.m. ET for $99. The final 30 minutes of each session are optional working time. A QR code and link in the post are provided for registration.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Doing great research is one thing. Sharing it so people actually understand and care is another. Our 5-part science communication workshop is all about hands-on practice, useful feedback, and skills you can put to work right away. Final 2026 cohort starts Oct. 15: scope.asu.edu/scicomm-work...

Promotional graphic for the SCoPE Science Communication Workshop Series reading, “Build confidence sharing your research.” A new live online cohort begins October 15, with an invitation to explore what the series includes.

Graphic asking, “What could stronger science communication help you achieve?” alongside researchers discussing a scientific poster. Benefits include greater visibility for your work, new collaborations, stronger proposals, and broader research impact.

Graphic reading, “Practice builds confidence. Feedback builds skills.” Each live session combines evidence-based guidance, interactive practice, facilitator feedback, and time to apply ideas to participants’ own work so they leave with progress, not just notes.

Image of a researcher participating in a live online workshop with a facilitator and other participants. A discussion prompt asks, “What’s the one idea you want your audience to remember?” The series includes real-time questions, practice, discussion, and learning alongside other researchers.

101

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Sign up here to get science communication resources, program updates, and new opportunities from SCoPE straight to your inbox: confirmsubscription.com/h/signup/d/C...

confirmsubscription.com

Signup

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Ever feel like the people around you have no idea what you actually do? You’re not alone. #SciComm is more than explaining your research, it’s knowing your audience, making data clear, and building trust. SCoPE can help you build those skills. Stay connected + join our email list 👇

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

New to #SciComm? Our SciComm Workshop Series is designed for beginners who want to build their skills without having to figure it all out on their own. Over 5 weeks, you’ll learn, practice, and get feedback on skills you can use for presentations, outreach, and more. scope.asu.edu/scicomm-work...

Promotional graphic reading, “You’re already communicating your science,” with icons representing presentations, proposals, and outreach. It encourages researchers to build skills that make science communication easier and promotes the SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series beginning October 15.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Skepticism doesn’t always mean “show more evidence.” Sometimes, the move is to get curious. Our $20 toolkit helps scientists practice navigating skeptical conversations without jumping into correction mode, so there’s room for understanding and productive dialogue. scope.asu.edu/science-comm...

Digital illustration on a laptop screen showing an interactive lesson about handling skeptical audiences, featuring a cartoon coffee cup character expressing various feelings. A printed guide titled "Working with Skeptical Audiences" is placed next to the laptop, along with the text "Difficult questions happen. Be ready."

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Want better engagement with your outreach? Try starting at the end. What do you want people to walk away understanding, feeling, or doing? Design the experience around that—then pick the activity. Because “interactive” is a format. Engagement is what people actually take away. #SciComm

Graphic asking, “Do your outreach planning meetings sound like this?” Three participants suggest making an activity interactive, turning it into a game, and choosing trivia. The graphic concludes, “Engagement calls for a different approach,” emphasizing that meaningful engagement requires more than simply adding interactive activities.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

“The public” isn’t really one audience. The same science can land very differently with homeowners, amateur astronomers, or middle schoolers. So before you share your research, ask: Who am I actually talking to, and what do they need from me? #SciComm

Infographic titled “Move beyond ‘the public.’” presenting a three-step framework for audience-focused science communication: identify a specific audience, consider their knowledge, interests, and experiences, then tailor the relevance, language, and format of your message. Example audiences include homeowners in fire-prone communities, amateur astronomers, middle school students, and local water policymakers. It concludes, “Different audiences. Different needs. Different communication.”

021

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Skeptical audiences don’t need to be “won over." They need to feel heard. Our recent article looks at what happens when a straightforward science question starts to feel more complicated. Read “Rethinking Difficult Conversations About Science”: www.linkedin.com/pulse/rethin... #SciComm

030

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Before you explain your research, pause and ask: What question is my audience really trying to answer? When someone asks, “What do you study?” they may actually be wondering: What does this have to do with me? Why might people care? Where could this research lead? Start there. #SciComm

Two overlapping watercolor circles on a light background. The left circle says “What you want to explain,” the right circle says “What they want to know,” and the overlap says “Start here.”

