A Science Communication Framework to get you Started

If you’re new here, or are just starting out with science communication, this entry is for you.

I'll be sharing the path that led me from marine biology to creative storytelling, and the core framework I now teach to scientists to start their own communication journey.
That framework is divided into two parts: 1. starting from your strengths and 2. connecting with the people who matter.

Plus a quick look at my new workbook, built from the lessons I learned the past 15 years.

A story 15 years in the making

Despite what it might look like online, none of this happened overnight. I can tell you that much! In hindsight it's always easier to trace the messy, nonlinear path that got you to a specific point. So let's see what that was for me, these tipping points that made me a science communicator.

15 years ago,
I imagined a future with fieldwork, maybe even a PhD life, doing “real” science at sea. But like I shared in my last entry, during an internship studying dolphins, I noticed something was wrong. I wasn't enjoying it as I 'should have'. It wasn't what I had expected it to be.

I didn’t have the language for it yet, but I was bumping against the limits of the academic world. I wanted to connect beyond science. To tell more than one story, and to people beyond the scientific bubble.

10 years ago,
I pivoted hard. I spent years reverse engineering what I could learn from creators on YouTube. From filmmaking to editing and strategy. But eventually I hit a wall. Luckily, I found my mentors at a media production company where I worked as an intern. I got to shadow cameramen, sat next to the editors in their booth, even played 'script girl' on shoots with celebrities (yeah, that term is quite something). I asked dumb questions and tried to absorb everything.

Still, I felt like the odd one out. A marine biologist in the media industry. The stories here lacked depth to me. Again, what was the big picture?

7 years ago,
I took what I learned and tried to make it as a creator myself. Under “Tom’s Odyssey,” I built a channel, grew an audience, I even had a few viral videos (19 million views, I guess that counts?). But there was a disconnect between what my audience wanted to see, and the content I wanted to make... none of it pointed towards the world I actually cared about: science, climate, changing systems.

When I finally realized that, I had to make one of the hardest calls in my career: I walked away from 40K subscribers… and started again. From zero. That reset, in hindsight, was everything I needed.

5 years ago,
I found my way back to science. Not as a researcher, but as a communicator. A translator. A builder. I found a community in this niche, however small that was at the time. And I realized something important: there’s no one path into science communication.

And if you’re reading this wondering whether you belong in sci com, I want you to know this: You don’t have to get it right all at once. You just have to start. One step at a time, one piece of content after the other.

When you’re ready to begin, I want to hand you a map I never had 👇

A framework for science communication

When people ask me where to begin with science communication, I don’t give them a tool or a template. Because every person's backstory, like mine, is unique.

Instead, I give them this framework. It’s not flashy, but at least it's honest. And most importantly, it’s realistic. It starts from what they already know, and slowly introduces new skills into the mix. Why? Because you don't learn new things when you're overwhelmed.

It’s divided into two parts:

Find your strengths
Connect with people

Let's see what that means for you, when you are getting started with science communication 👇

Find Your Strengths

This might be the most important part to the whole framework. At the same time, it's probably also the most skipped over part...

We tend to go straight into action mode: let's create that infographic, let's make a video, let's start a podcast (oops)!

But before we go there, do you have a clear idea of why you are doing this? Why you want to work on science communication? Is it because you truly love the the work? Or is it because you like what other scientists do and you'd like to "have what they have" (this last one is where I was when I hit 40K subs with Tom's Odyssey).

What are your goals? What are you already good at? What platform do YOU want to be on and invest time in? We're not thinking about any audience just yet, only you and where you want to park science communication in your own life.

Here’s how to start from where you already are:

Start with your “Why”

Are you in this to teach? To change policy? To make science more accessible? Try to find clarity here, so you know why you're doing this when the road gets messy.
Build from your skills

Maybe you’re great with designing visuals. Or you’ve got the gift of writing. Maybe you pick up a camera and the world is at your feet. Whatever it is... start there. Layer in new skills later. One step, and one content piece, at a time.
Choose the right medium (for you)

Hate being on camera? Don’t force it. Prefer audio? Start a podcast. You might even find yourself shifting over time (I started with video and ended up loving writing more). Pick the medium that feels easiest today, not what looks vibey on someone else’s feed. You can always play around with other media and add them as you go.

The point is to start with what feels natural, so you actually stick with it. When you got that covered, let's go to Part 2 👇

Connect with People

Well, the full sentence should be: connect with the people you want to serve. Who are you actually trying to reach?

Once you’ve got your internal foundation (part 1), the next step is external clarity. Because communication is a two way street. So, who is your conversation partner? Have you given that a second thought? And no, 'the public' isn't an answer here!

Here's the other part to the framework:

Know your audience

Who are you speaking to? What do they care about? What problems do they have that your work could solve or explain? Here you'll also find that you need to adapt your message to how much your audience knows about science in general. What's their background? Is it high school or uni? Something else? Adapt what YOU want to talk about, to WHO is listening?
Go where they are

The question to ask yourself here is: "where do they hang out?" On LinkedIn? Instagram? Newsletters? YouTube? Do they read magazines, blogs or do they prefer live open lectures? Meet them there. Don’t wait for them to find you.
Reflect, adjust, repeat

This is where it gets real. This seems like just another step, but it's the continues cycle of improvement. You publish > you learn > you tweak > you repeat.
This is the practice of science communication. Not perfection on the first try, but persistence in the long run.

You know the saying: It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. So which running shoes are you putting on?

If all this sounds like something you want to learn more about, that’s where the workbook comes in👇

The workbook (and why it exists)

This framework is also the core of something I’ve been working on for the past 2,5 years: a hands on, 30-step guide for early science communicators.

It’s called Science Communication 101. And it’s built for PhD students, junior and senior scientists, and creators in the science space who want to start sharing their work but just need a little push to get started.

Inside the workbook, you’ll find:

🧭 A practical roadmap from starting at 0 to finishing with a content plan in hand.
🧠 Prompts that help you figure out your strengths and style, through exercises and some trial and error, in a safe space.
📚 Tools for building a sustainable content habit (not a content treadmill). Think time management and priority lists!
🌱 Reflection points to grow your own voice, not copy someone else’s. This is about you, not copying Hank Green or any other communicator.

What you won't find: A “how to go viral” guide.
I want to help you build a system that lasts for years to come. Not get you your 15 minutes of fame.