Doctoral Education in Science Communication
The Doctoral Education in Science Communication (DESCOM) is an educational project in science communication that aims at supporting interactions between academia and the public by training young scientist in science communication. This transferable skill is becoming ever more important, not only for the public but also for the doctoral candidate’s own visibility and thus employability.
Science communication training
DESCOM provides formal science communication training for doctoral candidates in the form of a transferable skills course as well as through internships at one of the several partners. A science communication guide provides support as well as theoretical and practical knowledge on science communication to interested readers. The project also promotes and organises outreach activities (e.g. our science comics) as a form of hands-on science communication training.
The offers of DESCOM are open to doctoral candidates in Luxembourg from all research disciplines to promote interdisciplinarity, networking and cooperation.
Objectives
• Train young scientists in science communication
• Support and organize outreach activities
• Foster networking and cooperation of the different research institutes involved
• Increase employability of doctoral candidates
News
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Three courses on science communication for PostDocs
Education, OutreachEducation & Social WorkLearn more
Events
DESCOM was initiated by Prof. Serge Haan from the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) and Oliver Glassl from the Doctoral School in Science and Engineering (DSSE). Serge Haan is the project leader. The project is managed by Nicole Paschek and Céline Lecarpentier.
The following persons are currently members of the DESCOM Steering committee:
- Serge Haan, Vice-Dean of FSTM & Professor in Biological Chemistry, University of Luxembourg
- Oliver Glassl, Project Manager Curriculum Design, University of Luxembourg
- Nicole Paschek, Project Manager DESCOM, University of Luxembourg
- Geraldine Knudson, Head of Communications, University of Luxembourg
- Dirk Hans, Science Journalist and Science Communicator, scienceRELATIONS GbR
- Jean-Paul Bertemes, Head of Science in Society, Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR)
- Anouk Ewen, PhD training coordinator, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH)
- Karen Dewulf, Head of Quality Assurance & Processes, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
- Céline Goncalves, Communication Officer, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)
- Aline Van der Borght, Doctoral School Facilitator of the Doctoral School in Science and Engineering (DSSE)
- Till Dembeck, Head of the Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS)
- Pierre Picard, Head of the Doctoral School in Economics, Finance and Management (DSEFM)
- Joana Mendes, Head of the Doctoral School of Law (DSL)
Furthermore, the following persons of the University of Luxembourg are also part of the DESCOM team by sharing their valuable expertise in support of the project or actively organizing outreach activities:
- Samuel Greiff, Professor in Educational Assessment, University of Luxembourg
- Antonella Perucca, Associate professor in Mathematics and its Didactics, DMATH, FSTM, University of Luxembourg
- Elisabeth Schaffner-Reckinger, Research Scientist, DLSM, FSTM, University of Luxembourg
- Bruno Teheux, Research Scientist, DMATH, FSTM, University of Luxembourg
- Anne Bégué, Doctoral Training Officer for Transferable Skills, University of Luxembourg
- Anja Lenninger, Team Leader Office of Doctoral Studies, University of Luxembourg
- Aurélie Couvidat, Communication Officer, FSTM, University of Luxembourg
- Elisabeth Letellier, Research Scientist, DLSM, FSTM, University of Luxembourg
- Jessica Burton, Comic Editor, formerly doctoral candidate at the C²DH, University of Luxembourg
We also would like to thank our former project partners for their valuable support:
- Florian Krieger, Postdoctoral Researcher at the CBA Research Group (University of Luxembourg) now working as Research Associate at the TU Dortmund
- Céline Lecarpentier, Project Manager DESCOM (parental leave replacement), University of Luxembourg
- Britta Schlüter, former Head of Communications, University of Luxembourg
Partners
A growing network of strategic partners
- Communications department of the University of Luxembourg
- Communication office of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM)
- Communication office of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance (FDEF)
- Luxembourg Learning Centre (LLC)
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT)
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
- Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH)
- LuxDoc
- Scienteens Lab
Funding
DESCOM is supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) and the Doctoral School of Science and Engineering (DSSE). Our training offers are also supported by the Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS).
