EDCTP Forum: communications for impactful science
Even though it was the last session on the final day of the EDCTP Forum, the communications workshop co-organized by EDCTP Association (Africa Office) and MMV drew a sizeable audience and created a buzz around one of the more underrated skills that can help scientists turn a good career into a great one.
‘From good to great: Mastering communication skills for impactful science’ was built on the successful communications training sessions delivered to PAMAfrica and SINDOFO consortia scholarship PhD and master's students last summer. Those training sessions were organized in response to recommendations made during the 2023 EDCTP Malaria Drugs Projects Oversight Committee meeting, which focused on the need to support students in the public communication of their research, including social media.
More than just a soft skill
Premised on the fact that communications is much more than a soft skill for scientists, the workshop drew on the first-hand experiences of panelists to make a compelling argument that communications is critical to translating scientific evidence into impact. Moreover, a series of mentimeter questions directed at the audience revealed that most workshop participants regarded communications as an important skill, and one they would be keen on improving, especially in the context of public speaking. But as the insightful panel discussion highlighted, public speaking is just one of many elements that contribute to impactful communications.
Following the panel discussion, audience members were invited to form small groups and discuss their unique approaches to communications and the tools they use to communicate their work to peers and broader audiences. Discussions were lively, the room got loud, and conversations spilled over to the Q&A session and beyond.
Next steps
In addition to establishing communications as one of the essential tools every scientist should be well-versed in using, the overarching goal of the workshop was to inspire audiences to strive for more in their professional use of this tool. Given the level of engagement in this topic, and the discussions (and debates) it sparked, this goal was achieved.
Moving forward, the workshop organizers will submit a report to EDCTP with recommendations on how communications can be built into future capacity strengthening initiatives, and why this skill should be prioritized among other practical training programmes.