“Knowledge is power” — and the right scientific knowledge in the right hands can, literally, save lives. In rural Kenya, local science communication practices provided a solution to high mortality caused by the delivery of babies by unskilled people. A “baraza,” which translates to community discussion in English, used role-plays to depict the arrival of a mother to a health facility, reactions from health providers, and eventual safe delivery of the baby.

Fast forward to the COVID-19 pandemic. The public experienced an “infodemic,” where misinformation and disinformation became rampant in our digitally connected world, says Jayshree Seth, a corporate scientist and the chief science advocate at 3M company, on the McKinsey Global Institute’s Forward Thinking podcast. 

“We clearly saw that when we didn’t have answers, and when the science hadn’t been communicated, and a lot of it was being developed on the go, we had the ‘infodemic,’ because of misinformation and disinformation becoming rampant,” she shares. 

The best science communication degrees prepare students to overcome such challenges. As graduates, they can convey complex scientific concepts to a range of audiences and stakeholders — opening avenues for them to make their mark in their community, society, and across the globe. The Australian National University equips students to do just that: 

Australian National University

The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at the Australian National University develops methods to encourage informed decisions about big scientific issues. Source: Australian National University.

If you want to get science out of its ivory towers, head to the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science. To be a leader, it’ll benefit you to study at the first science communication centre in Australia. To improve science communication with the public and also among scientists, often an endeavour that transcends cultures, countries, and disciplines, where better than at a centre that’s the most diverse of its kind in the world?

Here, a Master of Science Communication is taught by some of Australia’s leading science communication academics and professionals, paving the way for you to carve successful careers in a wide range of fields. This postgraduate programme is more than just an exercise in understanding and simplifying scientific jargon — it’s a journey for scientists to create greater impact and innovation in their field.

Aspiring leaders will learn how to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, from funders and industry partners to government policymakers and community groups. Problem-solvers will master the art of communicating the meaning of science as a means to a future career as science communicators in media, research organisations and the advocacy sector. You’ll grasp the skills, knowledge and experience to be the go-to expert on how to think about and talk about science.

Want a faster and more flexible option to achieve all of this? The Graduate Certificate in Science Communication is 100% online, spans half a year and is rated #1 in Australia for graduate employability. Whichever programme you choose, you’ll be part of an institution that includes the UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good as well as the Responsible Innovation Lab and The Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub.

To learn more about these programmes, click here.

Please note, this is a portion of an article first published by Study International.