On Tuesday 14 July, Dr Thomas Harvey and Dr Megan O'Donnell from our outreach team headed to Cardiff to deliver a science communication training to 15 lucky undergraduate students, alongside the British Geological Survey and Cardiff University.
The training, supported by a grant from the Learned Society of Wales, was designed to build confidence and capability to communicate complex or controversial science topics to different audiences.
Students took part in interactive exercises, role playing games, experimentation and group evaluation. Through these, they learned to consider what makes 'good' science communication and developed new ways of engaging the public on topics that mattered to them.
The training brought together three organisations that support and deliver public engagement activities about geoscience in different ways: the Geological Society, the British Geological Survey and Cardiff University. It showed students the value of diverse approaches, giving them hands-on experience across a range of public engagement settings, from stage shows to show and tells, and everything in between.
The aim was to empower students to communicate their science in settings where misinformation, confusion, or absence of information is prevalent, encouraging more open, inclusive and two-way dialogue between scientists and the public. Students also learned how to adapt activities to make communication more accessible for different audiences and gained insights from experienced communicators about dealing with complex or challenging conversations.
Four lucky participants will now put their new skills into practice. They will volunteer at our Green Energy Glade at Green Man Festival, running from 20 to 23 August in Wales.
The project draws on Wales's industrial heritage, geological evidence for past climate change, and the opportunities and complexities around the transition to more renewable energy sources. The Green Energy Glade sits within the festival's Einstein Garden. It's a place where Wales's environmental past and future can be discussed openly, with visitors bringing their own local knowledge and lived experience.
Science communication experts will guide conversations around climate change, energy, resources and sustainability. They'll draw on tactile objects, visual materials and place-based examples that spark curiosity and create a sense of connection for visitors from Wales and beyond.