July 7: Written science communication
09:00 – 09:30 | Welcome and introduction
- Overview of the workshop goals and structure.
- Icebreaker activity to introduce participants.
09:30 – 11:00 | Writing for scientific audiences
- dr. Holger Breithaupt
- Writing techniques for scientific articles.
- How and where to publish.
11:15 – 12:45 | Writing for non-scientific audiences
- dr. An Buckinx
- Learn to simplify complex concepts without losing accuracy.
- How to develop a narrative arc for a chosen topic.
- Hands-on activity: Introduction of the projects to work on during the workshop
Lunch break: 12:45 – 13:45
Afternoon free – time to work on projects
16:00-18:00 | How to communicate with journalists
- Dr. Holger Breithaupt and Mark Bamidele Emmanuel
- How to build relationships with journalists and pitch your work.
- Key tips for writing effective press releases and articles.
- Mock interviews to practice answering questions concisely and effectively.
July 8: Oral and visual science communication
09:00-10:30 | Presentation skills
- dr. Maarten Schledorn
- Presentation techniques for engaging and holding the attention of both in-person and online audiences
10:45 – 12:15 | Project pitching
- dr. An Buckinx
- How to structure a pitch, highlight the most impactful aspects of the project, and deliver it with confidence
- Practice: Deliver a 2-minute pitch and receive feedback.
Lunch break: 12:15 – 13:15
Afternoon break – time to work on their project
16:00-18:00 | How to create videos for science communication
- Mark Bamidele Emmanuel
- How to make impactful videos, how to use design to enhance understanding and retention.
July 9: Visual communication and showcase projects
09:00-12:00 | Creating impactful scientific illustrations
- dr. Maarten Schledorn
- Technical tools to create or adapt scientific illustrations, posters, paper figures, graphical abstracts, etc.
- Hands-on activity: bring your laptop to follow along and improve your technical illustration skills
Lunch break: 12:15 – 13:15
13:15 – 17:30 | Participant showcases and feedback
- Participants deliver presentations, pitches, or visual designs created during the workshop.
- Constructive feedback from experts and peers.
July 10: Medical Cross-Communication with Patients and the Public (1 day)
09:00 – 10:30 | Narrative medicine: from the point of view of the health professionals
- Dr. Sangeeta Bisheshar, Prof. Navid Madani
- To foster education of doctors and nurses
10:45 – 12:15 | Narrative medicine: from the point of view of patients
- Barbara Fountain, Siobhan Freeney
- How patients can effectively communicate about their disease and experiences.
- Building trust and patient attitudes toward medical information.
Lunch break: 12:15 – 14:00
14:00 – 16:00 | Narrative medicine: to policymakers and the public
- Prof. Navid Madani, Luciano Ruggia
- How scientific journalists and researchers can help make a more powerful impact on society and medicine.
- The role of science communication in shaping public health narratives.