Ecology is complicated, with many interconnected pieces. Learning to communicate science in a clear, concise, and compelling fashion is critical for next generation ecologists. Many, especially students, falter and get hung up on the gritty details, taking away from the overall message. The purpose of this workshop is to facilitate the improvement of graduate student’s abilities to describe their research as an exciting narrative. This 5 hour workshop is modeled after a ComSciCon workshop and fueled by graduate student interest indicated in a survey. Topics covered with a diverse panel of scientific communicators will include:

• Describing science to other scientists in different fields
• Communicating science to non-scientists

Two panels discussions will be featured followed by communication activities. The first will consist of academic ecologists and will be followed by a write-a-thon session where attendees can receive expert feedback on a piece of writing from a media of their choosing, from experienced academic communicators. The second panel will consist of non-academic professionals who work closely with ecologists and will be followed by an oral communication session.