Communicating the complex

The Centre for Open Learning in UCT's Centre for Higher Education and Development is hosting a communications short course aimed at scientists who want to promote their work in the media.

The five-week Communicating Science course includes lectures and hands-on as well as online, learning sessions. Course participants will also have the opportunity to practise writing, interviewing for radio and television, and working with the electronic media.

Meeting twice a week for the duration, the course will cover subjects such as the print media, writing skills, promoting events and activities, interviewing skills, electronic media and public presentations. Participants will learn how to use the media effectively to promote the complexities of their work to a mass audience.

Aimed at working scientists, researchers, science students and communications professionals, the Communicating Science course will be anchored by experienced science writer Dr George Claassen, and will feature several sessions by well-known radio and television science journalist Christina Scott. The course also includes guest lectures by three leading UCT scientists from different disciplines who are actively involved in the promotion of science.

This is the second time the course is being offered. Participants in the first course commented that it made the media seem more accessible, and that there was a good balance between practical and theoretical components.

"It laid the framework on how to write science for the lay public and how to start making science writing accessible to everyone," said one participant.

The course runs from 20 October to 20 November. The deadline for registration is 10 October. For further details, phone 021 650 2888.