(part of the SCU/Polish University collaboration)

Inuit communities understand whale behaviour in their waters better than the specialists from outside. Ambiguities in scientific messaging lead to deaths when an earthquake strikes in central Italy. Truth, trust and certainty are not a given. The relationship between science and society is not straightforward. So what’s the role of the science communicator?

These podcasts are part of the ‘Minding Science’ collaboration currently underway between Imperial’s Science Communication Unit and four Polish universities (the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan; the Jagiellonian University, Krakow; the Medical University Gdansk; and the Warsaw University of Technology). Every country does its science communication differently, and we are excited to be able to learn from, and share ideas with, these energetic centres of achievement in Poland. The Minding Science Podcasts, when complete, will consist of eight podcasts, four in English, four in Polish, and will be hosted by an Anglo-Polish science communication website, ‘Minding Science’.

We want science communication to be an activity that brings people together, and that build bridges in Europe. At a time of war, of pandemic, and of division, it seems more important than ever that we should work with our colleagues in Europe, exploring together the best ways of enriching science-society relations across the continent. So we are delighted to be building friendships and projects with our Polish colleagues.

The podcasts show the Unit’s students at work. They reveal our belief that the best science communication training requires interactive teaching, strong input from the humanities, and serious coaching in advanced technical skills.

Featuring Jay Balamarugan, Sophie Burley, Laura Rodriguez Bello, Leigh West, Dave Warrell, Charlotte Burton, Isobel Chandler, Urszula Kaczorowska, Gareth Mitchell and Stephen Webster.