How to Communicate Science So It Leaves the laboratory

research end when a paper is published. For knowledge to knowledge society, it also needs to be translated, contextualized, and communicated clearly. With this goal in mind, the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit (UCC+I) at the University of Navarra held a workshopon Wednesday workshopLanguage of Scientific Communication, workshopled by Ignacio López-Goñi, Full Professor Microbiology at the University of Navarra and science communicator.

López-Goñi focused the session on how to ensure that a scientific text reaches not only specialists but also engages with non-expert readers. To this end, he used a reference letter The Conversation, an information and analysis platform that connects knowledge with society through articles written by professors and researchers and edited by journalists.

The Full Professor Microbiology emphasized that research also involves finding ways to knowledge . “It’s no longer enough just to publish; you also have to make yourself visible in the research, researchhe noted during his remarks. In that vein, he noted that The Conversation “is not an opinion platform, but a medium where professionals, academics, university faculty, and research centers research about topics they know,” with the challenge communicating science without sacrificing rigor or clarity.

Research, write, and make yourself understood

The second part of meeting a roundtable Pablo Castrillo, professor of audiovisual communication at the School of Communication; Josu Etxezarreta, researcher quantum information at Tecnun - School of Engineering; and Elena Urrestarazu Bolumburu, PhD and manager the Sleep Unit at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra. The three shared their experience as authors for The Conversation and reflected on the advantages and challenges of translating research accessible language.

From the perspective of the Humanities communication, Pablo Castrillo emphasized the importance of seeking connections to current events or cultural references that can spark the reader’s interest. In his case, he explained that he tries to plan articles around historical events, anniversaries, or topics in the public eye, because “if it coincides with an anniversary, degree scroll from popular culture, or a well-known figure, it suddenly becomes interesting.”

Josu Etxezarreta emphasized the difficulty of explaining complex scientific concepts without losing sight of the main point. For the researcher , popularizing science means simplifying the complexity and focusing on the essentials: “Imagine you’ve built a castle out of 10,000 pieces; you have to remove almost all of them and keep just ten so you can explain it to the public,” he noted.

For her part, Elena Urrestarazu Bolumburu highlighted the role of the publishing house the value of having an outside perspective on area specialization. “That feedback from someone who isn’t familiar with topic but knows how to communicate financial aid you financial aid what’s missing and what needs to be explained financial aid ,” she noted. She also acknowledged that one of the main challenges is finding time for outreach, though she noted that it is “rewarding to reach the public with a topic passionate topic .”

The workshop is part of the initiatives launched by UCC+I to promote dissemination of research and provide the academic community with tools that facilitate the transfer of knowledge society.