STEM Community of Practice for Education

@scopeconnects.bsky.social

47 Followers 109 Following

Science engagement & outreach training that helps researchers share their work clearly and effectively.

Promotional graphic for SCoPE SciComm Workshop Series with headings "AUDIENCE," "MESSAGE," "PURPOSE," and "METHOD," and details on workshops starting August 26-27 for $99.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
Illustration titled “5 Ways to Make Your Outreach Booth More Engaging.” A busy booth with hands-on activities attracts families and visitors, while a nearby booth with only a presenter sitting behind a table is largely ignored.
Flowchart titled “Should I Use Scientific Jargon?” that guides scientists through when jargon is appropriate based on their audience and communication goals, concluding that jargon should usually be avoided or used sparingly with definitions.
Graphic with the text, “Explanations aren’t the problem. Timing is.” in large white and yellow lettering on a dark blue background.
Two silhouetted individuals, a woman and a man, are engaged in conversation. Text above them reads, “What’s REALLY driving the conversation?” Below are pastel-colored wavy lines with labels for "Experience," "Frustration," "Trust," "Fear," "Values," and "Identity." The image also includes the "SCoPe Beyond Research" logo.
Portrait of Dr. Olivia V Ambrogio, beside a sticky note listing: “Ph.D.,” “Marine snail researcher,” and “Science communicator,” introducing their background and expertise.
Illustration of a scientist speaking at a microphone with the message, “The study itself is great, but we’d love to hear the story behind the science,” emphasizing the importance of storytelling in science communication.
Illustration of two scientists networking at a conference. One asks, “So what do you do?” while the other thinks, “Why is this still so hard to answer?” highlighting the challenge of explaining research clearly.
A navy blue background with circular patterns and a text message that reads, "What if introducing your work started a conversation… instead of ending one?" with "ELEVATOR PITCH TOOLKIT" at the bottom left.
Graphic with text saying "it's not just words".
Comparison of two workshop schedule options. The 3-Day Intensive takes place July 14, 15, and 17 with five live workshops in one week. The Weekly Series runs July 13 through August 10 with one live workshop each week. Both formats include the same workshops and instructors. Registration is $99 for all five workshops, more than 30% off the regular price.
Photo of a researcher participating in a live virtual workshop on a laptop. The slide reads, "Interactive by design," and explains that each session combines evidence-based instruction with opportunities to practice, discuss ideas with peers, and receive feedback.
Cover slide for the SCoPE Summer Workshop Series. Large text reads, "Communicate your research with confidence." The design features a dark navy background with white and gold text and an arrow inviting viewers to see what's inside.
Promotional graphic for a science communication workshop series covering foundations, presenting, storytelling, multimedia, and K–12 audience engagement, with options for condensed or expanded formats and a discounted summer rate.
Cartoon showing one person suggesting, “You should make a graphic summary of the study,” while the scientist agrees but appears unsure how to begin.
Illustration titled “SciComm Scenarios Every Scientist Should Prepare For.” A person asks, “Since you’re a scientist, can you give me some medical advice?” A note invites viewers to swipe through common science communication situations.
Illustration comparing research communication and audience needs. A scientist presents a graph and says, “We found a statistically significant increase,” while audience members ask, “Is this about me?”, “Why does this matter?”, and “Now what?” The image emphasizes focusing on audience questions when sharing research.
The image illustrates various soaring techniques of pterosaurs, presented in a series of five panels labeled A through E. Each panel contains detailed, monochromatic drawings depicting different methods of achieving lift. Panel A: Features a pterosaur soaring above a landscape dominated by a mountain and a cloud, with lines indicating lift generated by thermal currents. Panel B: Depicts a similar pterosaur flying above a vast body of water, illustrating vertical convection currents with arrows showing the lift. Panel C: Shows the pterosaur gliding over a mountainous terrain, with dashed lines suggesting wind patterns interacting with the landscape. Panel D: Portrays the pterosaur near ocean waves, capturing the dynamics of lift from the water. Panel E: Features a sequential representation of a pterosaur’s movements, demonstrating various angles and positions for optimal lift through dynamic soaring. The background is consistently detailed with textures representing land, sea, and sky, while the pterosaur figures are shown in different poses to highlight each technique.
Infographic titled “Who Needs to Understand Your Research?” showing a researcher at a laptop surrounded by audience groups: funders, colleagues, students, public audiences, media, and decision makers.
Jar of kombucha with visible culture growth next to microscopic bacteria illustrations, demonstrating microbial communities and fermentation processes.
Illustration comparing a steamed pudding and a dirt cup dessert with gummy worms to layers of soil, highlighting soil horizons and composition.
llustrated title slide reading “Using Foods to Explain Science” in large hand-drawn black lettering over colorful watercolor brushstrokes. A hand points toward a glass containing a cracked eggshell and small particles floating inside, suggesting a science demonstration. Below, text reads: “Some of the best scientific models are hiding in your kitchen. Swipe to explore,” with a pink arrow pointing right. The SCoPE logo appears in the bottom-left corner.
