Education and outreach
There are many opportunities to become involved in education and outreach. There are also many different venues and types of outreach available (see page 144 of the polar resource book), so find one that suits your personality and research. Three speakers discussed work they have been involved in:
Jean-Pierre Laclau, a retired teacher (elementary school) gave an overview of an innovative programme that connected a researcher to a classroom. Lesson plans for the year followed the scientist’s arctic adventure. Experiments with the scientist were a key component of the programme, which was threaded through all curriculum topics: French, writing, culture, maths, geography etc. The class also made a journal and wrote a book with the scientist to share the experience. The book is now bilingual, and can be used as a tool for students and teachers. The website also outlines how this type of experience is accessible.
Book: La Carotte de Classes (The class core)
Website: www.lacarottedeclasse.com
Margarette Pauls then gave tips on communicating as a scientist – she started by telling APECS members - know what your message is. Topics covered were the importance of being interactive, of knowing your target group, leaving time for questions, and getting your message across in two minutes thirty seconds. Margarette said ‘Don’t forget the basic questions – why am I communicating? What? To whom? How? And with how much success? Put yourself in the place of those listening, for example someone from another field, think about what you and your organisation want to be associated with’ It was also noted that you must have money in your budget to enable you to work with professionals.
Theodar Negoita then gave some excellent tips on how to give a great presentation. Content is important and so is interaction – the important points of a presentation were covered, from introduction to conclusion. Main rules to follow for an effective presentation are
• Clarity
• Simplicity
• Brevity
• Humanity
For more information, or to get the PowerPoint presentation from Theodar, email negoita_antarctic@yahoo.com
Alternative careers in polar research
Mentors discussing alternative careers in polar science included Frank Rack from the ANDRILL ice drilling project, Georg Hansen from the Research Council of Norway, and Renuke Badhe who is the executive officer of SCAR. The following key points came out of the discussion on how to find an alternative career in polar science:
• Develop skills and specialise
• Get experience, find out what fits you and what you want
• Be open to opportunities which may be unexpected
• Be bold and take the initiative!
• Know yourself and your capabilities, sell yourself and build confidence
• Build and maintain networks, often jobs are not advertised widely, it’s important to know people
The importance of following hot topics, and of perseverance were stressed, if you want an alternative career in polar science, keep on trying and don’t get discouraged
Influencing policy and policymakers
Antarctic and Arctic international policy were both covered in this session, including a discussion of the organisations involved in policy making. These include SCAR, APECS and fisheries organisations working in collaboration with scientists, lawyers, politicians and national and international governments. Other topics included the importance of hard qualitative data, and the complexities of dealing with the media and the general public. Early career scientists were advised to establish themselves as credible scientists first and foremost, to stay consistent, stick to the facts, and to be conscious of whether they are seeking to inform or influence policy and policy makers. The options of becoming members of committees and political parties were explored, as was the need to build up good relationships with those you seek to work with.
Teaching at a university level
Teaching can be a time-consuming, though rewarding, career. A productive graduate career can be beneficial in landing the optimal position. In order to do so, it is important to establish a network of colleagues, with the help of your academic advisor. Develop your teaching background through teaching assistantships and guest lectures. Achieving a balance in your professional and personal life can be difficult, however. Compromise to ensure all projects are accomplished. When interviewing, be sure to negotiate for needs where possible. Effective listening and communication skills will help to build your capabilities as an instructor and mentor. Enlisting mentors of your own will help you to build these skills. Well regarded teachers and mentors will provide you with effective strategies. Other issues such as tenure, departmental politics and administration responsibilities will likely arise. Be sure to seek out your mentor’s advice so you can balance these additional responsibilities.
The skills required to be a good teacher include: establishing authority; reassuring yourself that you know more, you are, after all, the teacher; having respect for your students, which they will then return; having clear mutual expectations; and appreciating the mixed abilities which may be present in your class, and adjusting your lectures to accommodate this. In order to make the most of your teaching experience you should model it on a good teaching experience you yourself have had. Alternative ways of getting teaching experience are available, such as study-abroad trips and giving talks during field campaigns.
Managing research projects and people
An effective and productive research agenda is a critical component of an academic position. An ability to manage all aspects of a research project will ensure you can meet your research goals. A vast majority of polar based research will have a field based component. This requires a significant investment in time and planning to ensure this component is successful, and includes
• Developing your questions and hypotheses
• Writing grants
• Establishing the necessary logistics (eg hiring and training assistants, purchasing and shipping equipment, determining and securing transportation needs, obtaining land and sampling permits)
• Collecting, processing and analysing data
• Publishing your research and making data available to the scientific community and general public.
