UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Communicating complex information to a nontechnical audience can be a challenge for any researcher. The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School will be hosting a workshop series in collaboration with two faculty members to set graduate students up for success with future presentations. The two-part online workshop series, "Relatable Research: Communicating Complex Ideas to the Public," will be offered three times in September and October. 

The sessions, which are both required to be attended, will take place in three separate groups throughout September and October. Those days and times are Sept. 5 and 12, from 6 to 7 p.m.; Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, from noon to 1 p.m.; and Oct. 8 and 15, from 5 to 6 p.m.

Each session will be led by Marcy Milhomme, associate teaching professor for continuing education in communication arts and sciences, and Andy Gustafson, associate clinical professor of accounting.  

In the first week, participants will draft content that summarizes their project in effective ways that will reach a non-specialized audience. In the second week, participants will return with a revised draft of content that will be aligned with a robust delivery of that message. Through these interactive sessions, participants will communicate relatable expertise matched to nonverbal strategies that will enhance their messages, build confidence and instill a lasting impact. 

The program is designed to help any graduate student with their research and communication skills, with a focus on helping students prepare for the Penn State’s upcoming Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, a research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia in which each competitor has three minutes to speak and one presentation slide to share their academic research. 

Students interested in attending are required to register for session one, session two or session three.