• About
    • About
    • What is Public Interest Communications?
    • Our Team
    • Theories We Use
    • What We’ve Shared
    • Center Updates
    • Programs & Affiliates
      • frank gathering
      • The Research Prize in Public Interest Communications
      • Journal of Public Interest Communications
      • UF Programs
    • Contact Us
    • Job: Center Research Assistant
  • Our Services
    • Strategy Consulting
    • Issue Research
    • Training – Frameworks and Custom
  • Frameworks & Resources
  • Training
    • Programs
    • Now Recruiting
      • Beyond raising awareness: How to create lasting change
      • Strategic Communications Academy for UF Leaders & Scholars
      • UF Science Communication Short Course
  • Case Studies
Center for Public Interest Communications
Support
  • About
    • About
    • What is Public Interest Communications?
    • Our Team
    • Theories We Use
    • What We’ve Shared
    • Center Updates
    • Programs & Affiliates
      • frank gathering
      • The Research Prize in Public Interest Communications
      • Journal of Public Interest Communications
      • UF Programs
    • Contact Us
    • Job: Center Research Assistant
  • Our Services
    • Strategy Consulting
    • Issue Research
    • Training – Frameworks and Custom
  • Frameworks & Resources
  • Training
    • Programs
    • Now Recruiting
      • Beyond raising awareness: How to create lasting change
      • Strategic Communications Academy for UF Leaders & Scholars
      • UF Science Communication Short Course
  • Case Studies
  • Case Study

Strategic Communications Academy for University of Florida Engineering Scholars

  • March 4, 2020
  • 2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
0

The Challenge:

How can engineers effectively communicate their work to the people who need it most? The Center partnered with the University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering to train faculty in public interest communications frameworks that can help them more effectively communicate with non-expert audiences – policymakers, funders, students, media and potential collaborators. Working with the dean of the college, we developed professional development courses for 35 new faculty members as part of their onboarding process. After assessing the effectiveness of the courses, the opportunity to participate in communications trainings became available to all engineering faculty.

What We Did:

Before designing the training, the Center team undertook research to understand ways leaders and faculty of the college communicated about their work to both internal and external audiences. Team members conducted one-on-one interviews with faculty, college leadership and communications staff, both within the college and at peer institutions.

Based on research findings, the Center team  created a series of workshops focused on:

  • Foundations of Effective Communications for Engineers
  • The Science of Story Building for Compelling Engineering Presentations
  • Writing and Delivering Effective Engineering Talks
  • Establishing Influence with Research Funders and Funding Agencies
  • Networking and Navigating an Academic Conference

The first workshop series began in Fall 2018 for new faculty and was conducted in four, full-day sessions. The second series began in Spring 2019 with a different structure: the faculty met once a month for 1.5 hour lunch-and-learns throughout the semester. Pre- and post-training surveys were conducted to assess the success of each workshop. Using the online learning management system Canvas, we created a course shell that allowed participants to access all the workshop presentations, worksheets and readings. We also created online activities to support the learning in between the workshop sessions.

What One Participant Said About the Center’s Training Program:

“The program gave me a new perspective on how to best showcase my work and it also gave me tools to apply for making my presentations more impactful. I highly recommend this program.” – Lily Elefteriadou, Director, UF Transportation Institute.

To discuss how the Center can help your organization, contact us. 

0
0
0
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Next Article
hands with medicine
  • Case Study

Invest in Trust – a vaccine communications guide for CNAs

  • June 2, 2021
View Post
Think we can help with your goals? Read about our services and how we work.
Or reach out today to tell us a bit about your project and inquire how we might help.

 
 

Join our network

We'll send insights and opportunities when you least expect

More of our work
  • Photo by Jean Balzan, pexels
    Building a Communication Strategy for Diversity and Inclusion
  • Can #MeToo Have Lasting Influence?
  • Most Americans believe we should have gun regulation. Here is why those who don’t are winning the debate.
  • Photo by Klaus Nielsen:
    How to Use Stories to Bring ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ Together
Latest from the Center
  • Teresa Gonzales and Nicole Bronzan
    Paper exploring local discursive frames of poverty and race wins 2023 research prize
  • Center welcomes two collaborators in research and strategy
  • 2023 Research Prize Finalists
    Center announces three finalists for the $10,000 public interest communications research prize
  • Rakeem Robinson
    Center honors the memory of colleague Rakeem Robinson
How We Help – Case Studies
  • illustration of hand holding United States flag
    Covering immigration in local news—an exploration by Define American
  • illustration
    Innovation Service of UNHCR: the UN Refugee Agency
  • BROKE project screenshot
    Re-examining narratives on poverty and wealth — the BROKE project

Subscribe

Keep up with our latest; request our periodic newsletter.

UF Logo

Center for Public Interest Communications
PO Box 118400
Gainesville, FL 32611-8400

An auxiliary unit of the College of Journalism and Communications

Copyright © 2022

Contact Us

We are eager to chat with you about your project or training need.

Send us a note

The Center for Public Interest Communications, the first of its kind in the nation, is designed to study, test and apply the science of strategic communication for social change. We are based at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

  • Social Change Communication
  • Science Communication
  • Strategic Communication
  • Broader Impacts
  • Public Interest Communication
  • Narrative Change
  • Leadership Development
  • Strategy Development
  • Effective Presentations
  • Research Translation & Insights

Input your search keywords and press Enter.