Straight from the horse's mouth: Do’s and don’ts for communication officers - Stempra Ed Day, Press Officer at the Science Media Centre and Stempra Treasurer shares tips from the journalists you pitch to every day.

How do journalists really want to hear from comms teams?

Our latest CTD 2026 blog captures their key do’s and don’ts:

stempra.org.uk/resources/ne...

STEMPRA CTD 2026: why being on the organising committee was ‘networking without the ick’ - Stempra Jane Shepley, a freelance writer and editor, gives a behind-the-scenes view on volunteering to organise STEMPRA’s Communications Training Day 2026 and how it became “networking without the ick.”

Delighted to share the first blog from Stempra’s Communications Training Day 2026 – a fabtastic behind‑the‑scenes read on what it’s like to help run the day and do “networking without the ick”.

If you’d like to be part of 2027’s #TeamMingle, keep your eyes peeled!

stempra.org.uk/resources/ne...

Congratulations to our Rob Dawson Highly Commended recipient – @duncan-banks.bsky.social, academic tutor at the @openuniversity.bsky.social.

Duncan is a champion for the value of science communication and the importance of making neuroscience inclusive.

Congratulations to our Rob Dawson Mentorship Award winner – Morgane Danielou, Head of Global Communications at @targetmalaria.org!

Morgane had really gone above and beyond to have a positive impact on the career and life of her mentee.

We’re deeply saddened to share that our friend and colleague @roobina.bsky.social has passed away after several months of illness.

Ruth was a long-time Stempra member, former Chair, and a generous, creative force in science communication.

We’re collecting memories at info@stempra.org.uk

⏰ Final callout for Stempra members!

Our member survey closes on Mon and we’d love to hear from you before it wraps up.

Your responses help shape what Stempra does next - events, resources, and more. Every voice counts. 💬

👉 Check your inbox for the email titled ‘Stempra Member Insights Survey’.

👋 Reminder for Stempra members - our virtual AGM is coming up soon!

If you’ve not already signed up, check your membership email titled ‘Stempra AGM March 2026’ for the details and link to join.

Whether you’re a long‑timer or newly joined, we’d love to see you there and hear your perspective!

The Stempra Member Insights Survey is open, your voice shapes what comes next at Stempra. 💬

The survey closes on Monday 23/03/26.

Haven’t filled it in yet? Head to your inbox and search 'Stempra Member Insights Survey.” It only takes 5–10 minutes and it’ll help steer where we go next together. 💡

💡 You’ve seen the email, now’s the moment to have your say!

Stempra’s Member Insights Survey is open and every response helps shape what’s next for our network.

Haven’t filled it in yet? Pop into your inbox and search for 'Stempra Member Insights Survey'.

Rob Dawson 
Mentorship Award - Stempra Nominations are open for this year.Please submit your nominations via this form by Friday 6 March.

Nominations close today for the Rob Dawson Mentorship Award! Great mentors shape careers, build confidence, and strengthen our community. If someone has done that for you, now’s the perfect time to thank them.

Learn more and submit your nomination here - stempra.org.uk/membership/r...

Rob Dawson 
Mentorship Award - Stempra Nominations are open for this year.Please submit your nominations via this form by Friday 6 March.

Nominations close on Friday for the Rob Dawson Mentorship Award! If you’re fortunate enough to have someone who inspires, guides and champions you, now’s the perfect time to thank them.

Learn more about the award and submit your nomination here 👇
stempra.org.uk/membership/r...

Enjoyed the #stempraCTD? Don’t forget to come along to our virtual AGM to have your say on what Stempra does over the next year.

Check your membership emails for 'Stempra AGM March 2026'. It has the details and the sign-up link.

Hope you can make it!

Still processing everything from yesterday 🧠

Massive thank you to our speakers and everyone who showed up, asked questions, and made it feel like a community.

Couldn't make it this year? Follow us for news about future events throughout 2026.

See everyone at the next event 🎉

What a day at #stempraCTD - sessions wrapped and the catch up is in full swing at the Euston Flyer.

Huge thank you to our speakers, attendees, @eurekalert.bsky.social and @wellcometrust.bsky.social, and the Stempra CTD subcommittee for making it happen.

Professor David Spiegelhalter wrapping up the day with his masterclass on communicating statistics.

Focusing on what the numbers mean (and what they don’t), be upfront about uncertainty, and choose comparisons people can actually picture.

