APECS and the Polar Educators International (PEI) organised a full day workshop on science communication in the rooms of the University of Auckland. The workshop was well attended with around 50 participants. Although early career scientists made up the majority of participants, some senior scientists and teachers joined in as well. Themes APECS and PEI had chosen to address in the workshop were purposely broad and diverse. In six different thematic sessions, the workshop aimed to works out, in an interactive manner, various ways how science can be communicated.
After Sira Engelbertz welcomed everyone to the workshop, Gerlis Fugmann (APECS) and Sarah Bartholow (PEI) introduced the two host organisations. On behalf of PEI, Sarah Bartholow and Heidi Roop presented the Art of Communicating in the Classroom. Early career scientists Hanne Nielsen, Lorna Little and Kimberley Collins talked about The Power of Social Media and how to make use of podcasts, blogs or twitter. Lecturer Jenny Rock and her students Ellen Sima and Lydia McLean introduced Multiple Methods for Creative Communication. Artists and academics Megan Jenkinson and Ruth Watson shared their experience with the medium Photography and how it sometimes expresses more than words can. Dacia Herbulock and Peter Griffin from the Science Media Centre NZ gave an important lesson on Media 101: The Do’s and Don’ts When Interacting With the Media. Rhian Salmon and Anton Van de Putte addressed the aspect of In-Reach (as opposed to outreach) in terms of better information exchange within and across disciples. Overall, the workshop was very well perceived and a great success. This was also due to COMANP and Antarctica New Zealand, who sponsored the workshop as well to all volunteers including Tristy Vick-Majors, Meagan Dewar and Holly Winton.