Workshops & presentations
Invite us to your university, PhD day, conference or symposium and we will inspire researchers on how to get their message across in attractive and contemporary ways. Select one of our impact workshops below or discuss your needs with us for a custom training or keynote presentation.
Workshop series IMPACT with science
Check out our workshop series, in which we teach you everything you need to know to create more impact with your message, texts, (poster) presentations, infographics and even websites.
At this point, we offer six separate workshops of 3-4 hours each (both offline and online). They can be followed independently, but also work as a series or subseries. Talk to us if you want to know which are best for you or your colleagues, or if you are looking for a tailor-made edition.
Workshop details
3-4 hours
8-12 participants
- How do I formulate my message and goal?
- How do I get to know my audience?
- How do I connect my message to this audience?
How do I use tools like metaphors and props?
How do I start and end a story for maximum impact?
Writing for scientists
The basics of science communication
In order to explain your research to an audience, whether it’s a grant committee, first-year students or your elderly neighbor, writing a short pitch is the best start. To help you get on with this, we aim this workshop at defining your message, goal and target audience, as well as tools to write clearly.
Create a pitch to blow away any audience
You’ll learn how to really understand your target audience, and to adapt your message for optimal communication with them. The end product is a short pitch/article – but you could use this as the stepping stone for something much larger..
Workshop details
3-4 hours
8-12 participants
What are stories, and (how) do they differ from the scientific narrative?
Elements of a good story: characters, narrator, plot
Keeping your audience engaged: add tension or a plot twist
How can I use stories to explain my research?
Storytelling for scientists
Use narrative techniques to talk about your research
Why do we pay money to go see a movie, while we have to get paid to read journals? Because movies are stories, and stories captivate us! In fact, narratives are a great way for humans to receive and remember information.
Use storytelling to make your science come to life!
In this workshop, you will learn what makes a good story, and start writing your own. We’ll cover topics like perspective, narrator, characters, plots and story arcs, and illustrate the various options with examples. Then you’ll get to practice them to find out what works in which situation.
Workshop details
3-4 hours
8-12 participants
Avoiding the template trap with PowerPoint
Why you shouldn’t use bullet-points (and what to do instead!)
How to present data in visuals
How to use photography and icons in your presentation
Using the Master slide to create new presentations in minutes
Presentation design
How to apply visual storytelling to your message
How many bad science presentations have you seen? Slides crammed with text, illegible graphs and illegal cartoons? We know: too many. It’s our mission to change this tradition. In this workshop, you will learn everything you need to create beautiful and clear science presentations.
You will get hands-on with the design skills needed to work with color, images and data visualization, so that you can turn your bullet point bonanza into the talk of the town. By the end of the workshop you will have designed your own presentation template from which to create beautiful new presentations in a snap.
Workshop details
3-4 hours
8-12 participants
Organize your narrative in a way that supports the main takeaway
Crash course (infographic) design: how to use hierarchy, contrast, emphasis, colors and white space in a design for clarity
How to incorporate images and icons effectively
Data visualization: learn how to create better graphs and other forms of data visualizations.
Beyond poster presentations: other ways to present your research
Poster design & infographics
How to communicate your research visually & instantly
A successful poster presentation begins with being noticed, and ends with being easily understood. Take this workshop to learn the design principles that make sure your poster stands out among others and is easy to grasp for those that pass by.
Design an outstanding poster presentation & learn the basics of science visualizations
First, we will discuss how to transform your message into a quick takeaway. Then, you will learn about both information design and graphic design, and apply it to the message you want to convey in your poster presentation. Using hierarchy, contrast, color and other elements, you get to working on your own design and receive feedback on how to improve it. We finish with a crash course on infographic design, so you can also apply these skills in other science communication!
Workshop details
3-4 hours
8-12 participants
What kinds of media are there?
What is the role of media and social media in science?
How do you approach the media?
How do you prepare for an interview?
Bridging the gap between you and the journalist
Opportunities for scientists on social media
Talking to the media
How to engage (social) media with confidence
Like it or not: (social) media are becoming an integral part of scientific success. This workshop will help you understand how the media work, and how you can use them to your advantage. As we include a mini-media training, it’s very useful for scientists who want to prepare for interviews with journalists. For those who want to use social media to showcase their work, we include a section on the various social media and how you can use them creatively for science communication.
Understanding (social) media and using them to your advantage
Workshop details
2 days
5 participants
What do you need to publish a website?
How to work with WordPress?
Which elements do you need on your website?
Creating pages and layouts that fit your goals
How to you design a unique style for your website?
Making a website
How to build (or manage) an online presence for your research project
If you are ready to build a website for your H2020 project, your lab group or just yourself, then this course is for you. We’ll guide you through the basics of setting up a website, including hosting and design, and help you create a first version of it.
If you are considering whether this workshop is right for you, give us a call first. The alternative is to have us build one of course!
As a former teacher, I thought I’d gotten the basics of presenting down- until Liesbeth’s workshop showed me that presenting posters is a whole new ball game. In an engaging and interactive way she managed to keep everyone’s attention (which might be the toughest part of online workshops) and gave us tools and tips on how to improve your work immensely with simple changes. I’ve now gone on to share these tips with friends and coworkers so I would definitely recommend it!
-Malu van Schaijk
During ‘Bessensap’, an annual event where science meets press, Stephan told a fully booked room about the do’s and don’t of science presentations. With all kinds of beautiful examples, he explained how graphs, photos and other visual support can complement a story, but also can take away from it. I’m sure it has inspired many members of the audience to create their next science presentation in a clear and creative way.
-Anouk Broersma, Bessensap
Liesbeth gave a 2-hour interactive workshop to our PhD students on how to create impact with scientific research. So much was discussed: How do you keep a poster readable? What do you put and especially NOT put on your slides during a presentation? What is the one-liner of your research? Liesbeth presented in a very spontaneous and open manner, and inspired us to get more out of science. Our participants were excited to put what we learned into practice.
– Famke Mölenberg, PhD candidate in Social Epidemiology, department of Public Health at Erasmus MC
Presentations
If you don’t have the time for a full workshop, we can also give a presentation that highlights most of the key points. There are very few exercises, but depending on the exact length of the presentation, there is still interactivity. We have a few presentations we offer as standard, but let us know if you need something else.
50 minutes
English / Dutch
€550,- excl. VAT
Impact with science
Inspire your students and staff to communicate better!
This is a roller coaster ride of a presentation, briefly covering all aspects of science communication and how they contribute to your impact as a scientist: message, goal, design, audience, media and websites.
We love it when scientists go out into the (online) world and reach their audience. With this we inspire them them to get their message clear, how to use social media, and how to design their content so it’s more appealing.
With tips from our book, case studies from real life projects and practical examples we inspire you to get more out of your work!
SPEAKERS
We are also available to talk about our own respective expertise, and have done so on many occasions and in various media. Contact us if you want a talk on Nutrition & Health or Biology!
I’ve never seen a more beautiful presentation than the presentation by Liesbeth. She has a talent for design, and she knows how to make beautiful, clear and powerful slides. In addition, Liesbeth is a top performer in the field of presentation. She speaks enthusiastically about her expertise. She gives lots of examples, clear advice and knows how to present complex matters in an attractive way.
– Marloes Ten Kate, presentation coach
Liesbeth uses design to makes even the most complicated topics easy to understand.
Whether it’s a class of schoolchildren or a room full of CEO’s, Liesbeth is an energetic speaker that will leave you with something to think about.
Science communication is key to a better relationship between science and society.