Research Communication Workshops
Researchers, scholars and scientists face ever-increasing demands to make their ideas accessible to the public. But that can be daunting when you’re not used to speaking and writing for general audiences.
Our research communication workshops are designed to help you present engagingly, write clearly, and reach audiences through traditional and non-traditional media.
Some of these sessions may count toward your eight-hour professional development requirement. (Please note that all courses must be approved by your department.)
Upcoming Workshops
What is a Three Minute Thesis? | online info session | not for PD credit
Tentative Date: Friday, January 17, 2025
Tentative Time: 12 - 1 p.m. MST
Register in campusBRIDGE Zoom Link
The U of A is gearing up for another 3MT competition! In this short information session, learn how you can challenge yourself and get creative while refining your skills in communication and knowledge translation.
How to hook the audience in 30 seconds | online workshop | 1.5 hr PD credit
Tentative Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Tentative Time: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. MST
Register in campusBRIDGE Zoom Link
This workshop reviews the importance of capturing your audience's attention in the first 30 seconds. We consider how to do this creatively, and how to set the stage for a more engaging presentation.
The structure and delivery of a good 3MT | online workshop | 1.5 hr PD credit
Tentative Date: Friday, January 31, 2025
Tentative Time: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. MST
Register in campusBRIDGE Zoom Link
After having a solid first 30 seconds, what about the next 150? This workshop offers you tools to structure your 3MT effectively, time it perfectly, and make it engaging from beginning to end.
WATCH FOR THIS WORKSHOP IN SPRING 2025
Are you uncomfortable speaking about your research to non-specialist audiences? Help is on the way. In this 90-minute conversation, a team of experienced research presenters tackles some of the most pressing questions facing public speakers.
These may include:
- How do I overcome nerves?
- How do I engage the audience in my topic?
- How do I keep things simple, clear and relatable?
- How do I handle unexpected questions?
- How do I leave my audience enthusiastic and curious to know more?
Join us for a lively and candid conversation that may just inspire you.
Moderator: Dr. Rob Desjardins
WATCH FOR THIS WORKSHOP IN SPRING 2025
Do media requests make you nervous? Are you interested in knowledge translation but don't know how to get your research out to the community?
The University of Alberta’s Media Strategy team is here to help publicize your research, discoveries, and teaching innovations. This unique training opportunity outlines how the media works and provides critical tips and tricks when speaking to journalists.
Presenter: Jennifer Crosby, Director, Media Strategy, University of Alberta
WATCH FOR THIS WORKSHOP IN SPRING 2025
As we prepare to move out of the academy and into the workforce, it's a good time to think critically about our writing style. Is it overly technical? Vague and abstract? Can we make it more accessible for people in the office and the public sphere?
In this workshop, we share a few principles (and some back-pocket strategies) to help you balance clarity and professionalism in your non-academic writing.
Presenter: Dr. Rob Desjardins
Self-Paced Workshops & Videos
SELF-PACED | via eClass
Package Your Research to Build Your Brand is a remote course designed to help you think outside the box when promoting and presenting a talk for a wide range of different audiences. This includes branding yourself and your research expertise, and identifying unique ways of presenting your work based on an intended public group.
Upon completion of this two-hour, remote, asynchronous professional development session, you will receive a certificate of completion and the building blocks of an Edmonton Public Library presentation application. Work in this course can also be applied to grant writing, teaching and more.
ARCHIVED RECORDING | Presented May 9, 2024 | 12:00 p.m.
Writing is one of the hardest and most important aspects of graduate studies. Do you feel anxious about your writing process? Do you think you ought to be more proficient than you are? Do you wonder what strong academic writing looks like? Do you feel isolated in your academic writing pursuits?
In this 60-minute presentation, acclaimed writing scholar Rachael Cayley explores strategies for building a new mindset around writing. She explains how common attitudes toward academic writing can be transformed into new attitudes that better support a healthy writing process.
Presenter: Dr. Rachael Cayley, University of Toronto
Email robertd1@ualberta.ca to obtain the passcode, and then:
Other Opportunities
The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Writing Centre (Academic Success Centre) have partnered to offer a series of free workshops. The workshops are centered on helping students be compelling in their research communication and enhance their academic performance.
Explore the list of workshops here:
Graduate workshops offered by the U of A's Writing Services unit are tailored to help you with the various aspects of academic writing.
Check out the options on the Writing Services Workshops page:
The Digital Scholarship Centre offers a range of fascinating workshops that explore how to use digital tools and technology to communicate your research. Some of these may count toward your PD requirement.
Join the Digital Scholarship Centre, the Sound Studies Institute, and the CSSH Research office for a three day in-person hands-on podcasting workshop, delivered by local and national experts.
The following topics will be covered:
- Pre-Production: planning and project facilitation
- Production: audio recording, scripting, and editing
- Dissemination: Communications, metadata, preservation, knowledge mobilization, metrics, and impact assessment
Contact
Questions regarding research communication workshops can be directed to:
Dr. Rob Desjardins
PD Instructional Designer
Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
E-mail: grad.pd@ualberta.ca