Why should I attend?
This is an event with a difference: The focus will be on communicating your research to non-specialists and the public. No one will baffle you with equations or puzzle you with the intricacies of their research. We would like it to be an event for everyone to enjoy and get something out of. It's going to be looking at the big picture and links between our work.
Communicating with non-specialists is increasingly important in both academic and commercial fields: the public, media, research councils, sponsors, company directors all want to know what we're working on and why. Have you got these skills?
UKGrad, the higher education training programme to prepare research students for the transition to their future careers, provide an online exercise for you to evaluate your competency as a researcher, including communication skills.
This event presents an opportunity to fulfil UK Research Councils’ training requirements (as set out in RCUK's Joint Skills Statement) for research students in the following areas:
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Research Skills and Techniques - to be able to demonstrate:
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. a knowledge of recent advances within one's field and in related areas
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. an understanding of relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application within one's research field
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· the ability to critically analyse and evaluate one's findings and those of others
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Research Environment - to be able to:
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· show a broad understanding of the context, at the national and international level, in which research takes place
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· understand the processes for funding and evaluation of research
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Personal Effectiveness - to be able to:
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. demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn and acquire knowledge
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· be creative, innovative and original in one's approach to research
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· demonstrate flexibility and open-mindedness
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· recognise boundaries and draw upon/use sources of support as appropriate
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Communication Skills - to be able to:
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. write clearly and in a style appropriate to purpose, e.g. progress reports, published documents, thesis
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· construct coherent arguments and articulate ideas clearly to a range of audiences, formally and informally through a variety of techniques
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· contribute to promoting the public understanding of one's research field
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Networking and Teamworking - to be able to:
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. develop and maintain co-operative networks and working relationships with supervisors, colleagues and peers, within the institution and the wider research community
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· understand one's behaviours and impact on others when working in and contributing to the success of formal and informal teams
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Career Management - to be able to:
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. appreciate the need for and show commitment to continued professional development
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· demonstrate an insight into the transferable nature of research skills to other work environments and the range of career opportunities within and outside academia
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"Public and societal engagement needs to become an integral part of researchers’ university experience. Bringing scientists and the public together is doubly beneficial. It helps ensure scientific work is relevant to society and that the public have trust in science. I want to see a culture shift to recognise the importance of this activity within a research context."
- Science & Innovation Minister, John Denham MP