28 July 2010
By Emma Gillaspy
The third in our series of 6 questions is:
What advice could you give to people who are new to public engagement?
Answers so far:
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Be confident that you have the knowledge to share • Keep the expected outcomes simple and don’t overestimate the level of knowledge.
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Be willing to interact with the audience at the appropriate level.
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Be amusing and entertaining. Above all be enthusiastic and make it show!
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Get buy-in from your manager/supervisor.
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Get some training and get some practice.
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Find out who is involved in your School, talk to them and ask to observe what goes on before taking part yourself. Try to find an activity that suits your particular skill.
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Firstly have the enthusiasm to reach out to the general public, secondly find fun and easy ways in which the public can connect with science, and thirdly make the most of the available resources and contacts out there!
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Some researchers seem to want to get involved mainly because they think outreach will give them extra CV points. This is probably true, but it should not be your main motivation.
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One way to know if you actually understand your research work is to talk to people who are not your colleagues, but the public (especially kids). You have two minutes to grab their interest and attention.
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Do it! Time spent thinking about how to explain what you do, and why you do it, to different audiences is never wasted. And these sorts of activities can be rewarding and provide opportunities, ideas and inspiration in many different – sometimes unexpected ways!
Please add your own thoughts and advice below...