During this process you will no doubt encounter conflicts within your team. Developing leadership and communication skills and striving for a balance between directing, delegating, coaching and supporting your team will facilitate resolution of these conflicts and time management. Proper management and distribution of your data is also key here. From the beginning, determine and define the structure of your data and establish and develop the meta data. The organisation that assisted your data collection will likely stipulate how your data must be shared, so understand the scope of the liabilities and audience involved.
Presenting your results at conferences
The session consisted of three parts: presentations; behaviour and networking; and posters.
Presentations: when making your presentation, beware that not everyone may be able to see the corner s of your slides. Make sure your font is large enough and think about people who are colour-blind. People are familiar with modern technology, so make use of colours and animation where appropriate. Pitch the content at your audience and don’t overload them with information. Practice and time your talk, and try it out in the lecture room you’ll be presenting in.
Behaviour and networking: At a conference, it’s all about networking. In other words, it all happens at the coffee breaks, during lunch and at the conference dinner. Pay attention to what your wear, be friendly, smile and make a joke if you can. Try to approach the ‘big guys’ in your field, often recognisable from their name tags. When you do talk to them, make sure you are polite and let them speak about their research first. Finally, be careful with addressing inappropriate topics, such as criticising someone’s work or dropping names. It’s advisable not to drink too much, since you might end up saying something you’ll later regret.
Posters: a poster should be clear, well structured and not too full. Avoid using too much text, and make sure everything is visible from a distance. Think about a catchy title, you want to lure in the people who are just browsing posters.
Writing proposals and finding funding
Writing proposals is one of the fundamental skills required for professional scientists. It is also important that scientists are able to set up collaborations to improve their experience in working with multidisciplinary groups. Key points discussed in the session included
• Psychological aspects (why you need funding)
• How to start (management, budget and collaborators)
• How to have success (some advice and common mistakes)
The main outcomes of the session included guidelines for writing proposals, advice on the different stages of the funding process, common mistakes made during this process and advice for first time investigators. The importance of the summary statement was stressed, as were the advantages of collaborators and advisors.
Communicating with the media
There can be a difference between what makes good science and what makes a good story. Science is often a long process, focussing on errors and uncertainties, and often opens up more questions than it answers. Journalists however often want snappy headlines, a definite conclusion and a story which is described quickly. Don’t feel the need to compromise your scientific integrity in order to effectively communicate your science. People in the media may want a big headline, but stick to the facts and don’t be afraid to say you don’t yet know, or are not in a capacity to say. However don’t be afraid of communicating your science, build up good relationships with journalists and stick to a few basic rules when discussing your research. These are: avoid technical jargon and use accessible terms and plain language; distinguish between evidence and assumptions; if possible compare your area of study to a local example to engage people; and be transparent. Practice talking about your science as often as possible, only by learning how to effectively communicate our science can we hope to educate and inform people. Recent media events such as ‘climategate’ have caused some damage, however we must learn lessons from this. We need to seize on the renewed interest in climate science to ensure that the science is heard, welcome journalistic scrutiny and public debate, and do our utmost to communicate our science clearly and effectively.
International projects and developing collaborations
There are several reasons why international collaborations are important. First of all, polar research can be expensive – collaborations may well help to reduce costs. Secondly, it is an excellent way to obtain access to cutting edge research and knowledge from around the world. Key points discussed during this breakout session were the benefits and pitfalls of international collaborations, the rights and ownership of data and publications, and a guide to how funding for collaborations might work. Benefits of collaborations include the chance to learn different methodologies and standards of practice, improving the standards of science of a result. The potential to answer big questions, that you on your own may not be able to, and the chance to broaden your view of science and the issues surrounding your research are obvious benefits. Pitfalls may include conflicts over data and publishing rights – these can be minimised by having a letter of understanding drawn up before research begins. Also people’s situations may change, for example by job changes. The risks of this affecting your research can be minimised by sharing of responsibilities between the working group members . Questions surrounding data ownership can be answered by having clear understandings of who will write which paper, it is also important to ensure data doesn’t just flow in one direction. International collaborations can of course be rewarding for all involved, and many people can work together to achieve a great deal. So the all important question of where funding for such collaborations could come from – good places to look include current project funding, or funding obtained by your supervisor. Look also at the funding provided to your institution and your department. Also don’t be afraid to think big – look at European or American funding, but also don’t forget about the small grants – these can add up to create a pool of money from different sources
Finally the participants were advised - know the main people in your field. The Oslo Science conference is a unique networking opportunity – make the most of your time here to start building up the network that could lead to great successful collaborations, make contact with people in person, sell yourself, and maintain these connections once you get home.
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