Course "Talking Clearly About Your Research: A Mini-Course in Science Communication"
This 4-part course aims to provide participants with numerous strategies and opportunities to clearly communicate their research to various audiences. Multiple common genres of oral communication, including elevator pitches, academic interviews, and research talks for a lay audience will be covered in this interactive, practice-oriented course. Participants will also learn and apply several clear speech skills, such as use of voice and body language, that can aid communication across all spoken genres. Participants will have multiple opportunities during each 3-hour session to practice communicating their research and to improve their overall English speaking skills. Between sessions, participants will receive structured, individualized feedback from the trainer in the form of targeted comments designed to push their English to the next level. At the end of the course, each participant will deliver a short, engaging research talk for a non-specialist audience, which will be recorded.
Trainer: Heather Boldt is the Director of the English Language Support Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, USA. She has over 20 years’ experience teaching oral communication and writing to international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, helping them advance their academic and professional language skills. Heather is also Emory’s 3MT® coach, providing participants in this academic speaking competition with strategies for communicating their research clearly to a non-specialist audience. Heather holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Consortium on Graduate Communication; she has also served on International TESOL’s Professional Council, as a SETESOL chair, and as president of Georgia TESOL.
Dates: March 15 - April 12
English level requirement: B2
Format: online
How do I get accepted? You should be a full-time employee at the HSE.
The course is offered on a competitive basis. Please, fill out an online registration form and write a motivation letter in English (about 300 words). It should specify your research field and theme and include your experience of presenting your research in English. Please describe the difficulties you have faced when delivering a public speech in English and explain how new skills are relevant to your teaching and/or scientific career.
For more information on how to write a strong motivation letter, please read the AWC blog.