Communicating Experience and Ideas to the General Public

According to Niels Bohr, as scientists: “Our task is to communicate experience and ideas to others”, but this communication should not be limited to fellow peers and experts. By communicating our research to the general public we not only better inform the tax payer where their money is being spent, but we are also able to educate and inspire a whole new generation of scientists. This process of communication is very much a two-way street; by presenting our work to people outside of our usual spheres of contemporaries, we expose ourselves to alternative thoughts and insights that can inspire us, as scientists, to take another look at our research from angles that we had never before considered. This work presents the results and experiences from a number of scientific communication case studies across the UK, in which researchers from the field of atmospheric science engaged and interacted with members of the general public. These include the design and implementation of an outreach activity for several hundred high school students; the process of running a successful podcast (http://thebarometer.podbean.com); hosting and participating in science events for thousands of members of the general public (e.g. http://www.manchestersciencefestival.com and http://sse.royalsociety.org/2013); and creating a citizen science activity that involved elementary school children from across the UK.In communicating their research it is imperative that scientists interact with their audience in an effective and engaging manner, whether in an international conference, a classroom, or indeed the pub. This work also presents a discussion of how these skills can be developed at an early stage in the careers of a research scientist, presenting the results and methodology of a groundbreaking lecture series at the University of Manchester, in which undergraduate and postgraduate students were taught how to be more effective communicators using methods derived from theatrical technique.Goethe told us that “Science… belong(s) to the whole world”, and it is our job as scientists to ensure that this is the case.