Preparing for Science Communication Events

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it deeply.” I learned this the hard way early in my career. I once spent days preparing a deck for a board meeting: 50 slides packed with charts and footnotes. I thought more detail meant more credibility. Halfway through the meeting, the chairman stopped me and asked: “So, what’s your point?” I froze. I knew the data but I didn’t know the problem. I buried the answer with too much information. Since then, I always remind myself: Start with the solution first. Now, before any presentation, I run a simple test: -What’s the problem I’m solving? -What’s my answer in one clear line? -Does every slide push this answer forward? -Can I sketch it on a napkin, not just a slide? -Would my audience remember it if they walked out right now? If it fails this test, I’m not ready. Clarity first, slides second. Complex explanations hide shallow thinking. Clear structure shows real understanding. If you want to sound smart, make it complicated. If you want to be smart, make it simple. How do you keep things clear?

Under the microscope, tissues and cells look complex and beautiful. But without context, their story can be hard to follow, much like the science behind them. That’s why I’m so passionate about accessible science communication. In biotech and life sciences, breakthroughs like gene editing and cell therapies are extraordinary. But if they’re hidden behind technical language, we miss the chance to inspire, build trust, and show their real-world impact. At Thermo Fisher Scientific, I’ve seen how storytelling can unlock that understanding. We tell stories about the researchers, patients and innovators behind science to bring discoveries to life, use formats like podcasting to make complex topics approachable to spark curiosity beyond the lab, and social media to turn small scientific details into moments of wonder for a broad audience. The communicator’s role is to help people see both the beauty and the meaning behind the work so that people can feel connected to it. The most successful science communicators are shifting their focus from complexity to clarity. 💡 They translate research into stories that resonate with non-scientists. 💡 They highlight the why behind innovation, not just the how. 💡 They use plain language without sacrificing scientific accuracy. When we make science more accessible, we don’t dilute it. We amplify it. And in doing so, we bring more people into the conversation, which is where real impact begins.

What if the real barrier to research impact isn’t its complexity but how we talk about it? Academics are often trained to clarify, explain and condense. But too often, this means stripping away the richness that makes our work meaningful. In the pursuit of accessibility, nuance is lost. We worry that public communication requires dumbing down. It doesn't. The key is not simplification. It’s reframing. Reframing doesn’t dilute complexity; it gives it shape, purpose, and resonance. It starts not with data, but with values. When we frame research through the lens of what people care about, like fairness, dignity, community, or autonomy, we make it more than intelligible. We make it relatable. And once research feels relevant, it becomes powerful. Take entrepreneurship research. Academics often describe entrepreneurs as opportunity recognisers or resource orchestrators. Accurate, but the terms are jargonistic and potentially alienating. Reframed through values, the same research becomes something else: 🔹 How people take initiative in the face of uncertainty. 🔹 How communities respond to exclusion by creating their own solutions. 🔹 How young people or other groups reclaim agency in economies that have closed traditional pathways. It's the same ideas, but now they're a story about resilience, justice, and hope. Now people can not only understand the concepts, but they can also relate to them. The science of framing shows that how we structure information, what we highlight, what we omit, and the metaphors we use, profoundly influence how ideas are received. Not because people are irrational, but because they rely on mental shortcuts to make sense of an overwhelming world. This matters in a world grappling with inequality, misinformation, polarisation, and systemic challenges. Research can and should inform public debate. But only if we learn to tell stories that carry ideas across boundaries of discipline, sector, and ideology. It isn't a matter of whether people are capable of understanding complex research, but whether we’ve done the work to frame it in terms that matter. In short: Stop explaining. Start connecting. #ResearchImpact #Entrepreneurship #PublicScholarship #ScienceCommunication

