Visual Communication of Science

Where: Online

 

Workshop Outline

When reading grant proposals, research papers, conference posters or viewing slide presentations, people look at graphics first. If created properly, graphics are the most effective way to explain complex ideas in the shortest amount of time, attract audience and raise credibility. Nevertheless, researchers aren’t trained in visual communication in the traditional PhD curricula and are supposed to acquire these skills by themselves. This workshop uses a hands-on approach to help researchers visually present their own research through various means of scientific communication.

Workshop goals:

• Learn which graphic design principles are most useful for communicating science.
• Use these principles to draw graphical abstracts for your own research communication.
• Learn to create clear, true, and meaningful data visualizations.
• Learn to create visually consistent journal papers and project proposals.
• Learn to create a conference poster that is good looking and easy to understand.
• Learn to amplify your message when presenting with slides.

Takeaway:

You will get feedback on a selection of your figures, slides and posters submitted ahead of the webinar. In an exercise, you will draw a sketch of your research (a graphical abstract) and discuss it with other participants.

 

Content:

DAY 1 (9:00 am – 4:30 pm with a long lunch break and many short breaks)
* Communicating with scientific vs non-scientific audiences
* Visual perception and what humans find intuitive
* Layout: a global structure that simplifies comprehension
* Eye-flow: effortlessly guide the audience through the design
* Colors: how to amplify, not ‘fancify’
* Feedback and discussion on your pre-submitted figures
* Graphical abstract drawing exercise & group work: draw a sketch of your research and get feedback from peer scientists and the facilitator

DAY 2 (9:00 am – 1:30 pm with many short breaks)
* Slides that amplify your messages when presenting
* Feedback and discussion on your pre-submitted slides
* Posters: strategy and process for creating posters that attract and explain
* Feedback and discussion on your posters

 

About the trainer:

Dr. Jernej Zupanc, Founder of Seyens Ltd. Jernej's goal is to help scientists effectively communicate their ideas and results and make an impact with their research. Communication is his professional passion. He holds a PhD (2011) and was a PostDoc in computer science, is a Fulbright alumnus and a published photographer. He worked as Head of computer vision at a startup, as a project evaluator for the European Commission and as a grant writer.

Register here by March 25 (first come, first serve).