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Course description

Societal impact of research has become crucial. Funding agencies for scientific research often demand that the knowledge acquired has added value for society. As a result, scientists frequently encounter stakeholders, such as patients, farmers or entrepreneurs or are asked to present in front of an audience of interested citizens. In this course, you will explore the added value of your research for society. You will acquire the skills for successful communication with stakeholders or the public. 

Learning objectives

During this course, you will write a popular text about your research for a relevant audience. You will design and plan a strategy for increased societal impact of your research. You will learn how to present your research in front of a laymen’s audience and how to give and receive feedback.

Instructional method

Every session builds on the previous sessions. You will provide the topic for your popular text and presentation, and develop a text and presentation at home. You will improve your draft texts and presentations acoording to feedback of the trainer and your peers. Finally, you will give an online presentation to laymen.

Trainer

Frans van Dam, lecturer Science Communication at the Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ

Group Size                   

8 participants

Number of credits 

1.5 EC

Course schedule

Course certificate   

You will receive a course certificate after actively participating in all four course sessions and after you receive a pass for your popular text and presentation.

Course fee

Course fee GSLS PhD candidates: â‚¬0.
Course fee academic staff UU/UMC: â‚¬985.
Course fee external participants (if space permits): â‚¬1640.

‘GSLS PhD candidates’ include:

• PhD candidates registered to the Graduate School of Life Sciences of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ via MyPhD

‘Academic staff UU/UMC’ include:

• PhD candidates of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, not registered to the Graduate School of Life Sciences via MyPhD; 
• Postdocs employed by the Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ or UMC Utrecht;
• Other academic staff employed at the UU/UMC

‘External participants' include:

• all other participants

Our no-show policy

We are happy to offer courses and workshops for free to all GSLS PhDs. However: free of charge does not mean free of responsibility. Our activities tend to be fully booked well in advance. For every late cancellation or no-show we have had to disappoint others who would have liked to attend.

This is how we work: 

• Once you have signed up for a course, we expect you to attend;
• If you need to cancel your registration, do so at the earliest possible moment, at least four weeks before the start of the course;
• If you really have to, you are allowed to miss up to 1 session of this course in total. You always have to attend the first course session;
• Not meeting the attendance requirements or cancelling within four weeks before the course starts means you will be charged no-show fee (€495 for this course);
• We are unable to make any exceptions.