Resources
Authors & Affiliations
Emma Yhnell
Abstract
Neuroscience is often seen by non-specialist and public audiences as a complex and confusing branch of science, with people often remarking "Neuroscience? Isn't that for clever people". As scientists and researchers, often funded by public and charity money, we have a moral and ethical responsibility to communicate neuroscience to others, including new and traditionally underrepresented audiences. The ability to translate neuroscience through public outreach is beneficial not only for science and scientists but also for wider society. Bringing neuroscience to new audiences can be incredibly powerful, this important skill can help patients and their loved ones seek and understand their diagnoses, it can empower people to take action and inspire a greater diversity of people to become neuroscientists. However, few very academics are trained in the important and complex skills of science communication and public outreach. Furthermore, public outreach activities can lack sustainable funding, are underappreciated and unrecognised within academia, while regularly being undertaken on a voluntary basis by underrepresented groups on short-term contracts, sadly this only further reinforces systemically engrained issues of underrepresentation in neuroscience. This poster submission will consider long term and sustainable solutions to public outreach and science communication. The significant experiences of the author in neuroscience public outreach including podcasts, public talks, popular science writing and radio broadcasting will be utilised to offer conference attendees "top tips" on how to build their own confidence and skills in public outreach and science communication to bring neuroscience to new audiences.