Classes

Interested in getting ahead in your scientific career? Interested in engaging the wider world with your research? Better communication is the key for both and SciFund Challenge has the classes that can help you to achieve your goals.

SciFund Challenge is the communications department that you’ve always needed. We provide the training to empower your professional and outreach development in two ways:

Our signature training! Our expert-led online classes are:

Community-based. Improving your communication skills is like learning a foreign language: you can't do it all on your own. That's why, in our classes, you'll be working together with a community of your fellow scientist-classmates.

Hands-on. Communication skills aren't something you can learn in theory: you have to try them for yourself. In our training, you'll begin using new skills from the very start.

Available at specific times throughout the year.

Low cost.

Our Guided Class timetable doesn't work for your schedule? No problem. We've got you covered with our Self-Guided Classes. They are:

Hands-on. Just like with our Guided Classes, you'll be using practical skills - designed specifically for scientists - from the jump.

Available when you want.

Free.

Nice things people have said about SciFund Challenge training

Rob Denton

SciFund has connected me with a network of scientists and educators dedicated to improving scientific communication and transparency. The skills I've learned from my peers have been essential for effectively sharing my work with others, including the citizens from around the world who have donated to help crowdfund my science.

Rob Denton

UMaine

The format of the class was perfect for long distance learning and all of the participants were excited about and engaged with the material.  It really had a lot of us thinking about things that we normally wouldn't have when presenting our posters.  I would recommend this course to anyone thinking about poster presentation.

Megan Leach, UMaine, Graduate Student Government, Professional Development and Outreach Chair

Mirjam

The biggest benefit of participating (besides meeting amazing people and seeing their very cool work, both in terms of science and outreach, and building a network of like-minded people) was that somehow I felt it "gave me permission" to do outreach the way I had always wanted to, but didn't think I could afford while still being serious about my "real" work.

Mirjam Glessmer

Alyssa Gehman

Through participating in the SciFund Challenge I was able to fund the field work for a chapter of my dissertation and share my research with my friends, family and community in a way that they could understand and appreciate.

Alyssa Gehman

UMaine 2

The poster designing workshop with Anthony was just what we were looking for: an informative, engaging, interactive workshop that was applicable across disciplines. The discussion was great and all participants benefitted greatly from the session!

Nora Theodore, UMaine, Graduate Student Government, Professional Development and Outreach Chair

Robin Rozon

I've really been able to use the techniques I've learned in my everyday career as well as my personal blog. The following year, I was invited back to be an instructor and help share my experiences and pass on what I had learned. Thanks SciFund!

Robin Rozon

Guided Classes

What makes our classes different? Although we offer online-based classes, they are very different than most online courses, which tend to be solitary experiences for students. SciFund classes are based on the philosophy that learning happens most effectively when students truly engage with each other and with the instructors. To facilitate this engagement, our classes are structured a very particular way. Our classes are three to five weeks in length and every week of each class has a three-part structure:

  1. do something by yourself,
  2. collaborate with others in the class,
  3. talk about the week’s exercise via 1-hour moderated TA sessions (through video conferencing). Our classes are designed to be time flexible, so TA sessions are always held at several times each week.

Guided Class Schedule

Sign up for our email list to be the first to know when our next class is scheduled!

Self-Guided Classes

 

Any communications plan starts with putting your audience first

Using Twitter to advance your science and your career

Connecting people to your science with Instagram

Creating posters that stand out from the crowd and get you noticed

Video storytelling made easy for scientists

Looking for something else?

SciFund Challenge is always looking to partner up with other science-based organizations. We teach a wide range of communication-related skills to scientists and, if you'd like to chat about fine-tuning our content to meet your organization's needs, give us a shout!