061

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

In #SciComm, we often focus on the story we want to tell. But storytelling can go both ways. Making space for your audience to share their experiences can uncover connections to the science you might never have considered. Sometimes the most important story in the conversation isn’t yours.

120

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Uncertainty is something to explain, not hide. Van der Bles and colleagues call this “muscular uncertainty”: communicating what we don’t know confidently, not apologetically. We can’t eliminate uncertainty, but we can help people understand it.

010

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A few useful principles: → Say what’s uncertain, and why → Quantify uncertainty when you can → Avoid vague hedging when numbers are available → Tailor the detail to what your audience needs to decide

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A 2026 systematic review of 24 studies found that communicating uncertainty generally did not undermine trust. In many cases, it helped. So the question isn’t whether to share uncertainty. It’s how to do it well.

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Uncertainty is part of science. The challenge is communicating it clearly without making your audience feel lost. It can be tempting to sound more certain than the evidence allows. But that often backfires.

110

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Ever looked at a chart with so many lines you don’t know where to start? Small multiples can help. They break crowded charts into simpler visuals, making patterns easier to spot. The Pew Research Center has a great guide with tips and examples, full article below!

Graphic titled “Make It Easier to See the Story in Your Data.” It compares a cluttered line chart with six overlapping data series to the same data separated into six small charts, showing how small multiples can make individual patterns easier to see and compare.

120

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

New research asks a fun question: can anime make science feel more accessible? At Anime Expo 2025, 67% of people surveyed after “The Physics of Anime” said yes, and no one said it felt less accessible. A promising model for meeting audiences where they are. Article below! PC: Roman Gomez, SwRI

Promotional graphic titled “Science Communication Beyond Science Events: The Physics of Anime | Anime Expo 2025.” A presenter speaks to a large convention audience while a slide about space weather and solar flares is projected behind a panel, illustrating science communication in a pop-culture setting.

220

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

A polished video can feel trustworthy before we’ve even checked the facts. University of Münster researchers explored how multimedia features can make both good science and misinformation more convincing. Worth keeping in mind when communicating research. Full essay below 👇

Graphic with the phrase “Looks good. Must be true.” in large blue and white text on a dark navy background, highlighting the tendency to associate polished visual presentation with credibility.

110

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

New to SciComm and not sure where to start? Start here! Our 5-session workshop series covers storytelling, presentations, multimedia, K–12 audiences, and more, with time to work on your own projects. Starts Aug. 26 or 27. $99 for all 5. Link to register in the comments 👇

Promotional graphic reading, “New to SciComm? Start here,” alongside a researcher discussing a scientific poster with another attendee. The SCoPE series includes five live science communication workshops beginning August 26 or 27, with the full series priced at $99.

120

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Nobody wants to admit they’re being bullied by a bird. 🦃 But bold wild turkeys offer a lesson in animal behavior—and in #SciComm: humor can lower barriers, make complex ideas approachable, and help the science stick.

Infographic titled “How to Defeat a Bully” using a flowchart to explain how to respond to aggressive wild turkeys. It asks where the turkey is encountered and advises moving indoors if one is confronting you, giving turkeys space around town, avoiding areas where they gather during mating season, and not feeding them at home.

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

No formal science communication training? This series was designed with you in mind. It’s also a practical refresher if you want to sharpen your skills. 📅 Wed cohort starts Aug 26 📅 Thu cohort starts Aug 27 💵 $99 for all 5 workshops

Graphic for scientists building or refreshing their science communication skills, showing four researchers discussing ideas around a laptop. The series is designed for graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and research professionals at different career stages.

Schedule graphic offering two cohorts for the same five live workshops: Wednesdays beginning August 26 from 8–10 AM PT/11 AM–1 PM ET, or Thursdays beginning August 27 from 12–2 PM PT/3–5 PM ET. The full series costs $99.

Registration graphic for the SCoPE Fall Workshop Series August cohorts. A large QR code is provided to register, with instructions to scan the code or use the link in the post and to send a direct message with questions.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Over 5 live workshops, scientists practice communicating with different audiences through storytelling, presentations, multimedia + K–12 engagement. And new this August: stay for an optional 30-minute working session to put those ideas into practice on your own project.

