Over 20 PubhD Coimbra: When science communication renew city traditions

Author: Miguel Ferreira – Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Co-authors:

• Sara Amaral – Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
• Marta Costa – Communications’ Office, University of Coimbra, Portugal
• Marta Quatorze – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
• Ana Santos-Carvalho – Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
• Fábio Sousa – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Portugal

“Can you explain your PhD in the pub?” is the question and premise behind PubhD, a British initiative, that began in 2015 filling Portuguese bars with science. In Coimbra, PubhD began in the midst of the SciComPT 2017, the Portuguese Science Communication Meeting. The concept is common: 3 PhD students have 10 minutes to explain informally their project. In all sessions, dialogue is promoted as well as the exchange of experiences.

PubhD Coimbra happens monthly, and was held for 20 editions, attended by 60 speakers and 900 participants. The average age of speakers is 33 years old. 63% of the covered topics were Exact Sciences and the remaining 37% were Social Sciences. The most covered area was Neuroscience (25%), followed by Ecology (10,7%) and Law (7,1%). All the 8 Faculties of the University of Coimbra (UC) were represented in the course of the event, as well as 18 research institutions.

This initiative is already rooted within the city, as it has been bringing in closer UC PhD students and the local community, allowing them to improve their communication skills to non-scientific public, by requiring a constant language adaptation. Moreover, PubhD has promoted the interaction between various research areas at UC, by connecting PhD students from the exact and social sciences in the same discussion site. The multidisciplinary and multicultural aspects are imperative in our sessions. Each session our audience grows more loyal, and questions the researchers about their projects, specially their applicability and impact on society and their daily-life. We are currently considering the following questions: “Should we apply evaluation questionnaires to the audience? How can we motivate PhD students to participate even more? How to captivate and attract other types of public? What can we change?”. We hope this poster presentation helps us discuss these questions.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Visual presentation
Theme: Transformation