On March 5, 2024, the Borschette Conference Centre was the stage for a workshop organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. In its second edition, the event explored the intricate challenges of scientific communication in the political context, emphasizing the urgent need to convey science in an engaging manner. The workshop facilitated discussions among experts from European institutions and prominent external figures, providing a fertile ground to explore effective strategies and new tools to reach stakeholders and increase the visibility of accurate information in a world often saturated with misinformation.
During the first session, leading research institutions shared their best practices and experiences in conveying the message “from the laboratory to stakeholders.” Antje Collowald and David Mair from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission shared strategies, skills, tools, and methods developed by the JRC to effectively communicate research results in a format that supports EU policies, despite the challenging landscape of misinformation and incorrect information.
The second session focused on deepening strategies to reach the target audience, discussing various tactics to engage users and data providers and presenting inspiring cases of scientific communication across various channels and personalities. During the session, Nicole Slink from Bremerhaven University and partner at Lockstoff Design explored the current applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of design, offering a first look at the most common tools and methods for generating AI-produced content. Through numerous practical examples, the capacity of AI to visualize (scientific) content and generate both visual and textual material was demonstrated. The advantages and limitations of using AI in scientific communication were discussed, along with its potential role as a supportive tool in this field.
The workshop represented a dynamic opportunity for networking and dialogue among brilliant minds from various sectors, ranging from academia to science journalism to policymakers, fostering constructive discussions. We hope this gathering will be renewed next year, and the recording of the session is currently available at the provided link.