Ateneo - UPO

This course explores the intersection between public-driven scientific research and strategic narrative design. It provides students from diverse academic backgrounds with the practical and structural toolkits required to communicate Citizen Science initiatives effectively to non-specialist audiences, local communities, digital environments, and international institutional funders. Rather than focuses on primary data gathering or statistical validation, the course trains students to transform structural operational hurdles, data quality assurance, and ethical management into high-impact, transparent, and empathetic human stories. By the end of the course, students will be able to autonomously and rationally manage the processes of disseminating information across both traditional and digital media

Handouts, PowerPoint presentations and recorded lectures will be uploaded to the University's DIR website.

The mission of this course is to equip students with basic public speaking, narrative structure, and information design skills tailored to citizen’s science. Coherent with the global goals of the Master's Program, the course bridges the gap between raw scientific complexity and public engagement

There is no mandatory specific background required. To ensure a balanced starting point for this cross-disciplinary and international class, the first two modules are structurally designed to establish a shared baseline vocabulary in both public engagement types and narrative design.

The course implements a high-intensity, practical training methodology. It alternates between direct conceptual modeling (lecture delivery) and interactive pacing, focused on analysis and real-time revision of presentation materials. Students will actively dismantle poor visual aids, build dynamic digital social media content, and participate in peer-critique simulations mimicking professional international project defenses.

1. Accessibility and Accommodations. Students with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, or special education needs can request specific services and tools by consulting the university's website: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. After contacting the University Staff, you can then connect with the course tutor to define specific examination modalities related to academic aspects.
2. Gender Mainstreaming. The course adopts a gender mainstreaming approach, which aims to ensure equal benefits for all individuals in its actions and activities, promoting gender equality

Assessment is based entirely on a final presentation consisting of an operational 10-minute pitch defending a comprehensive communication layout for a chosen Citizen Science project. Each student’s performance is evaluated using three components:Story (40%): evaluates presentation logic, clear audience segmentation, tactical hook creation, and narrative depth.Visual Aid (30%): evaluates slide layout refinement, graphical transparency, typography, and professional formatting execution.Oral Performance (30%): evaluates clarity of delivery, time management, command of language, and use of non verbal language.Grading Thresholds:Pass (18–23): the student demonstrates an acceptable understanding of the topic and a standard presentation structure; the oral delivery is purely descriptive, and slides contain minor layout clutter or text walls.Merit (24–27): an organized, well-conceived presentation featuring a balance between clean visual aids and a fluid, articulate oral delivery with good time management.Mastery (28–30 Lode): flawless, highly engaging delivery within the 10-minute threshold. The deck and the speech integrate seamlessly like a professional pitch; the student displays exceptional command, authoritative defense, and sharp responsiveness.  

Unit 1: Foundations of Citizen Science. Defining the ecosystem; the levels of public engagement from crowdsourcing to co-created science.Unit 2: The Core Mechanics of Scientific Storytelling. Structuring the presentation arc; the definition of the operational hook; translating data complexity into human narrative tension.Unit 3: Audience Recruitment & Inclusive Communication. Overcoming socio-demographic barriers; designing targeted messaging models for schools, localized communities, and international groups.Unit 4: Visual Literacy & Slide Architecture. The "Screenshot Clinic"; rules of whitespace, visual hierarchy, and colour contrast; eliminating layout clutter and raw unedited mobile media.Unit 5: Digital Strategy & Community Socials. Selecting digital channels; constructing a micro-editorial layout for platforms; copywriting for online user retention.Unit 6: Communicating Trust – Data Quality, Ethics & GDPR. Translating data validation pipelines into public transparency; explaining data privacy rules reassurance without administrative jargon.Unit 7: The Institutional Funding Pitch. Designing a structured presentation template for international evaluators; showcasing social impact metrics and operational planning.Unit 8: Final Exam Presentation. Group defensive simulation and live evaluation of the strategic campaign.Gender integration. The curriculum actively incorporates gender-inclusive communicative frameworks. Module 3 features a dedicated unit evaluating how gender representation in visual design directly influences recruitment metrics, training students to deploy gender-neutral and balanced language structures. 

By the end of the course, students are expected to achieve the following descriptors:Knowledge and understanding: demonstrate clear comprehension of the distinct levels of public participation in science and recognize the structural mechanics of a narrative arc (hook, tension, hero data, and call to action).Applying knowledge and understanding: design clean, professionally scaled visual slides that avoid text walls, eliminate unedited mobile artifacts, and successfully translate raw statistics into accessible public infographics.Making judgements: critically evaluate communication strategies, identifying cultural or technical biases that could exclude specific demographic cohorts from public campaigns.Communication skills: deliver a punchy, highly structured 10-minute project pitch capable of securing interest from either local community participants or institutional European evaluators.Learning skills: autonomously adapt complex regulatory or biochemical topics (such as GDPR limits or laboratory data validation) into flexible, multi-channel public messaging.