2019 Science Communication Course

The Office of the Chief Scientist and the Human Capital & Education Directorate are accepting applications for an opportunity to attend the 2019 Science Communication at NASA course offered at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD from July 16 to 19, 2019. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE 11 A.M. PST ON MAY 1, 2019

The 2019 Science Communication at NASA course is an outstanding opportunity for professional development. This is more than just a skills course; it is a course that addresses the over-arching culture of science communication at NASA as well as the opportunities and challenges therein.

What: As a scientist, are you having trouble connecting with your audience? Are you worried that the message of your science isn’t getting through to people in the most effective way?

If you’ve answered yes, then apply for this year’s Science Communication at NASA. The course, developed by NASA’s Office of the Chief Scientist and run by the Science Mission Directorate, is an agency-wide leadership development course that is a cornerstone in the agency’s effort to cultivate and support science & engineer communicators just like you. Being an effective communicator is more important now than ever, with so many urgent current issues involving a lack of science/engineering literacy in the general public. It is up to us, as scientists and engineers, to build a compelling narrative and communicate more effectively to the public, media, and even our own colleagues.

Participants in the class will learn key communication strategies through group learning and “hands on learning activities” to extract the key points of their message to large audiences in a short time frame. The course also offers rotational activities that allow participants to deliver short dialogues utilizing the following Goddard (Greenbelt) communication tools:

• Social Media Panel
• Hyper wall
• Media Training

Past participants have told us:

• I took everything I learned in that Science Communication 3-day course and applied it to this Flight Readiness Review. The result was my most fun, best FRR yet.
• Thanks to your course I have started working with (another participant from my Center) on blogging and social media strategies. We are also talking about how we can work better across the divisions and combine our science.
• That workshop was amazing! I’ve been through a few leadership/training workshops in and outside the agency, and I honestly believe this is the best one I’ve taken.

WHO: This course is currently available for civil servant scientists, engineers, and technologists with an interest and responsibility for communicating their work to both internal and external audiences, from staff meetings to documentaries, and everything in between. This is more than just a skills course; it is a course that addresses the over-arching culture of science communication at NASA as well as the opportunities and challenges therein.

We highly encourage early career researchers to apply.

WHY: This course is important for those who want to learn how to simplify their message for audience understanding, without losing the most important essence, the science.

WHERE/WHEN: Course offered July 16th-19th, 2019 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Space is limited to predetermined allocations.

FUNDING: This course is open to civil servants only and is Agency-funded. However, the participant’s Center directorate/management must cover all travel costs.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Applications are due by 11 A.M. PST on May 1, 2019 and should be submitted to Kevin.L.Werner@nasa.gov and to Christine.Doan@nasa.gov. A complete application package consists of a single PDF document containing:

• A completed application form, and
• A completed NF26 (Routing Slip) initialed off by all levels of the applicant’s management chain, indicating both support for the applicant to attend the course AND agreement to cover all travel costs

Both forms and additional information can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/ames/ocs/sciencecomm/19

In order to be considered eligible for this course you must complete the application in its entirety, no blank areas. Also, you must obtain your supervisor’s digital signature in the supervisor’s signature section. Incomplete applications or no supervisor signatures will automatically disqualify you from enrollment in the course.

By 5/20/2019, the Ames Chief Scientist will evaluate applications and select participants from Ames. Goddard Greenbelt will notify selected participants and alternates by date 05/29/2019.

Please Note: Selection by the Ames Office of the Chief Scientist does not provide or guarantee funding for the applicant to enroll in the program, nor does it guarantee acceptance into the program.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Cohen at jacob.cohen-1@nasa.gov or Kevin Werner at kevin.l.werner@nasa.gov.