Two ways of science communication

and why human angle always wins!

When creating content for science communication, you generally have two options:

  1. The Science Angle: You talk strictly about the research projects—focusing on scope, technical results, and future outlooks.
  2. The Human Angle: You focus on the scientist’s journey—their background, how they think, and the human story behind the discoveries.

At Under the Microscope*, we take the second, human angle. We put the scientist under the microscope, and through their personal and professional journey, we spotlight the incredible world of materials and nanoscience.

For those of you who are wondering what “Under the Microscope” is: Under the Microscope is an independently run self-financed podcast where we spotlight materials and nanoscience. As the host and executive producer I’m very happy and proud to share that we’re in the 8th season and we’ve produced 300+ episodes featuring scientists from 40 countries.

Inside the Latest Episode: Meet Dr. Anna Sandak

In our latest episode, this human-first approach brings us a fascinating conversation with Dr. Anna Sandak, Head of the Materials Group at the University of Primorska.

Rather than just listing research data, I sat down with Anna to explore:

  • From biology to building facades: How her background in biology inspired her to engineer living fungal coatings for architecture.
  • Living functionality: Why these coatings can self-heal scratches, absorb air pollutants, and use melanin to provide UV protection.
  • Grants & scale: The distinction between her ERC Consolidator grant (ARCHI-SKIN) and her commercialisation-focused EIC Pathfinder project (REMEDY).
  • “Living Tattoos”: How high-resolution bio-printing combines artistic decoration with functional living microbial consortia on buildings.
  • Microgravity tests: Why her lab is sending fungal biofilms into space to test their resilience under extreme conditions.
  • Adoption: Her perspective on AI adoption for researchers ahead of the EU AI Act taking effect in August 2026.

Read more about Anna Sandak episode

📩 Feature Your Research

Science is driven by the people behind it. If you would like to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Under the Microscope podcast—or want to discuss how we can support your project’s science communication—simply reply to this email and let’s start a conversation!

Cheers,
Pranoti Kshirsagar Founder, The Science Talk

PS: If, apart from my email, you also need help strengthen impact strategy, I think you’ll be happy about:

  1. Personal branding workshop on Aug 25 (online) where I teach you essential elements of building your personal brand in digital spaces in the age of AI. Register for Personal Branding Workshop.
  2. Impact strategy for research proposalswhere I work with principal investigators who want professional science communication that matches the ambition and budget of their grant proposal. More details are on my website.
  3. ERC Starting Grant Resource Kit 47 official resources, organised in 11 sections including core webpages, ERC classes, compliance & AI guidance, and examples of winner grants - all in one pdf. Access ERC Starting Grant Kit.
  4. ERC Consolidator Grant Resource Kit47 official resources, organised in 8 sections including core webpages, evaluation & panels, videos & webinars, results & examples, compliance & requirements, and examples of winner grants - all in one pdf. Access ERC Consolidator Grant Kit.
  5. ERC Advanced Grant Resource Kit 44 official resources, organised in 8 sections including core webpages, eligibility extensions, official documents, compliance requirements, and examples of winner grants - all in one pdf. Access ERC Advanced Grant Kit.