STEP Forward: Combining Formal and Informal Education to Develop Communication Skills that Augment Postdoctoral Training

Abstract

STEP Forward is a partnership between two established programs that train postdoctoral fellows in science communication: one that focuses on formal communication within college classrooms, and another that focuses on informal science communication at Pacific Science Center, a science museum. By combining these programs, postdoctoral fellows developed broad and more cohesive science communication skills. Here, we describe the components of STEP Forward and report the participants' experiences as captured by open-ended responses from surveys administered before, during, and after their training at the museum. We use content analysis to examine their perceptions of what they gained from the program. Participants indicated that they eagerly took part in public events at Pacific Science Center, gained confidence in speaking with the general public, and valued the opportunity to bring their scientific research to a broader audience. Collectively, these results indicate that STEP Forward has a positive impact on the postdocs, especially given that the postdoctoral stage is one at which scholars begin to explore different careers and skill sets. We conclude that the program is beneficial, noting that while it is currently novel, it is also a replicable and feasible model for holistic postdoctoral training and science outreach.