Participants must take the below three-day intensive course that will be offered twice each year to allow for multiple opportunities for participants to fulfill the requirement. 

Harness Strategic Science Communication Strategies to Accomplish Your Goals

This condensed course will take place twice each year over the span of a three-day weekend. Topics will include an introduction to science communication, how to write and pitch op-eds, ways to tailor complex science for a variety of audiences and goals, ways to use social media and address misinformation, and the science and art of delivering a dynamic TED-style talk.

Participants must attend three Savvy Science Communication Seminars:

Savvy Science Communication Seminars will be held throughout the academic year on topics such as Writing an Op-Ed, Delivering a Dynamic Talk, The Art of Interviews, Artificial Intelligence in Communication, Social Media, Misinformation, Building a Professional Personal Brand, and more. Participants must attend at least three seminars.

These seminars can be done in-person or virtually.

Students must complete four co-curriculars:

Create a Professional Brand and Website

Participants will learn the skills for how to create a professional brand and website using free tools and AI, and they’ll complete the creation of a three-page minimum website showcasing a research project, op-ed, and beyond, as well as strategic framing of their academic experiences to help achieve a specific career goal. This will be the topic of one of the required Savvy Science Communication Seminars. 

Attend One Institute for Translational Medicine Science Communication Event

Participants will attend at least one event from the Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM) and connect and network with physician researchers, members of the public, and others. The ITM is based at the University of Chicago and includes academic medical centers, health systems, and universities across Chicagoland fueled by more than $50 million from the National Institutes of Health. Participants have the opportunity to connect with faculty and researchers from across a variety of disciplines as well as community organizations and initiatives. 

Submit an Op-Ed to a Media Publication

Participants will select a topic of their choice and write an op-ed to pitch throughout the year. Participants must submit their op-ed to a publication of their choice before the end of the academic year. They may pitch their pieces to any online or print media organization, and they’ll have faculty support and coaching to help them accomplish this requirement. (Participants can work on this as part of their required work in the Intensive Course.) 

Create Written and Video Content

Each participant is required to complete a project within and related to their individual degree program. Participant will apply science communication strategies to write an 800-word news story or op-ed, create a one-minute social media video, and deliver a three-minute presentation for a non-scientific audience about their projects’ findings and why those findings matter. (Participants can work on this as part of the required work for the Intensive Course.)