Adopting a communication lifestyle

As fluid dynamicists, good communication is key to our success in academia, industry, and research. Yet our training in this critical skill is often lacking. In this article, I present a framework for the science communication process and techniques for integrating communication training into everyday practices. With some forethought and habit-building, preparing engaging conference presentations, writing journal articles, or interacting with journalists does not have to be a painful, last-minute scramble. Instead, these activities can be just another part of your communication lifestyle.

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Figure 1

The four phases of the science communication process.

Figure 2

Explanations of mammals shaking themselves dry aimed at three different audiences: academic audiences [12], the public [13], and politicians [14]. Wet dog image courtesy of A. Dickerson and D. Hu, used with permission.

Figure 3

Comparing two results as complementary halves of a figure allows viewers to quickly and easily identify differences. Screenshot from Ref. [22], used with permission.