Most DeepTech founders either dumb down their science (lose credibility) or write academic papers (lose readers). To avoid this trap, here's my 5-step roadmap on how to explain complex tech without compromise: Step 1: The "Technical Sandwich" Method. To master this: → Start with a simple outcome ("We reduce ocean plastic by 40%") → Layer in the technical mechanism ("using bio-enzymatic polymer chains") → Close with the human impact ("saving 2M marine animals annually") Start here, then move onto Step 2. Step 2: Choose your Precision Framework. Now you have two options: 1/ Analogies (quantum computing = library with infinite books in one space) 2/ Metrics (latency from 200ms to 3ms = Netflix vs buffering) There's no wrong answer, but you must decide. Step 3: Master two Core Communication Pillars. 1/ Simple Hooks. → 9 words or less in your opener → Lead with outcomes, not process → Use contrast ("$100K sensors vs our $4,900 buoy") Once you master this, focus on: 2/ Technical Credibility. → Drop one precise term per paragraph → Link to peer-reviewed sources → Show the math when it matters Step 4: Know when to embrace complexity. Most founders oversimplify everything. Your audience is smarter than you think. Here are your options: → Technical founders? Go deeper on mechanism → Investors? Show the physics constraint you solved → General audience? Keep the complexity in comments The key is matching depth to reader expertise. Step 5: The credibility check. This final step is how you: → Validate claims with independent sources → Show real deployment numbers → Name the institutions backing you Do this and you can unlock both reach and respect. It's as easy as that. — What's the hardest technical concept you've had to explain in plain English? PS. I've ghostwritten for 10+ climate tech founders. The ones who balance simplicity with precision get 10x the engagement.

Most people don’t actually struggle with learning. They struggle with 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 when they only recognize the words. That’s why I love this prompt. It turns ChatGPT or Claude into the kind of tutor that does more than hand you answers. It pushes you to 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, the same way Richard Feynman believed real understanding works. Instead of memorizing facts, it helps you break ideas down simply, spot the parts that still feel fuzzy, and rebuild your understanding step by step until it clicks. By the end, you should be able to teach the concept to someone else clearly and confidently. That’s when you know you truly understand it. Here’s the full prompt: --- <System> You are a master explainer who channels Richard Feynman’s ability to break complex ideas into simple, intuitive truths. Your goal is to help the user understand any topic through analogy, questioning, and iterative refinement until they can teach it back confidently. </System> <Context> The user wants to deeply learn a topic using a step-by-step Feynman learning loop: • simplify • identify gaps • question assumptions • refine understanding • apply the concept • compress it into a teachable insight </Context> <Instructions>  1. Ask the user for:  • the topic they want to learn  • their current understanding level 2. Give a simple explanation with a clean analogy. 3. Highlight common confusion points. 4. Ask 3 to 5 targeted questions to reveal gaps. 5. Refine the explanation in 2 to 3 increasingly intuitive cycles. 6. Test understanding through application or teaching. 7. Create a final “teaching snapshot” that compresses the idea. </Instructions> <Constraints>  • Use analogies in every explanation  • No jargon early on  • Define any technical term simply  • Each refinement must be clearer  • Prioritize understanding over recall  </Constraints> <Output Format>  Step 1: Simple Explanation  Step 2: Confusion Check  Step 3: Refinement Cycles  Step 4: Understanding Challenge  Step 5: Teaching Snapshot  </Output Format> <User Input> “I’m ready. What topic do you want to master and how well do you understand it?” </User Input> Tools can give answers. Understanding comes when you can make the idea simple enough for someone else to grasp. That’s the difference between knowing about something and truly knowing it. P.S. ~ For more updates like this: 1. Scroll to the top 2. Click "View my newsletter" 3. Subscribe, and you'll never miss a thing in the world of AI ever again.

How to communicate " Scientific " and " Creative " at the same time? I’ve spent years sitting between two worlds: the rigorous, data-driven world of research and the engaging world of visual communication. Scientists are trained to be precise and cautious. Designers possess the skills to solve problems and facilitate communication. If we don’t find a middle ground, the message gets lost in the gap. Here are 3 ways we can bridge that gap to create impactful science communication: 1. Define the "Core truth" early I ask scientists: "If your audience only remembers one sentence from this 20-page paper, what is it?" That sentence becomes our North Star. It’s not about cutting the science; it’s about prioritising the impact. 2 Co-creating the "Story arc" We map out the "Problem, Process, and Solution" first. I involve researchers in the narrative structure and the creative process (Scriptwriting➡Storyboarding ➡ Animation) so that they feel ownership of the story. This ensures the final result feels like an extension of their lab work, not just a presentation. 3 The "Jargon audit" We go through the script and flag complex terms, words that make sense to the expert but stop the layperson in their tracks. We don't remove them; we illustrate them visually. If we say "Trophic Cascade," we show it happening in real-time through visuals. The best work happens when we stop seeing "accuracy" and "engagement" as competitors. They are teammates. To my fellow science communicators: What’s the biggest "translation" challenge you’ve faced when turning data into a story?

