In June, the Australian Science Communicators 2024 Conference took place in Perth at the University of Western Australia. The event was a resounding success, featuring outstanding speakers, insightful panels, and engaging discussions.
At the conference, communications and engagement representatives from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) facilities presented an impactful session.
Australia is renowned globally for its world-class research. The Australian Government upholds this reputation through NCRIS. NCRIS provides access to essential equipment, data, services, and expertise, enabling groundbreaking research for the benefit of all Australians. There are 27 NCRIS-funded projects that support research infrastructure across various fields, including health, astronomy, biodiversity, geoscience, supercomputing, climate, nuclear, and data.
Phenomics Australia Communications Manager, Dr Marina Trigueros was honoured to present at the Australian Science Communicators Conference, celebrating its 30th anniversary, alongside esteemed colleagues from NCRIS:
- Jo Savill, Senior Science Communicator, Australian Research Data Commons
- Dr Janie Sue Brooks, Communications Officer, Australian National Fabrication Facility
- Karina Nunez, Communication Manager, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
- Dr Christina Hall, Associate Director – Training & Communications, Australian BioCommons, and
- Dr Phil Dooley, Communications Manager, ANU Physics, HIAF.
The session “Data to Dialogue: Communicating Research Outputs”, highlighted the importance of NCRIS and cutting-edge research infrastructures, which bring communications efforts and teams together and fuel ongoing enthusiasm and successful collaborations and outcomes.
Key topics included the purpose and value of communicating impact, strategies for effective communication, and selecting the best stories to tell. During the session, the audience was also engaged in responding to some questions. Below are the audience engagement highlights for the NCRIS panel:
Biggest Challenge in Communicating Impact:
The primary challenge is cutting through the noise to capture attention. Limited budgets, short attention spans, and finding the right communication channels are significant obstacles. Making messages relevant, understandable, and engaging, while balancing scientific accuracy with accessibility, is also tough. Additionally, measuring impact and maintaining stakeholder interest are critical challenges, especially as researchers often lack time for communication tasks.
Top Tips for Communicating Impact:
Keep communication simple and relatable using humour (if possible), case studies, and short stories. Be brief, tell a compelling story, and always refer to the big picture. Use plain English and visuals like infographics for clarity. Focus on the audience’s needs, providing tangible takeaways and real-world examples. Always ask, “Why should they care?” to ensure your message is clear and memorable. Tailor your communication style to your audience and be authentic.
A special thanks to everyone who played a part in organising and managing the conference. Creating an environment where participants feel enthusiastic, eager to share, and comfortable expressing their ideas is truly an impressive achievement. Kudos to you all!
