My Transformative Journey beyond the Media Skills Training Workshop
December 20, 2024
Lucy Mwaura shared her experience on how the Media Skills Training Workshop improved her ability to communicate her scientific work.
As an OWSD member, I have benefited from some of the events organized in 2024. I recently attended the Media Skills Training Workshop for Female Researchers held at Strathmore University. The training was organized in collaboration with Research4life, Elsevier, Sci4Dev and Script. Attending the Media Skills Training Workshop for Female Researchers was a transformative experience that equipped me with essential tools to effectively communicate my research to broader audiences. As a female academic and researcher, the workshop underscored the importance of enhancing visibility in media platforms and fostering public engagement with scientific work.
In the training, I learnt to simplify difficult scientific concepts for the non-specialist audiences without compromising the accuracy. I am now better prepared to highlight the societal relevance of my research, particularly in my fields of AI, gamification, and big data analytics. The workshop's focus on strategic storytelling will help ensure that my work resonates beyond academic circles. I found the tips on how to engage with journalists particularly useful. In fact, there was a session where the scientists interacted with different journalists. The mock-up interviews helped me to present research outputs confidently as well as write press releases. The skills here are important in amplifying my research contributions in future and advocating for scientific solutions in public discussions. The highlight of the workshop was the networking opportunity where I was able to meet and interact with fellow female researchers from many different disciplines.
Out of this experience, I plan to actively seek opportunities for media engagement and contribute articles or opinion pieces to public forums. I will also be sharing these insights with students and colleagues, particularly female researchers, to help build a community of media-savvy scientists. Finally, I intend to use media platforms to champion the importance of female participation in STEM and support the mission of OWSD, which aligns closely with my values.
The workshop was not just a skill-building exercise but an empowering experience that reaffirmed the importance of communicating science with clarity and purpose. I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to applying these skills to elevate my research and its societal impact.
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