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Morning Astrobiology |
Afternoon Science Communication |
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Life Before we can begin hunting for signs
of biology beyond the Earth, we need to understand
what 'Life' is in the first place. What defines
life, how did it emerge on the young Earth, and what
are the hardiest living organisms on the planet that
inform us on the possibility of extraterrestrial
life? L1. Defining life, its origins, and
detectable biosignatures L2. Extremophiles and the survival
limits of terrestrial life |
Foundations L1. The Fundamentals of Clear
Communication What
is the value of science-communication, both for the
general public and as a key transferable skill, and
what forms does it take?
W1. Elevator pitches How
to explain the background field and details of your
work clearly and concisely; perfect for meeting new
colleagues at conferences. |
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Cosmic Requirements Life requires a particular set of
cosmic conditions in order to develop. What vital
role do astrophysical events play and how has the
Earth provided a habitable environment for billions
of years? L3. Astrophysical conditions &
origins of the solar system L4. What makes Earth a habitable
planet? |
Understanding your audience L2. Hitting the mark How
to pitch your writing or talks at the right level for
your particular audience. The use of appropriate
language, and how to increase its potency with
metaphors, analogies and human stories. W2. How to plan and structure Practical
exercise on techniques for organising your thoughts,
structuring your talk or article logically, and how to
beat writers’ block. |
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Mars: Our Neighbouring World The red planet is considered by many to
offer the best hope for extraterrestrial life in our
solar system. What have we learned about the ancient
Martian environment and the extent of liquid water,
and how are we searching for 'biosignatures' of
Martian life now? L5. Martian planetary history: a
habitable world? L6. Our robotic search for signs of
Martian life |
Tools for effective presentations L3. Powerpoint and demonstrations How
to construct a clear and visually-engaging
presentation. How to use Powerpoint slides most
effectively, and what pitfalls to avoid. The effective
use of practical explanations and demonstrations. W3. Public speaking How
to prepare for your talk. Techniques and tricks for
memorising what you want to say. How to handle nerves
before/during your performance. |
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A Teeming Solar System Beyond Mars, there are several other
worlds that could potentially harbour life in our
solar system. We'll take a guided tour of Europa,
Venus, Titan, and Enceladus to have a look at the
evidence for habitable environments, and discuss the
pros and cons of living on each. L7. Ice Worlds: Europa and Enceladus L8. Venus and Titan: a different kind
of life? |
How science hits the headlines L4. Science journalism What
is the process behind discoveries in the lab becoming
reported in news stories consumed by the general
public? The key elements of good science writing, and
how to structure your pieces. W4. Popular science writing. Practical
exercise on translating a primary research paper into
a press release or newspaper/magazine article suitable
for the general public. |
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Exoplanets - Life by the light of other
suns In just the last 20 years we've
discovered over 3,500 exoplanets; other worlds
orbiting distant suns in our galaxy. These
exoplanets show greater diversity than ever
imagined, and some are even potentially habitable. L9. Detection: How to discover new
worlds L10. Characterisation: Planetary
environments and remote biosignatures |
New Avenues for Communication L5. Social Media, Podcasts and YouTube We'll
explore these new opportunities, their strengths and
weaknesses, and how to use them in the most effective
way possible. W5: Exploring examples Participants
will gather examples of different science YouTube
videos and social media streams, and combine them with
particular examples pre-selected by the lecturer.
Group discussion on the different approaches and
styles represented, and drawing lessons from what
works well. |