Professional Development for Students and Postdocs

Communication Skills

Your research may be brilliant. Phenomenal! Awe-inspiring!! But if you can't explain it, how will anyone ever know? And why should anyone care? Clear communication to all types of audiences is a crucial part of research. Below are some helpful resources for posters, presentations, and papers aimed at technical and non-technical audiences alike.

Resources for preparing effective research posters

• Poster Perfect, by Edyta Zielinska, The Scientist, September 1, 2011
• Optimize Your Conference Poster's Impact, AIChE, by L.P. Driskill, August 2010

Resources for communicating science to different audiences

• Tips for communicating science to a broad audience (PDF) by Claudia Bode with help from Roger Martin and Richard Schowen
• Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology, edited by Massimiano Bucchi and Brian Trench
• A Field Guide for Science Writers, Second Edition, by Deborah Blum, Mary Knudson, Robin Marantz Henig
• Mastering Scientific and Medical Writing by SM Rogers

Management and Leadership Skills

Professional development and team building activities are essential for preparing students for their future careers. Social events enhance camaraderie among CEBC students and help improve trust, interpersonal communication, and leadership skills. Each semester, students participate in a variety of training workshops and activities such as the following:

• Project management

Learn More:

Dr. Claudia Bode
Education, Outreach, and Diversity Programs Coordinator
University of Kansas
bode@ku.edu
(785) 864-1647

Professional Development