SPDC Communicating Forest Science participants gather during a short break between sessions.

When is the last time you saw a tweet about your research? How much time have you spent crafting key messages about your science?

Communicating takes time and effort and that is what eight delegates from seven countries just learned. They gathered to improve their ability to communicate forest science, representing fields ranging from forest products and entomology to climate change adaptation and local community forest management. The delegates worked hard over two days with one goal in mind: communicating their research with a purpose.

The first day of the workshop was focused on communication theory and how to develop a communication strategy. The delegates developed key messages that they can use with their particular target audiences. The second day they learned how to work with news media and how to use technology and mass communication to get their scientific information and products distributed more widely. On the final day participants brought everything they had learned together and applied it in the form of mock interviews where they answered difficult questions using the skills they had developed during the workshop.

Participants came as individuals but are returning to their home countries and institutions as part of a network of science communicators. They take with them a set of impactful key messages, strategies, honed skills and colleagues to act as sounding boards for better communicating their research.

Details on the workshop: https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/actproj/annivtws/#c26325

This “Communicating Forest Science” workshop was sponsored by IUFRO’s Special Program for Development of Capacities, https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/.