Science with Impact
The program combines a keynote address/Q&A with Anne Toomey followed by an interactive workshop.
Participants receive a copy of Toomey’s book.
“With humility, a little humor, and a sage voice, Science with Impact serves as a call to action for scientists to reach beyond the academic arena and communicate their research in a way that makes a difference." (Journal of Science Communication)
Science with Impact can be delivered virtually or in-person.
For this unique program, Yes and Nature partners with Anne Toomey, co-founder of Participatory Science Solutions, and author of Science With Impact: How to Engage People, Change Practice, and Influence Policy.
Through reframing mindsets and practicing new communication skills, participants learn how to connect with people at different stages of the research process, resulting in increased real-world impact.
About this Experience
Doing good science isn’t enough—making it matter requires a different set of tools. In an era of misinformation, skepticism, and inequity, researchers who want their work to influence practice and policy need more than evidence; they need strategies for connection.
Science with Impact is an interactive program that guides participants in reframing their mindset and building confidence with practical skills and techniques for engaging people who can apply and benefit from their research.
Drawing on insights from behavioral science and real-world case studies, the program emphasizes including stakeholders at different points in the research process to strengthen relevance and uptake. Participants engage in fun interactive exercises that build the skills to foster trust across diverse audiences.
By the end of the session, they will leave with actionable tools to expand the reach of their work and ensure their research contributes to meaningful, real-world change.
You’ll learn how to:
✺ See impact differently — Understand that research impact is more than publications or policy briefs; it’s a process that includes relationships, trust, and collaboration at every stage.
✺ Engage people meaningfully — Gain skills and confidence to connect with different kinds of people, listen to their needs and perspectives, and make research more useful and usable in practice.
✺ Apply tools right away — Leave with practical frameworks and tools you can use immediately to embed impact into project design, question formation, data collection, engagement, and beyond.
“Really impressed with this training — most science communication workshops are very ‘beginner’ based and don't actually cover how to have hard conversations.”