Photo of a researcher participating in an online workshop with a facilitator and other participants. A discussion prompt asks, “What’s the one idea you want your audience to remember?” Text explains that sessions combine instruction, practice, discussion, and feedback.

Graphic titled “Leave with progress, not just ideas,” showing a researcher editing a presentation about Arctic sea ice on a laptop beside annotated materials. Each workshop includes an optional 30-minute work session to apply what participants have learned.

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Science communication isn’t just about knowing your research. It’s about knowing how to make it connect with the person in front of you. That takes practice. That’s what our SciComm Workshop Series is built for. 🧵 Register: bit.ly/3SKP4L3

Dark blue promotional graphic for the SCoPE Fall Workshop Series reading, “Build confidence sharing your research,” with an invitation to swipe to learn what the series includes.

Graphic asking, “What could stronger science communication help you achieve?” beside an image of researchers discussing a scientific poster. Benefits listed include greater visibility, new collaborations, stronger proposals, and broader research impact.

Graphic reading, “Practice builds confidence. Feedback builds skills.” It explains that effective science communication combines evidence-based approaches, thoughtful feedback, and opportunities to practice with other researchers.

110

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

You know that moment when you start talking about your research… and suddenly everyone’s looking for an exit? You don’t need less passion. Just a better way to share it. That’s what our SciComm workshops are for; 5 sessions, lots of practice + feedback. $99. Starting Aug 26 & 27: bit.ly/45WZXMK

Cartoon of an enthusiastic scientist holding research papers and saying, “Let me tell you about my research!” while two people hurry away looking alarmed. The graphic promotes the SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series, with two cohorts beginning August 26 and 27.

020

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Science conversations can get tense fast. So how do you keep the conversation productive? Our latest article, Rethinking Difficult Conversations About Science, explores what’s driving these moments, and how understanding that can lead to better conversations. www.linkedin.com/pulse/rethin...

linkedin.com

Rethinking Difficult Conversations About Science

Some topics come with a warning label. Someone asks you about climate change or the moon landing, and you instinctively brace for where the conversation might go.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Across the full five-part series, we also explore science storytelling, presentations, multimedia communication, and K–12 engagement. This series is designed for beginners or those looking to brush up on their SciComm skills.

Graphic describing a second workshop challenge: explain a scientific idea using only common words. A long list of technical language is narrowed to a shorter list, emphasizing that the goal is to find the heart of the message rather than eliminate every technical term.

Graphic titled “What This Practice Builds,” highlighting better judgment about what an audience needs, what deserves an explanation, and what may interfere with understanding. These decisions can be applied to presentations, visuals, outreach, and everyday conversations.

Promotional graphic titled “Ready to Practice?” inviting participants to the SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series. Five live, interactive workshops focus on audience, purpose, message, and method. Two cohorts begin August 26 and 27, with Wednesday or Thursday options, and the full series costs $99.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

“Use less jargon” is common advice. But after years in a field, jargon can become invisible. SCoPE’s Beyond Research SciComm workshops help you spot those barriers and rethink how you talk about your research and tailor your message to different audiences. New cohorts: Aug. 26 & 27 → bit.ly/4wastoR

Graphic titled “Inside a SCoPE SciComm Workshop: How Much Jargon Is Hiding in Your Abstract?” A scientific abstract appears below with several words and phrases circled or highlighted, illustrating how technical language can be easy to overlook.

Graphic explaining a SCoPE workshop exercise in which participants listened to a scientific abstract and tallied every word or phrase they considered jargon. An abstract with highlighted terms and tally marks illustrates the activity.

Graphic reading, “Their tallies reached up to 38 potentially unfamiliar terms in a single abstract.” Pieces of an abstract with highlighted technical terms surround the large number 38.

Graphic titled “Why This Exercise Matters.” Text explains that familiar language can become nearly invisible when you use it every day, alongside a page of technical writing with the word “jargon” circled.

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

How do you explain the same science to different audiences? That's a core skill you'll practice in the SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series. Across 5 live virtual sessions, you'll strengthen your messaging, storytelling, and science communication. New cohorts begin Aug. 26 & 27: bit.ly/4fX4R10

Promotional graphic for SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series with headings "AUDIENCE," "MESSAGE," "PURPOSE," and "METHOD," and details on workshops starting August 26-27 for $99.

