Grant Writing and Science Communication

The course consists of two interrelated parts: writing grants and communicating science. Both are key skills for a successful academic career. Grant writing has become an essential aspect of academic life. To write a successful grant one needs a good overview of the body of literature, identify the knowledge gaps, come up with an innovative, challenging, yet feasible research plan, and of course good writing skills. In this course, successful applicants will share their knowledge and will help students write their own proposal in the format of a PhD fellowship. Grant proposals are not only evaluated on the scientific content, but also on aspects like track record and societal importance and impact. Writing these sections will also be discussed and practiced. Academics should also be able to clearly communicate scientific findings to their colleagues and society at large. This involves both oral and written communication via diverse media, like conference talks, journal articles, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, blogs and twitter. Articles on science communication with advice and red flags will be discussed. Students will read, watch, and listen to examples of good science communication. Students will also learn by doing and by giving and receiving feedback.