Science Communications Course

Program Schedule  Program Faculty  Eligibility Program Cost   

Ready to talk about your work? Sign up for our science communications course

• Gain skills and understanding to communicate your research beyond the lab
• Build trust and credibility
• Foster public understanding
• Address misinformation
• Establish influence in your field

Program Application for UF & UF Health  employees      Application for NON-UF employees
Classes starting in the spring of 2025 – Enroll Now 

Sign up for the Science Communications course and take your communication skills to the next level!

UF EMPLOYEES: 

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NON-UF EMPLOYEES: 

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Join Us and Develop Your Skills

Communication is vital to the scientific process. Our online Science Communication course is designed to equip you with the essential skills to convey your research to diverse audiences confidently. Learn to take a narrative approach to your outreach work and apply evidence-based communications strategies. Discover a cognitive approach to data visualization, uncover your stories, prepare and deliver presentations with purpose and learn how to work with journalists and policymakers. 

The course is open to all scientists, researchers, science communicators, healthcare professionals or anyone wishing to improve their external science communications. Sessions are 3-hours long and take place live and online every other week over the fall semester. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your science communication game and inspire positive change.  Enroll in our online Science Communication course today and become a confident, strategic and influential communicator.

Who should take this course:

Scientists, researchers, lab members, post-docs, health care professionals, science communicators, and anyone wishing to improve their external science communications

Skills you will learn include:

• Convey research to people with different expertise
• Present with confidence and pride
• Share data through visualizations that are memorable, compelling and credible
• Use stories to increase understanding and recall
• Create a summary of your research and incorporate story
• Understand how to connect with and learn from people who can benefit from your research
• Learn to work with journalists to help them report accurately on your work
• Learn to build your influence with potential collaborators, funders, journalists and others
• Communicate to overcome uncertainty and misinformation

Earn your digital credential

After successfully completing the course, you will earn a verified digital credential for the Center for Public Interest Communications. Credentials provide peers and employers concrete evidence of what you had to do to earn your credential and the skills you’ve acquired. Attendance for all sessions is required to earn the digital credential in Science Communications at the end of this course. If you have an unexcused absence, you can still complete the course but will not receive the credential.

Spring 2025 Program Schedule

Program participants will meet online in person twice monthly.

SESSION TOPICS	DATE/TIME  (Time is in ET)
The science of communicating about science Building support for your work starts with helping others understand it.  In this session, you’ll learn the six building blocks of communicating effectively about complex and abstract ideas.	2/18– 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Strategy for science Connecting with funders, journalists and collaborators can feel overwhelming and distracting. In this session, you’ll learn to concentrate your efforts where they can have the greatest effect.	3/4 – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Science of story Stories are the best tools we have for helping people understand and remember complex ideas. In this session, you’ll learn the seven elements of stories that build understanding and inspire others to act.	3/18– 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Presenting with purpose Learn the secrets to creating and delivering compelling presentations.	3/25- 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The essential rules of effective data visualization Data is fundamentally abstract and challenging for the human mind to comprehend. In this session, we’ll share science-based principles for sharing data and developing visualizations that help others comprehend your work.	4/1– 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Building your influence Build your reach and credibility with journalists, policymakers and funders. Learn to work with the media, navigate a conference, and increase public scholarship.	4/15– 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Story slam and graduation Online meetup to share stories and celebrate successful course completion	4/15  12:30 pm

Program Faculty

The Science Communications course is led by faculty and staff in the Center of Public Interest Communications in the College of Journalism and Communications. The team have deep expertise in research, strategy, pedagogy and media, and sessions will be driven by recent insights from psychology, sociology, and communications scholarship. The team also has substantial experience in live online teaching and incorporates important active learning methods to enhance the program.

Ann Christiano, MPAP

Director, Center for Public Interest Communications; Clinical Professor in the Public Relations department at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communication

achristiano@ufl.edu

Ann's Bio

Ann Christiano, MPAP

Director, Center for Public Interest Communications; Clinical Professor in the Public Relations department at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communication

achristiano@ufl.edu

Ann Searight Christiano is the director of the Center for Public Interest Communications and a clinical professor of public relations. Public interest communications uses science-driven strategic communication and storytelling to advance positive social change.

