We know that storytelling is not typically taught during scientific training, and is sometimes explicitly discouraged. There are many reasons why. But like it or not, stories are how people understand the world, and they weave together fact and emotion. Compared to other forms of communication, these narratives can be more successful in:
- generating interest and engagement with a topic,
- improving comprehension, and
- influencing real-world beliefs, even among skeptical audiences.
In short, the best available science suggests that storytelling can be extremely effective in achieving the goals science communicators pursue.
We offer a variety of workshop options for teaching storytelling skills to scientists. From personal coaching to keynote speeches and half-day seminars to 3-day intensive trainings, our team combines hard-won stage experience in storytelling with a grounding in the academic research about effective science communication. All of our programs help experts understand how narrative can enrich their science communication and help them personally connect to their audience. We focus on hands-on practice and personal critique, from the brainstorming process of finding a story arc to the final word of its performance.
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Please read the FAQs to the right first!
We are currently booking workshops for: JANUARY 2018 AND LATER. We generally need at least two months for planning and preparation, but are always happy to talk about what might be possible.
Answers to FAQS:
- Our workshops usually range from 4 hours to 3 days long, accommodate between 15-75 participants, and are hosted by a university or institution
- Our team can travel to your location
- Every workshop is tailored to the participants
- We focus on storytelling and narrative. We can recommend other great options if you are interested in improv, messaging, or media training
- Sometimes people cry - but it's amazing
- We cannot work for free