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Logistics/Practical Information
Date: 4-8 September
Location: Leissigen, Switzerland
Venue: Hotel Restaurant Meielisalp
Apply: https://pastglobalchanges.org/form/deepice-application
Switzerland operates on 220-240 volts with round-prong European-style plugs; however, Switzerland has its own sockets/plugs (type C and J).
Description
DEEPICE is a research and training network funded by European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Through its training program, DEEPICE will train 15 early-stage researchers for a career in the academic or non-academic sector to work on climate change and glaciology. In addition, they will gain experience in communication about climate change, in particular, climate change affecting the polar regions. Find out more here: https://pastglobalchanges.org/science/end-aff/deepice.
The general objective of this specific communication training program is to provide skills in different settings and for various purposes. These include:
- communicating science results to the general public;
- communicating science to teachers and students;
- communicating results to (science) journalists; and
- communicating results to policymakers and federal offices.
Preliminary program
Four main topics will be covered and a day will be dedicated to each of them with a combination of specific lectures and associated hands-on activities led by communication experts.
Monday, 4 September
Pillar A
Science communication theory and practice overview - engaging diverse audiences & distilling your message
Educators: Heidi Roop & Catherine Bruns, University of Minnesota, USA.
You will be given an overview of the principles of the science of science communication and the context for how scientists can leverage the theory of science communication in their practice as scientist communicators. Topics will include an overview of climate change communication best practice, how to identify your audience, building trust and credibility with an audience, and how to consider your audience goals (and your own!) when developing communication and engagement activities. Lectures will also include an overview of Antarctic-related media coverage to provide context for opportunities for message development and examples of effective polar and climate science communication activities. Activities will be a mix of lectures and discussion as well as large and small group activities.
Evening discussion on “Career in science communication” together with former researchers who have now a career in science communication
Tuesday, 5 September
Pillar B
Sharing your science using traditional and new media
Educator: Athena Dinar, British Antarctic Survey, UK.
One of the most effective ways to communicate your science is by working with the media. They are gatekeepers to a large international audience. Media ranges from newspapers and TV programmes to digital media such as BBC Online or outlets like IFL Science. In this pillar we’ll explore what makes a good story, how you can ‘sell’ your science and communicate your work in a way that engages and inspires. You will have several opportunities to have a go whether writing a press release, doing a TV interview or a news article or posting on Twitter and Instagram. By the end of this training you will feel confident about how to communicate your science in plain language whether in the written word or verbally.
Wednesday, 6 September
Pillar C
Science to Action: understanding science in decision-making
Educators: Gabrielle Dreyfus (Chief Scientist at Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, Washington DC, USA), H. Fischer (University of Bern, Switzerland) and Benjamin Hofmann (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Switzerland)
Climate change and, hence, (paleo-)climate science has moved to one of the top items on the
political agenda. Accordingly, the information provided by climate science becomes of crucial
importance. However, the role of science is to identify problems and potential solutions, but it is the role of policymakers to decide on what actions to take. Better appreciating the role of science and the numerous considerations that go into decision making will enhance the ability of scientists to engage with the political decision-making processes and the various players within this process.
This includes framing information and developing strategies for where, when, how, and whom to engage. In this pillar you will get some first-hand insights into these questions by experts on the background of policy advice and decision making. In the practical part you will work on a policy brief that takes your new knowledge into account in presenting why the climate from 1 million years ago is relevant to decision-making today.
Thursday, 7 September
Pillar D
Formal & informal education
Educators: Catherine Oualian and Margaux Calon, Universcience, France.
You will be given the tools to effectively design an educational program from developing the scientific content to building support material. You will also be given advices on how to animate such program and on how to adapt the content to different audiences. You will learn also about the communication techniques that are necessary to adopt a posture that facilitate the questioning of the public or to be able to take into consideration the pre-conceptions of the public, a major issue for climate science. You will do some hands-on activities such as planning the organization of a communication action in the framework a science festival.
Friday, 8 September
- Follow-up activities related to Pillar C
- DEEPICE meeting (1h30)
The training school to end by midday.
Costs
The cost per person to attend the DEEPICE training school is 900 CHF (Swiss Francs) which includes hotel accommodation in a double room, and all meals from Sunday evening, 4 September until Friday afternoon, 8 September.
Application
Eligibility criteria:
PhD student with a research topic on ice core (possibly paleoclimate or glaciology).
Apply online: https://pastglobalchanges.org/form/deepice-application
Documents (cover letter, CV, and a one-page summary of their research topic) must be sent to pages@pages.unibe.ch.
The PDF title must be named as follows: Lastname_Firstname_DEEPICE.pdf.
The subject of the email should be: Lastname Firstname DEEPICE application
Deadlines
15 March: Open call for applications (15 confirmed researchers and five seats available for other interested candidates)
2 April: Call for applications closed
30 April: Confirmation of attendance closed (participants must fill in the registration form by then. Form will be sent to the selected participants)
