Storytelling Workshops
Building on my lifelong interest in movies, a stint working in television production at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and science communication research, for several years I have been conducting interactive communications workshops for organizations, researchers, and students. The workshop focuses on how we can utilize Hollywood screenwriting principles to more effectively engage diverse audiences about our research and work. It consists of introductions to relevant communications literature, analyzing clips from popular films/TV, as well as hands-on group exercises to put storytelling principles into practice. Depending on the interests of the group, I also explore issues around strategic framing and political discourse, especially in the context of environmental issues. We also explore how to navigate some the risks and limitations of storytelling, especially in the context of responsibly communicating research findings.
The workshop can be held in person or online. Please contact me if you would like to schedule a workshop for your organization or group.
Resources
Testimonials
Prior workshops
1. Oxford Climate Society Climate Action Week, Jan 2019
2. Stockholm Environment Institute (Oxford), Feb 2019
3. Stockholm Environment Institute (Stockholm), Feb 2019
4. Stockholm Environment Institute (Bangkok), March 2019
5. Oxford Climate Society Climate Action Week, Jan 2020
6. The Haberdashers' Aske's School (London), Feb 2020
7. MSc Environmental Change and Management, University of Oxford, March 2020
8. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, March 2020
9. Nature Science Communication Masterclass, course interviewee, August 2020
10. Hofstra University, human geography course, September 2020
11. Oxford University Biodiversity Network, October 2020
12. Lab group of Professor Yadvinder Malhi, Oxford University, November 2020
13. Environmental Change Institute, energy research team, Oxford University, December 2020
14. SIAM Microbiology Network - Netherlands, January 2021
15. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University, February 2021
16. MSc Environmental Change and Management, University of Oxford, February, 2021
17. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, February 2021
18. CREDS - UK Energy Research Consortium, March 2021
19. Fleishman-Hillard, London, March 2021
20. Bayer Pharmaceuticals, April 2021
21. Visiting Pakistani Academics programme, Saïd Business School, September 2021
22. MSc Sustainable Urban Development, University of Oxford, October 2021
23. Maison Française d’Oxford, October 2021
24. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, October 2021
25. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, February 2022
26. MSc Environmental Change and Management, Oxford University, March 2022
27. Oxford Meeting Minds Alumni Conference, April 2022
28. Rockefeller University/Weill Cornell University, Science and Education Policy Association, April 2022
29. Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw, Poland, May 2022
30. King Alfred’s Academy, Academic Enrichment Programme, June 2022
31. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, February 2023
32. Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK, August 2023
33. Lithuanian Journalism Center/Vilnius University, Lithuania, November 2023
34. Human Impacts Institute, Artivism and Amplifiers Fellowship, New York, March 2024
35. University of Amsterdam, School of Communication Research, Amsterdam, June 2024
The workshop can be held in person or online. Please contact me if you would like to schedule a workshop for your organization or group.
Resources
- Recent articles:
- Ettinger, J., Otto, F.E.L., Schipper, F.L. 2021. Storytelling can be a powerful tool for science. Nature, 589, 352.
- Ettinger, J. 2020. What Hollywood can teach researchers about science storytelling. Nature Careers.
- Ettinger, J. 2022. Don't Look Up shows bashing people over the head with facts does not work. The Conversation.
- Nature Masterclass - Narrative Tools for Researchers: https://masterclasses.nature.com/online-course-in-narrative-tools/18498356
Testimonials
- "This workshop provides an immensely valuable and humorous insight into how film industry story writing methods can help scientific writing. It is highly recommended for everyone who wants to think about how they can tell more engaging scientific stories, full of insights for everyone from research student to senior professor." - Professor Yadvinder Malhi, CBE, FRS, University of Oxford
- "Josh ran a virtual workshop for our team sharing valuable insights on the film industry’s story writing methods and how they can be used in communicating about science. It was both immensely enjoyable and valuable. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone wishing to demystify science whether writing as a student, professor or for industry." – Jacqui Sanders, Head of Healthcare, Director & Partner, Fleishman-Hillard
- "I loved this workshop! It introduced concepts about writing that, as a scientist, I had never considered before. The presentation and communication of the content was also great." – Anonymous student feedback, University of Oxford
Prior workshops
1. Oxford Climate Society Climate Action Week, Jan 2019
2. Stockholm Environment Institute (Oxford), Feb 2019
3. Stockholm Environment Institute (Stockholm), Feb 2019
4. Stockholm Environment Institute (Bangkok), March 2019
5. Oxford Climate Society Climate Action Week, Jan 2020
6. The Haberdashers' Aske's School (London), Feb 2020
7. MSc Environmental Change and Management, University of Oxford, March 2020
8. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, March 2020
9. Nature Science Communication Masterclass, course interviewee, August 2020
10. Hofstra University, human geography course, September 2020
11. Oxford University Biodiversity Network, October 2020
12. Lab group of Professor Yadvinder Malhi, Oxford University, November 2020
13. Environmental Change Institute, energy research team, Oxford University, December 2020
14. SIAM Microbiology Network - Netherlands, January 2021
15. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University, February 2021
16. MSc Environmental Change and Management, University of Oxford, February, 2021
17. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, February 2021
18. CREDS - UK Energy Research Consortium, March 2021
19. Fleishman-Hillard, London, March 2021
20. Bayer Pharmaceuticals, April 2021
21. Visiting Pakistani Academics programme, Saïd Business School, September 2021
22. MSc Sustainable Urban Development, University of Oxford, October 2021
23. Maison Française d’Oxford, October 2021
24. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, October 2021
25. MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, University of Oxford, February 2022
26. MSc Environmental Change and Management, Oxford University, March 2022
27. Oxford Meeting Minds Alumni Conference, April 2022
28. Rockefeller University/Weill Cornell University, Science and Education Policy Association, April 2022
29. Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw, Poland, May 2022
30. King Alfred’s Academy, Academic Enrichment Programme, June 2022
31. Doctoral research seminar, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, February 2023
32. Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK, August 2023
33. Lithuanian Journalism Center/Vilnius University, Lithuania, November 2023
34. Human Impacts Institute, Artivism and Amplifiers Fellowship, New York, March 2024
35. University of Amsterdam, School of Communication Research, Amsterdam, June 2024
