Why Scientists Are Bad at Communicating (And How We Can Do Better)
After years of academic training, I’ve noticed something ironic: we spend years learning to discover knowledge, and almost no time learning to share it effectively with the people who might actually use it.
The Curse of Knowledge
Once you know something deeply, it becomes nearly impossible to remember what it was like not to know it. We use jargon unconsciously. We assume background knowledge. We focus on nuance that matters to experts but confuses everyone else.
Incentive Problems
Academia rewards publications in specialized journals, not public communication. Writing a viral Twitter thread about your research might even be seen as “not serious” by some colleagues.
A Better Way
I’ve been experimenting with sharing research findings in accessible ways. It’s not dumbing down—it’s translating. The core ideas remain intact; the packaging changes.
Some principles I’ve learned:
- Lead with the “so what”
- Use concrete examples before abstract principles
- Acknowledge uncertainty without undermining the main point
- Meet people where they are
Science that stays in journals helps no one. We need to do better.