Abstract: This talk aims to explore twin universal concerns in communicating scientific work, for any audience. For one, we will describe and demonstrate elements of craft: distilled, actionable lessons from professional writers translated and applied to the unique challenges we face in relaying complex technical projects. These elements include familiar obstacles like jargon but also less familiar opportunities like basic narrative tension. For another, we will explore calibration: research from cognitive science and human brain evolution can serve us well in considering our audiences with savvy compassion. In sum, the talk seeks to improve the clarity, impact, and persuasive power of our work, with hopes of benefiting scientists and engineers at any stage of their careers.

Speaker bio: Brandon R. Brown pursued doctoral training in superconductivity and low-temperature physics at Oregon State University Physics on the Vortex Dynamics in High-temperature Superconductors.

After his postdoctoral work was in science communication. Once at the University of San Francisco, he shifted his research focus to sensory biophysics. He and his collaborators and students explored the electric and magnetic sensory abilities of a variety of creatures. Brandon served as associate dean for sciences, during which time the university completed planning stages for the Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation, for which he helped fundraising efforts. He currently writes about science for broader audiences, including various columns, essays, and two books: Planck (2015, Oxford University Press), and The Apollo Chronicles (2019, Oxford University Press).

External website:http://www.brandonrbrown.net/
Faculty website:https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/brandon-brown

Just published MIT-press: Sharing Our Science. How to Write and Speak STEM