#stempraCTD #SciComm

Powerful session on Building trust in the age of misinformation, loads of takeaways for staying credible in a noisy landscape.

Snippet of some of the key themes: don’t just debunk, prebunk and build trust through transparent sources and relationships.

#stempraCTD #SciComm

An ace session on Career Journeys in Science Communication - honest, energising, and full of those “oh, I’ve been there” moments.

Loved hearing how different people’s routes into #SciComm can be, the pivots, the fingers being crossed, and staying open to the next move.

#stempraCTD

A fantastic chat on making comms visible and impossible to ignore.

“After putting out a story, go back to it and find out what came out of it.” It shows the value + let's you find out what worked and what didn't.

Up next - the fab twists and turns that are in a #SciComm career.

#stempraCTD

The first panel delivered! 🔥

"Make sure you're pitching stories to the right person.”

Harsh but fair. Exactly what we needed to hear.

Quick break then rolling straight into exploring how we champion the impact of comms across our organisations.

#stempraCTD #SciComm

Room is getting filled and fueled☕🥐

About to start the journalist panel and people are already queuing with questions.

This is going to be good.

#stempraCTD #SciComm

⏰ Today’s the day! Nominations for new Stempra Committee members close at 12:00 (midday) Tue 24 Feb.

If you’re planning to put forward a nomination, have a quick look back through your Stempra membership emails for the nomination forms, get it signed by two Stempra members, and send it over.

Your inbox has homework (the good kind) check your membership email for the Member Insights Survey link.

It will help shape:
📅 The events we run
📚 The resources we produce
📰 Various other improvements

Deadline 17:00, Mon 23 March 2026. There’s an optional opt-in raffle for a £75.

72 hours for our Communications Training Day 🎯

Quick logistics for anyone attending on Thursday:

→ Doors open 09:15
→ Enter via the MAIN Gibbs Building entrance (NOT the Wellcome Collection’s)
→ Fully accessible building
→ Networking drinks after at Euston Flyer from 17:00

Stempra Communications Training Day 2026 - Stempra Stempra’s annual flagship one-day training event is back! Join us at our Communications Training Day (formerly known as Press Officer Training Day) for fresh ideas, expert guidance and best practice i...

"Why do we need a press or comms officer? Can't we just put it on social media?" If you've heard this from a senior leader, you're not alone. Getting buy-in from people is one of the hardest parts of the job.

That's why we have a full session (in 4 days!) on it.

stempra.org.uk/resources/ev...

stempra AGM: Wed 25 March 2026, 12:30–13:30 🗓️

Hear what we’ve been up to, vote on key decisions + elect the new committee members

Check your membership emails for the registration link + nomination form (deadline: Tue 24 Feb, 12:00)

Stempra Communications Training Day 2026 - Stempra Stempra’s annual flagship one-day training event is back! Join us at our Communications Training Day (formerly known as Press Officer Training Day) for fresh ideas, expert guidance and best practice i...

When research is misinterpreted or oversimplified, science communicators are left trying to rebuild trust – but how?

There’ll be a session on building trust in the age of misinformation at our Communications Training Day, in 6 days: stempra.org.uk/resources/ev...

Rob Dawson 
Mentorship Award - Stempra Nominations are open for this year.Please submit your nominations via this form by Friday 6 March.

If you’re lucky enough to have someone who inspires you, guides you, and always has your back-thank them by nominating them for the Rob Dawson Mentorship Award by Friday 6 March.

Say thank you by nominating them here - stempra.org.uk/membership/r...

Stempra Communications Training Day 2026 - Stempra Stempra’s annual flagship one-day training event is back! Join us at our Communications Training Day (formerly known as Press Officer Training Day) for fresh ideas, expert guidance and best practice i...

Career paths in science comms are rarely linear, and that's what makes them interesting.

In 8 days, we're hosting a panel with people who've moved between academia, healthcare, academic publishing, and philanthropic science.

🎟️ More info below:
stempra.org.uk/resources/ev...

Rob Dawson 
Mentorship Award - Stempra Nominations are open for this year.Please submit your nominations via this form by Friday 6 March.

Great mentors shape careers, build confidence, and strengthen our community. If someone has done that for you, nominate them for the Rob Dawson Mentorship Award before Friday 6 March.

Find full details here: stempra.org.uk/membership/r...

Crisis Communications blog: stempra.org.uk/resources/ne...

More information on our Communications Training Day 2026:
stempra.org.uk/resources/ev...