Last week, someone who’s been working in climate communications for over a year quietly admitted they still didn’t totally understand what “lowering emissions” meant. Not the general vibe of it, but the actual why and how. I loved their honesty. It reminded me how often specialists in the space continue to throw around terms that even insiders don’t fully grasp. If we want the public, policymakers, and private sector to act, we have to stop communicating like we’re at a scientific conference. Here are 5 tools I use all the time to make complex climate and science ideas land: ✔️ The “Grandma Test” Can you explain the concept to your grandma without losing meaning? This test forces clarity without condescension—and it’s one of the fastest ways to reveal jargon you didn’t even know you were using. ✔️ Metaphor as a Bridge Metaphors are powerful shortcuts for understanding. For example, instead of saying “emissions reductions,” try: “Imagine your home has a slow gas leak. Cutting emissions is like finding and sealing that leak—before it gets worse.” It may take longer to say (a communications faux pas) but we process metaphors faster than data. ✔️ Chunk the Concept Break big ideas into bite-sized parts: What is it? Why does it matter? What can be done? Who’s doing it well? This format creates digestible flow and gives your audience mental “hooks” to follow you. ✔️ Visual Storytelling Not every concept needs a paragraph. Sometimes it just needs a sketch, a diagram, or a comparison chart. ✔️ Mirror the Audience Before I write or say anything, I ask: “What does this audience care about most?” Meeting people in their worldview is half the battle. I’ll be sharing more of the frameworks and strategies I use in future posts—but if your team is trying to translate climate science or sustainability language into something people actually understand and act on, C3 can help. Let’s make it make sense. 👉 Feel free to reach out or follow along for more tools from the Climate Communications Collective playbook.

I used to think that a powerful technique in trial work was showing the jury that I had mastered the most complex technical subjects. Like going toe-to-toe with a PhD or MD expert using their language. Matching their jargon. Showing the jury I could talk about post-impact trajectory analysis or neurometabolic cascade like I had a doctorate myself. But the jury would be lost. And they were frankly annoyed that I was wasting their time. The key isn't to sound like the expert's colleague. It's taking that PhD-level concept and explaining it so a sixth grader could understand it. That makes things far more interesting and very engaging. The physics of why a truck can't stop like a car? It's like stopping a loaded shopping cart vs. an empty one. Hours of service violations? It's like taking a flight with a pilot who just completed a transpacific flight. Explaining that a herniated disc is like a squished jelly donut. The hard part isn't learning the expert's language. It is translating it into something human. Making the indigestible simple without dumbing it down or losing the truth. Juries don't decide based on who sounds smartest. They decide based on who they understand and trust. And clarity and simplicity help with both. #TrialStrategy #Litigation #TrialLawyer #JuryPersuasion

I’ve struggled with bridging the gap between technical concepts and non-technical stakeholders, but this approach unlocked clarity and action: (And it’s not just about dumbing things down.) → Simplification with Purpose. Here’s how to apply this to communicating technical ideas effectively: 1️⃣ Use Analogies They Understand Technical concepts often feel abstract. Analogies help bridge the gap. For example: "The cloud is like renting a storage unit. You don’t need to own the building or worry about maintaining it, but you can store your things there and access them whenever you need." 2️⃣ Avoid Jargon—Use Everyday Language Too much technical language alienates your audience. Simplify without oversimplifying. "Instead of saying 'We need to refactor the codebase to ensure scalability,' say: 'We’re making sure the software can handle more customers as we grow.'" 3️⃣ Focus on Why It Matters, Not How It Works Stakeholders care about the results, not the technical journey. "We’re implementing this new security feature to make sure your customer data stays protected, which ultimately builds trust and reduces risk." 4️⃣ Use Visuals to Break Things Down Visual aids make complexity easier to handle. A simple flowchart, for instance, can illustrate how a data pipeline works far better than words alone. 5️⃣ Relate it to Their Goals Connect technical efforts to business outcomes. "We’re upgrading the database infrastructure so you can access customer insights faster. This will help improve decision-making and speed up time-to-market for new features." This approach taught me more than any traditional technical communication strategy. Master these techniques, and you’ll become the go-to person who simplifies complexity and inspires action 🚀