010

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

What do you say when a casual conversation about science suddenly becomes tense? The Working with Skeptical Audiences Toolkit helps scientists practice and de-escalate conversations before they happen, so they’re ready to handle tough questions, and communicate confidently. bit.ly/skeptical-au...

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Join the SCoPE Beyond Research email list for upcoming workshops and webinars, practical science communication strategies, new resources and toolkits, and opportunities to connect with fellow scientists: confirmsubscription.com/h/signup/d/C...

confirmsubscription.com

Signup

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Researchers are often expected to communicate with confidence when the stakes are high. But confidence comes from practice—not pressure. That's why we built SCoPE. Want practical science communication tips, workshops, and resources? Join the Beyond Research email list. 🔗👇

A flowchart showing the process of community engagement in "SCoPE," starting from "IDEA" and leading through "Share," "Feedback," and "Refine," culminating in "The Big Moment."

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

A good question can be more engaging than a great explanation. Marine science communicator Sam Andrews shows why: an intriguing image + a few playful questions pull you in before the science begins. Curiosity gets people to lean in. The explanation is what keeps them there. 🌊

Graphic titled “SciComm in the Wild” featuring a screenshot of a social media post by marine science communicator Sam Andrews. The post begins with the questions, “Is it a bunch of grapes? A pile of underwater balloons? Fish eggs?” above a close-up underwater photo of a cluster of pale, bubble-like coral, demonstrating how curiosity can draw people into science.

220

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The science is exactly the same. The story simply gives your audience a path to follow.

000

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The researchers discover that this coral population has characteristics that make it more resilient to heat stress. (Climax) This could help guide future reef restoration efforts and improve our understanding of how coral ecosystems may adapt to a changing climate. (Falling Action & Resolution)

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Curious about why, the team collects samples, compares reef populations, and conducts a series of experiments. Along the way, some hypotheses don't hold up, new questions emerge, and each result brings them closer to an explanation. (Rising Action)

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

During a field survey, researchers notice something unexpected: while many reefs struggle to recover after bleaching events, a small population appears to bounce back. (Inciting Incident)

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Here's what Freytag's Pyramid might look like in a research story: Coral reefs are home to an incredible diversity of marine life and help protect coastlines, but rising ocean temperatures are causing reefs around the world to bleach. (Exposition)

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Storytelling doesn't mean oversimplifying your research. A framework like Freytag's Pyramid can help people follow the story: why it matters, the question, the journey, the discovery, and what it means. The science is the same, it just makes it easier to follow. #SciComm

Infographic titled “The Anatomy of a Science Story: Freytag’s Pyramid.” A hand-drawn storytelling pyramid uses a coral reef research example to illustrate the stages of a compelling science story: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, ending with research findings, recommendations, and practical guidance for helping corals.

110

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

What if we spent as much time sharing the process as the publication? The failed experiments, uncertainty, mentorship, and teamwork are part of the story too. That's what helps people see how science really works. #SciComm

Illustration of a published research paper resting on a large stack of handwritten notes and draft pages, representing the many ideas, revisions, and behind-the-scenes work that lead to a scientific publication.

100

STEM Community of Practice for Education @scopeconnects.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Here's the paper that got us thinking about outreach booths: King, K., Kessler, T., Nimox, K., & Alemdar, M. (2025). Science communication in action: Lessons from a mixed-methods case study of a large science festival. Frontiers in Communication. doi.org/10.3389/fcom...

Graphic titled “Start Conversations” featuring speech bubbles with a question mark. The slide encourages scientists to begin with curiosity by asking questions such as “What do you notice?” or “Can you guess what’s happening?” instead of starting with explanations.

Graphic titled “Let Your Booth Do the Talking” showing a visitor reading an interactive display. The text recommends using clear signs, visual stories, captioned media, and hands-on exhibits so visitors stay engaged even when presenters are busy.

Checklist summarizing five ways to improve an outreach booth: start with one big idea, connect it to the real world, make it interactive, start conversations, and let your booth do the talking. The slide ends by asking which of these strategies could be improved before the next outreach event.

030