Summary

Abstract

Cookbooks normally do not have conclusions. In the same way it is not easy to conclude a practical guide about science communication. The aim of this book was to give hands-on descriptions of methods, tools and workflow for a huge field. However to summarise some of the most important points:

Science communication and EPO offices:

• Popular science communication provides a bridge between the scientific community and the wider world.

• Public information officers (PIOs) are fulfilling part of the obligation that scientific institutions have to share scientific results with the public and with important stakeholders.

• To a first approximation the main part of science stories reported in the news have been facilitated by education and public outreach (EPO) offices.

• The roles of an EPO office a re very varied, but two important ones are as a content provider and an intermediary.

• A communication strategy should be started by writing a vision, a mission a nd a list of objectives and corresponding deliverables.

• A budget allocation for science communication of between 1 and 2% of the total operations budget for a scientific project seems reasonable.

• The practical production of any science communication product is an intertwined mix of three main skills: the communication itself, the graphical part and the technical part.

• Having a strong technical skills base is absolutely mandatory if the communication office is to keep pace with the speed of the news flow and the demands of the press.

• Flexibility and freedom are two keynotes of a communication office. Having “technical autonomy” is mandatory.

• In the real world (as opposed to the perfect world) the EPO offices that succeed are those who manage their resources in the cleverest ways, who learn from experience and never merely solve problems, but analyse and use every solution and outcome to make strategic decisions for the future.