Searight directs the frank gathering, which brings together hundreds of leaders from around the world who are working at the front lines of social causes, as well as scholars and funders to share the best of what they know in Gainesville every February.

Ellen Nodine, MAE

Director of Programs and Training, Center for Public Interest Communications, College of Journalism and Communications

enodine@ufl.edu

Ellen's Bio

Ellen Nodine, MAE

Director of Programs and Training, Center for Public Interest Communications, College of Journalism and Communications

enodine@ufl.edu

As the Center’s director of programs and training, Ellen Nodine oversees the daily operations and provides leadership in the strategic direction of the unit. As a member of the frank strategic communications academy, she delivers in-person and online training to various constituents. She also teaches writing as an adjunct faculty member for the College of Journalism and Communications.

Ellen is the event manager for the frank gathering, which brings together hundreds of leaders from around the world in Gainesville every February who are working at the front lines of social causes, as well as scholars and funders to share the best of what they know.

She received her Master’s in Education from the University of Florida, with a specialization in Curriculum Design and Education Technology. Her master’s thesis examined the ability to establish social presence in an online community through the use of Twitter.

Matt Sheehan, MBA

Managing Director, Center for Public Interest Communications and Journalism Faculty at the College of Journalism and Communications

mattsheehan@ufl.edu

Matt's Bio

Matt Sheehan, MBA

Managing Director, Center for Public Interest Communications and Journalism Faculty at the College of Journalism and Communications

mattsheehan@ufl.edu

Matt Sheehan is a member of the journalism faculty at the UF College of Journalism and Communications. He’s spent his career, so far, working in established and emerging media, including as inaugural director of the UF Innovation News Center (the nation’s largest student-powered public media newsroom), COO of a media startup and as an assistant news editor at The Washington Post.

Aaron Zeiler, MAMC

Director of Programs and Training, Center for Public Interest Communications, College of Journalism and Communications

aaronjzeiler@ufl.edu

Aaron's Bio

Aaron Zeiler, MAMC

Director of Programs and Training, Center for Public Interest Communications, College of Journalism and Communications

aaronjzeiler@ufl.edu

Aaron Zeiler (he/him) is the director of partner strategies for the Center for Public Interest Communications. In this role, Aaron maintains existing projects with internal and external partners as well as steward and engage new relationships with potential partners.

Aaron’s background has centered on building the communication capacity of organizations and foundations working on issues ranging from public interest technology, prison abolition and public health. He has helped build social media and media relations strategy, facilitated trainings and coachings on storytelling and strategic communication, and led the communication efforts of a national non-profit. 

Eligibility

• All researchers, scientists, healthcare professionals, science communicators
• UF Applicants must have support from their supervisors

NON-UF EMPLOYEES: 

ENROLL NOW

“The course provided me with a structured framework for sharing my research with stakeholders, such as older adults, their caregivers, academic colleagues, industrial partners, and policymakers, and opportunities to learn from each other in our cohort. I have already applied what I learned to three presentations: one for community engagement, one for science conferences, and one for public advocacy. Such a valuable and great journey!”

Hongwu Wang, UF Assistant Professor And Director, Technology For Occupational Performance (TOP) Lab

Program Cost

The UF rate for the six sessions is $1,395. All materials and facilitation fees are included. The fee will not be refunded once you have been accepted to the program and attend the first session. If three or more people from one department enroll, there will be a $250 discount on each registration. You can also get a $150 discount if a course alumnus recommends you.

The Non-UF rate for the six sessions is $1,575. Sign up before Jan. 10 and take $200 off with the code: SciComSpring25
Registration is available through the Destiny One Portal.

 

Contact

If you have questions about the Science Communications Course, please contact:

Ellen Nodine, M.A.E.
Director of Programs and Training, Center for Public Interest Communications, College of Journalism and Communications
352-273-1098 | enodine@jou.ufl.edu