Press Officer Training. Part One: Building Trust in Science

14:00 – 14:45 Understanding statistics and avoiding hype

Dr Deirdre Toher, Royal Statistical Society Ambassador and senior lecturer in statistics at UWE.

Hear from a friendly statistician on why and how we should use statistical significance, p-values, absolute and relative risk in our press releases. Learn how to communicate the difference between an observational study and a randomised controlled trial. Ultimately, know how to avoid hype and build trust in your research communications.

14:45 – 15:30 What’s the point of science press officers?

Being a press officer isn’t just about getting coverage. What is the impact of our work? Our panel of senior comms professionals discusses the changing role of science press officers and their value to different organisations.

Panel:

Nancy Williams, April Six

Laura Gallagher, Imperial College London

Emma Gilgunn-Jones, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Chair:

Rob Dawson, Stempra