Hello SciCom is thrilled to announce our upcoming Science Comedy Workshop: a groundbreaking masterclass in how to inject science communications with humor at the renowned Caveat performance space in the lively Lower East Side of Manhattan this April.
Calling all smart people in STEM with big ideas: This could be you!
Science represents the frontier of information. Technology represents the frontier of tools. Frontiers can be scary. The best way to combat fear is with humor. We know because science says so. As Neil deGrasse Tyson used to tell our founder, “People can’t laugh and be afraid. I know this because Stephen Colbert told me that.” But enough name dropping.
If you have an idea worth spreading and you want an audience as big as Tyson’s or Colbert’s, humor is your ticket. Humor is the difference between Neil deGrasse Tyson and Neil DeGamo. Don’t know Neil Degamo? Exactly.
These days, the need for effective science communication has never been more evident. Scientists often find themselves facing a daunting gap between their wealth of knowledge and the public's understanding. This gap, if left unbridged, can lead to frustration and misunderstanding.
We have a team of scientists, researchers, comedians, communicators, improvisers, comedy writers, and tech nerds who are all eager to make the ideas in STEM more fun, more engaging, more understood, and wider spread. The Science Comedy Workshop aims to equip STEM professionals with the tools and skills to make their public-facing information not only accurate but engaging, accessible, and (even) funny.
The Science Comedy Workshop is a dynamic and interactive experience designed to cater to the specific needs of STEM professionals. Here's a sneak peek into what participants can expect:
The workshop will be staffed by our science communication rockstars:
Sarah Rose Siskind is the founder of Hello SciCom. Previously, she was a writer for Neil deGrasse Tyson's Emmy-nominated TV show, StarTalk, and has written comedy for UCB, Fox, CBS, and the White House Press Correspondents Dinner. She was the lead comedy writer at Hanson Robotics for Sophia the Robot. She wrote her Harvard thesis on Comedy because what screams funny like 130 pages of MLA-formatted, academic text.
Andrew Moorhead: Andrew is a writer and performer based in New York City. Andrew’s specialties include social media content, narrative storytelling and writing dialogue, having recently completed his MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU. Previously Andrew wrote comedic board games for celebrities.
Sarah Adelman: Sarah Adelman is a native New Yorker, stand-up comedian, and trained as a reproductive health research scientist. She graduated Cum Laude from Dartmouth College and earned her Masters of Public Health from Columbia University in 2021, where she focused on maternal-child health disparities. She's a regular at Stand Up NY, New York Comedy Club, Greenwich Village Comedy Club, and various independent shows, and can be seen on two episodes of HBO's Game Theory, The Today Show, and NBC.
Paula Croxson: Paula is a neuroscientist, science communicator and storyteller. She is also an adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Columbia and an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is a Senior Producer for The Story Collider and is passionate about sharing science with as many people as possible.
Attendees will receive hands-on training, practical skills, and innovative tools to enhance their public-facing communications. Whether it's crafting a compelling Ted Talk script, engaging social media outreach, or refining marketing materials, participants will gain insights tailored to their professional needs.
The workshop kicks off with a keynote speech by Hello SciCom's founder, Sarah Rose Siskind. She’s spoken about similar topics at conferences such as PopTech 2023 and SXSW in Austin 2024. This keynote will provide an overview of the science comedy landscape, share specific case studies, and explore the types of humor best suited for science communication. A curriculum based on this keynote will be available for all attendees to bring home with them and distribute to their teams.
Laughter is a powerful catalyst for creativity. Attendees will engage in improv and other comedy games to warm up their creative sides, fostering an environment where humor and science can seamlessly intertwine. This will also be an excellent opportunity to meet with other science professionals and grow your network!
Participants will have the opportunity to break into groups led by Hello SciCom staff who specialize in performance, writing, and science communications. This is the perfect setting for personalized feedback, joke pitches, and collaborating with fellow attendees. Attendees will leave these groups with personalized feedback, joke pitches, and skills specific to their communication projects.
As a testament to their newfound skills, participants will receive a certification of their science comedy prowess. This certification not only recognizes their achievements but also serves as a valuable addition to their professional portfolios.
At the end of the workshop, attendees will leave with a joke-writing curriculum, suggested readings, and personalized ideas on how to make their projects more engaging. This invaluable takeaway ensures that the learning continues beyond the workshop.
Hello SciCom understands the unique needs of its participants. To tailor the workshop to individual requirements, attendees will fill out a pre-workshop survey. This survey ensures that the workshop is not just informative but directly applicable to the projects and goals of those in attendance. If you do not have a specific idea, company, research finding, or project in mind to share, you can simply outline your career goals or areas of interest.
For scientists and STEM professionals looking to make their communications more accessible, engaging, and entertaining, the Science Comedy Workshop is an unmissable event. It's not just about learning; it's about transforming the way we communicate science. Join Hello SciCom on this exhilarating journey of laughter, learning, and a new era in science communication.
Hello SciCom's Science Comedy Workshop is not just an event; it's a movement. A movement to redefine how we approach science communication, to infuse humor into the serious, and to bridge the gap between scientists and the public. Join us for an unforgettable experience that promises to be as enlightening as it is entertaining. Let's make science communication not just accurate but irresistibly engaging. See you at Caveat in April!
And this will be you:
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