The "but" in your science communication

and how to fix it.

I ask this question at the start of every workshop.

“Show of hands. Do you think you are a science communicator?”

The room becomes quiet. People look left and right. A few hands go up.

Then I ask a second question. “How many of you published papers, gave talks, or showed a poster at a conference?”

All hands go up at once.

I ask again. “Now, do you think you are a science communicator?”

“Yes, in a way, but…”

That “but” is what I want to talk with you about.

A special welcome to new joiners of this newsletter. 🤗
My name is Pranoti and I am the founder of The Science Talk.
My mission is to empower and enable scientists to share their stories in digital spaces with confidence and ease. 🧡

You must explain your research so a peer reviewer or editor can understand it. This is the base of all communication. You do this often. It is easy to talk to scientists in your own field. It becomes hard when your audience is not in your field.

I use four categories to think about audience. We call this Audience Mapping.

• Niche: your co-authors, your team, the person at the next desk.
• Adjacent discipline: the colleague down the hall who reads your papers sometimes.
• Research stakeholders: policy-makers and future collaborators. They can read your work if they know you.
• General public: the people who pay for your research through taxes. They do not know you write papers. This group includes the local public, schools, and your family.

You are already a science communicator for group 1. The gap starts when you move to the next group.

Why this matters for your ERC proposal

I see this gap cause problems in Part B1 and B2 of ERC proposals. ERC does not ask for a dedicated communication/impact work package. It is expected though. This means you must explain your research to your reviewers and convince them about how your ability to reach your research-stakeholders.

I can help with this.

Reply to this email or book a call with me👇
I will help you turn informal ideas into a structured, coherent impact and communication strategy that aligns with how your proposal will be evaluated.

Impact strategy for your ERC proposal - Book a call w/ Pranoti

Forward this email to your friends or colleagues applying for ERC Starting Grant 2027.🧡

Lastly, official resources kits for Starting Grant 2027 and Consolidator 2027 got massive updates this week. Details below👇

Cheers,
Pranoti Kshirsagar Founder, The Science Talk

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

#1 ERC Starting Grant 2027: 51 official resources, organised in 11 sections including core webpages, ERC classes, compliance & AI guidance, and examples of winner grants - all in one pdf for €47 (+VAT). Get your ERC Starting Grant 2027 Official Resources Kit.

#2 ERC Consolidator Grant 2027: 50 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. €49 (+VAT). Get your ERC Consolidator Grant 2027 Official Resources Kit.