Whether we are journalists, PIOs, scientists, interpreters/educators or something in between, we’re faced with alternative “facts,” short attention spans, and information overload. Worse, a growing body of data tells us that people are not persuaded by numbers. We also know that visuals are compelling enough to dominate decision-making. People think in images and have since pre-history. We look at images first, then headlines and captions, maybe the main text. When tested on accurate matches between text and information, students will rely on the images as “truth” even if the text contradicts the images.

Participants will experience cross-disciplinary and multicultural examples, interactive activities, and foundational best practices in image creation and graphic design which they can use to productively make and use visuals to communicate science.

There is a special emphasis on drawing as an effective communication strategy. Foundational drawing training is built-in, because: despite research demonstrating how effective drawing can be for learning and communication, a lot of people avoid incorporating this powerful visualization tool because they themselves don’t draw. Drawing (even without training) can:

• help clarify what you know

• enhance research methodology

• improve efficacy of learning assessments

• enhance creativity and problem solving

• enhance communication efforts

And yet, we collectively avoid sketching; drawing has become art, and art (like science) has become specialized. But, drawing isn’t exclusively for the pros. It could be argued that humans are actually born knowing how to draw. Our ability to draw goes back even further. Archaeological records indicate that drawing was the first visual representation method.

That being said, modern drawing basics are learned, not inherited.

Fundamental skills, techniques, and knowledge of different media can be taught, practiced, and improved upon. Thanks to this combination of childhood aptitude and basic drawing techniques, nearly anyone can learn to make a sketch. Fortunately, the STEAM movement is gaining traction, and increasingly, people recognize the value of merging science and the arts. This workshop leans into this connection by helping science writers of all stripes feel more confident leveraging drawing as a reporting and storytelling tool.

For more information visit https://whova.com/embedded/session/scien_202110/1854812/?view=