#scioStyle at #scio13 - Impressions Matter: Embracing art & design in research and science communication

@LizNeely and I are excitedly preparing for our upcoming session at ScienceOnline2013, entitled "Impressions Matter: Embracing art & design in research and science communication" (scheduled for the 10:30-11:30AM slot on Thursday, January 31st). Liz comes as a science communicator, and I come from the tower of Academia: we're trying to blend our two viewpoints to come up with some commonalities and differences surrounding this topic in our two respective worlds. Here is the session description:

Lets face it--according to stereotypes, scientists aren't known for their dress sense, sleek presentation style, or jargon-free articulation. Yet planning and executing small touches of design can make people take notice. In this session we'll discuss how incorporating art, music, and design can have transformative effects for research, outreach, and career prospects. From dress sense to website design, fostering a personal style can help you build a professional brand. Having a visible public profile (and making a unique impression) as a researcher or journalist can lead to myriad opportunities.This session will NOT discuss specific art/visualization methods as a tools for effective scientific outreach (e.g. comics, visual metaphors, etc), although it will touch on how failing to think about such concepts can impact career opportunities and your personal brand.

Part of our job as moderators was to come up with a couple succinct discussion questions, to facilitate pre-/post- session discussion and help guide the session. We've already had some initial responses on Twitter:

1.) How important is personal branding, and in what ways can it impact career advancement?

2.) How do you tailor scientific presentations to different audiences (balancing style vs. substance)?

3.) What are some easy tips for incorporating touches of design into research/academic pursuits?

4.) How does a scientist's personal style affect the public's perception of their research?

We're curious to hear everyone's viewpoints (and thanks to those who have contributed so far) - please help us keep the discussion going under the hashtag #scioStyle. For those who can't make it to #scio13, keep an eye out for the presentation materials and audio recording that we'll post after the session.

Looking forward to a vivacious discussion next week in North Carolina!