7 take home messages from two decades of sustainability science communication Fredrik Moberg [email protected] Twitter: @FredrikMoberg One of Sweden’s largest centers for transdisciplinary sustainability science Big communications department Basic science communication 1. Direct diffusion of scientific insights (publications, education) 2. Research that engage stakeholders in knowledge generation 3. Interplay with policy processes (e.g. Arctic Council, UN, EU) 4. Slow diffusion of insights through science-art-music 5. Conventional science communication/outreach ”Vi vill inte nå ut, vi vill nå fram!” (We don’t want to reach out, we want to reach through to people) Bob Hund Take home message #1 Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler ”Optimum nutrition is the physiological basis for effective education” • You can't teach a hungry child • If you eat well, you learn well ”The Carbon Law” – Halving emissions every decade Try using only the 1000 most used English words to explain science… Nanotechnology: ”If you take a big thing and make it small, it does something different than what you’d expect”. String theory: ”the different kinds of bits we see come from just one kind of wrapped long thing moving in different ways" http://splasho.com/upgoer5/ Take home message #2 Facts and text alone will not do the trick for you (Use visuals and props, tell stories) ”Art, music and science” Take home message #3 ”I have a dream” is more appealing than ”I have a nightmare” Take home message #4 Engaging your audience might seem scary, but it can be worthwhile • Written by 17 world-leading scientists • Summary of the global research on climate change • 8 essential elements that COP21 needed to commit to in order to solve the climate crisis • Social media campaign was launched for people to support it The #EarthStatement social media campaign. People around the world showed their support for climate science. Paris climate summit 2015 Take home message #5 ’Narrowcasting’ can be as effective as ’broadcasting’ Take home message #6 Try to understand your target groups’ psychological barriers Take home message #7 Taking your communications work seriously will pay off (plan in advance, monitor impact, hire external experts when needed) www.altmetric.com 7 take home messages 1. Make it as simple as possible 2. Facts and text alone will not do the trick 3. ”I have a dream” > ”I have a nightmare” 4. Engaging your audience is worthwhile 5. ’Narrowcasting’ can be as effective as ’broadcasting’ 6. Understand your target groups’ psychological barriers 7. Taking your communications work seriously will pay off Thanks! Email: [email protected] Twitter: @FredrikMoberg Workshop! ”Matrix brainstorming” • What could you do to communicate more inspiringly and better reach through to your target groups? • Big and small: What needs to happen from budgeting and planning to new channels and activities? • Write one idea/activity per post-it note! Easy Difficult Important Less important.