Infographic with a dark blue background comparing what gets published in research with what people connect with. At the top, the heading “What Gets Published” appears above a faded list: Results, Methods, Conclusions, and Discussion. A downward arrow points to the phrase “What People Connect With,” followed by the word “Curiosity” in large yellow letters. Along the bottom are four keywords: Setbacks, Persistence, Surprise, and Purpose. The graphic emphasizes that while research papers focus on findings, audiences are often more engaged by the human story behind the work. A SCoPE logo appears in the lower-right corner.
Workshop flyer about strengthening science communication skills starting July 13. Transcribed Text: COMMUNICATING SCIENCE TAKES SKILL Simplifying Complex Ideas Storytelling Presenting with Confidence Understanding Your Audience Making Research Relevant Communicating with Multimedia STRENGTHEN YOUR SCICOMM SKILLS Join SCoPE’s Summer Workshop Series Starting July 13
Text on a dark blue background with "3 questions to ask before you agree to give a talk."
Flowchart titled "Should I Use Scientific Jargon?" that humorously guides scientists through a series of yes-or-no questions about their audience and whether technical terms are necessary. Depending on the answers, the flowchart recommends avoiding jargon, defining it first, or using it freely when communicating with fellow specialists.
The image is split vertically into two sections. The left half features a diagram of the Jovian system, showcasing paths and orbits with white and orange lines on a dark background. It includes labeled paths and orbits for various celestial bodies such as Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The right half displays a realistic visualization of Jupiter and its moons against space, highlighting the planet's swirling clouds and stormy appearance. Text at the top spans both sections, promoting a live session titled "Visualizing Our Universe" with OpenSpace and SCoPE. Below the title, smaller text explains the transition "from scientific data to immersive visualization." The bottom of the image provides the date and time of the event. Monday, June 15, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm PT | 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Infographic illustrating scale comparisons: DNA length, Sun and Earth size, and Olympus Mons vs. Arizona size.
One stick figure presenting another with a box labeled "FACTS" and filled with colorful objects.
Graphic with the text “Better communication starts with practice.” The words “starts with practice” are highlighted in blue. On a wooden desk, an open notebook titled “Communication Practice” lists steps including “Share idea,” “Try a different approach,” “Didn’t work,” “What did I learn?”, “Make adjustments,” and “Try again.” The phrase “Didn’t work” is circled, and a pen rests on the notebook. A coffee cup appears in the background, and the SCoPE logo is shown in the bottom left corner.
Graphic with the heading “You want three things.” Below, an illustration shows a mechanic speaking with a customer beside a car with its hood open. The mechanic says, “Let’s keep this simple.” On the right side, three items are listed with icons: “What’s wrong,” “How long it will take,” and “How much it will cost.” The words “wrong,” “long,” and “cost” are underlined in yellow. The SCoPE logo appears in the bottom right corner.
Graphic with the text “ONLY 1 IN 3 AMERICANS CAN NAME A LIVING SCIENTIST.” The numbers “1” and “3” are highlighted in blue, and an icon of three people appears below the text, with one figure colored blue and two figures gray. Curved blue shapes decorate the top right corner, and the SCoPE logo appears at the bottom right on a dark blue banner.
SciComm in the Wild post Hercules beetle shown in a collage with text about its strength and ecological role. Transcribed Text: usfws: Not all heroes wear capes, some of them have carapaces. Grant’s Hercules beetles are among the strongest insects on Earth, and about the size of a matchbox car. Some beetles in this group have been known to lift objects up to 80 times their own body weight! It's not just their super-strength, they're also heroes in the ecosystem. As larvae, they break down rotting wood and return vital nutrients to the soil. Find these absolute units in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
Graphic with a dark blue background displaying the text “Progress doesn’t always look like results,” with the word “results” emphasized in blue and underlined.
Are you communicating or engaging?
Bar chart showing a decrease in the percentage of college-educated respondents who feel strongly that science benefits them. In 2020, the value is 69 percent. In 2024, the value is 38 percent. The chart shows a clear decline over time. Source: Research!America.
Slide 1 Alt text: Most elevator pitches start in the wrong place. Slide 2 Alt text: Version 1: I study atmospheric chemistry. This approach assumes the audience already understands the context. Slide 3 Alt text: Version 2: I study what’s driving changes in air quality. This approach creates context for the audience. Slide 4 Alt text: Same work, different entry point. One approach assumes understanding. The other builds it.
Capacity is not built by exposure. It is built through practice and feedback.
Most institutions are well-equipped to support research. Communication is still treated as an individual responsibility.
Support shapes what becomes possible.
Why does the Moon appear larger on the horizon?
Dark blue graphic with text saying "The goal of communication isn't to prove expertise. It's to build understanding."
Dark blue graphic with the test saying "The gap is not interest. It is connection."
Slide with a dark blue background and the heading “SCIENCE COMMUNICATION” at the top. The main text asks, “What has made the biggest difference in how you communicate your work?” The phrase “biggest difference” and “communicate your work?” are emphasized in larger, bold text, with “communicate your work?” shown in blue. A horizontal blue line appears near the bottom.
Dark blue graphic with white text saying "I became a better communicator and it ruined my career"- Said no one ever. There is also a yellow dividing line in the middle