Malcolm Love demonstrating a communication technique at one of his workshops. He has sheets of paper on the ground in front of him, and he is gesturing to the room around him as he speaks. Behind him there is a red Scientifically Speaking banner.
Malcolm Love demonstrating one of the exercises he advises you do in order to improve your communication skills. It involves developing an understanding of where you want your talk to go and identifying key markers, rather than relying on memorising your talk word for word. This picture was taken at our 2019 training in NUI Galway. 

Scientifically Speaking helps support you in communicating your research and other topics that matter to you with more impact and effect. 

Inspired by the FameLab project model, the workshops were developed by science communicator expert, Malcolm Love, with the purpose of helping participants to:

  • Present with more confidence
  • Develop more powerful body language
  • Create impactful material
  • Engage effectively with the public
  • Enhance your communication with the art and skill of story-tellers
  • Learn top tips from great communicators

British Council is proud to be a partner in this programme which aims to support researchers to develop their communication skills and confidence and to engage with diverse audiences across the island Ireland. Scientifically Speaking is delivered as part of EU Commission Horizon 2020 projects led by Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork for European Researchers' Night. Other institutions involved include: Dundalk Institute of Technology, NUI Galway, Ulster University, University of Limerick and Waterford Institute of Technology. 

Malcolm Love taking participants through a warm up exercise intended to get them on their feet and moving. Malcolm is in the background with his face visible and there are six participants visible standing around him in a circle all with their backs to camera.
In 2019, we took Scientifically Speaking on the road for the frist time. We were thrilled to bring the workshops to Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick with expert trainer, Malcolm Love, and a host of past FameLab Ireland alumni who worked with Malcolm as co-trainers.
A Zoom screen with the participants and trainers of the Scientifically Speaking workshop smiling and waving.
In 2020, we did things a little differently. We took to Zoom to deliver our workshops, this time in Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Limerick and Waterford. In fact, the training was in such high demand in 2020 we even had to hold an additional one!

About Malcolm Love

Malcolm is a freelance film-maker, radio producer, public communications trainer and coach. He has worked for the BBC as a producer (and occasional presenter) in London, Cardiff and Bristol where he became senior producer for features and documentaries. Since going freelance in 1997, Malcolm has made many more programmes for the BBC and other outlets. This experience has enabled him to work with many well-known contributors including: John Cleese, Midge Ure, Anita Roddick, Alexei Sayle, Claire Rayner, Jeremy Hardy, Ian Hislop, Amy Tan, Armistead Maupin and Isabel Allende. 

Malcolm is an Associate Lecturer for the MSc in Science Communication at the University of West of England, Bristol (UWE). He also taught science communication for 13 years at Birkbeck College, London. He was lead trainer for ‘FameLab’ and ‘FameLab International’ for twelve years and continues to run FameLab master classes and other public communications programmes all over the world.

About FameLab Ireland

FameLab is one of the world's leading science communication competitions founded by Cheltenham Science Festival and managed internationally by the British Council. It is designed to inspire, motivate and develop scientists and engineers to actively engage with the public and stakeholders. FameLab Ireland is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and is supported by Cpl Resources Plc and Henkel Ireland Limited.
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