We will start the 2026-2027 course on Tuesday 20 October 2026 at 2.30 am and will usually have classes on Tuesday 2.30-5.30 pm.

No class on 1, 15 November.

Schedule:

• 20/10/2026 — Unit 1: Foundations of Citizen Science. Defining the ecosystem; the levels of public engagement from crowdsourcing to co-created science.
• 27/10/2026 — Unit 2: The Core Mechanics of Scientific Storytelling. Structuring the presentation arc; the definition of the operational hook; translating data complexity into human narrative tension.
• 17/11/2026 — Unit 3: Audience Recruitment & Inclusive Communication. Overcoming socio-demographic barriers; designing targeted messaging models for schools, localized communities, and international groups.
• 24/11/2026 — Unit 4: Visual Literacy & Slide Architecture. The "Screenshot Clinic"; rules of whitespace, visual hierarchy, and colour contrast; eliminating layout clutter and raw unedited mobile media.
• 01/12/2026 — Unit 5: Digital Strategy & Community Socials. Selecting digital channels; constructing a micro-editorial layout for platforms; copywriting for online user retention.
• 15/12/2026 — Unit 6: Communicating Trust – Data Quality, Ethics & GDPR. Translating data validation pipelines into public transparency; explaining data privacy rules reassurance without administrative jargon.
• 22/12/2026 — Unit 7: The Institutional Funding Pitch. Designing a structured presentation template for international evaluators; showcasing social impact metrics and operational planning.
• 12/01/2027 — Unit 8: Final Exam Presentation. Group defensive simulation and live evaluation of the strategic campaign.

Handouts and PowerPoint presentations will be uploaded on DIR website regularly.

Frequency is mandatory for the 50% of classes and absolutely recommended for the rest of the course.

During the course Students will be required to prepare texts and/or presentations.

Students are welcome for private talks on request. Please, write to: paolo.pomati@uniupo.it; we will arrange day and time.