Career resources
The Art of Science Communication
Summer session application now open Apply now
The Art of Science Communication is an online course that provides fundamental training in science communication, focusing on how to present science to a nonexpert audience in a formal setting, such as a public lecture.
Using video lectures, background material, virtual mentoring and discussions, the course covers the important components of what makes for a successful presentation, including messaging, generating interest and engaging with the audience.
The course is open to all scientists and STEM professionals.
Join the Art of Science Communication mailing list for updates on course offerings.
Course dates
Summer session enrollment begins in June and the course runs throughout July and August.
Winter session enrollment begins in January and the course runs throughout February and March.
Next course offering: The summer 2023 session will run from the week of July 10 through the week of Aug. 28. Registration for this session begins on Thursday, June 1.
Cost
- $25 for ASBMB members.
- $100 for nonmembers. Join the ASBMB and save!
Schedule
The course is eight weeks long — six weeks of learning and two weeks for preparation and delivery of final presentations.
For more information about the weekly themes or course syllabus, please email outreach@asbmb.org.
For general information about the course, read our paper in the Science Communication issue of the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education.
Format and syllabus
Preview the course syllabus and weekly learning objectives here.
In the first week of the course, each participant records a short, five-minute talk on a scientific topic (preferably the participant’s research topic or topic of interest). The talk should be appropriate for the general public or non-expert audience. This “before” video is used as a reference point for the weekly discussions and homework assignments and helps measure participant progress.
Each week, participants watch instructional video content, read background materials and review other resources. Weekly homework assignments help participants master the material. There are required weekly discussions (one-hour video chat sessions via Zoom) during which participants discuss that week’s content and assignments. Discussions are facilitated by members of the ASBMB Science Outreach and Communication Committee and course graduates.
The final course assignment is another recorded (5-minute) talk.
Participants should plan to dedicate three to four hours to the course per week. Those who finish all the course requirements receive a certificate of completion.
Questions? Contact us at outreach@asbmb.org.
Participants will be able to use the skills learned during the course in their professional lives.
Emily Cauble
Research Associate
City of Hope
"My favorite part about being a part of this program, first as a student then as an instructor, is the core idea that is emphasized throughout the entire course: science is for everyone."
Related articles
Magazine
An ASBMB course brought me closer to my SciComm career
While working on her Ph.D., Katharina Henning discovered the science communication career path. Then she found an online class that showed her how to do it.
It takes a village to educate our students
Pancreatic cancer survivors help Chapman University students learn the art of science communication.
Magazine
Making science more accessible: science communication careers
A great science communicator does three things: makes science more engaging to the public, finds ways to support outreach, and curates content using a variety of formats to target audiences.