Scientific Communication
I have almost a decade of experience in communicating science to people of all ages and from all walks of life. I immensely enjoy talking to people about the subject I love most, and helping them to become as excited about it as I am!
If you are interested in collaborating with or booking me for an event, workshop, Q&A, video, article or anything else sharing science, in person or online, please contact me and we can work together to suit your needs!
Social Media and Online
Social media is what we make of it and I like to make it all palaeontology. As a result of this, in 2019, I started an Instagram account (@deinonychusfloof) with the aim of communicating the science of palaeontology, and my own palaeontological exploits, be those in research, museums or fieldwork. At present, Deinonychusfloof has over 11k followers, a figure I did not expect when I started, and is the best place to stay up to date with what I’m up to. I’m also technically on Twitter but post less regularly.
I also have a YouTube channel, that I like to have a bit more fun with, but is still primarily based around sharing palaeontology in a way accessible to the general public. It’s still finding its voice but I’m giving it a bit of a revamp and am planning on posting more videos again, including potentially remaking some that I find have been very helpful to share with people on topics such as going to university for palaeontology and beginner fossil hunting. (And check out my CV and about me to read about the writing and video work I have done for PBS Eons and DawnDinos!)
I have been interviewed by other creators and companies and enjoy doing presentations and Q&A sessions for groups, such as those I have done through Skype a Scientist, the Royal Veterinary College and for Paleo Portals.
Events and In-Person
One of my earliest forays into scientific communication was through the Bristol Dinosaur Project (BDP) and events held at the Bristol Museum and Galleries. These would usually involve holding workshops for school groups and clubs, teaching them about evolution, palaeobiology and dinosaurs (especially the Bristol dinosaur, Thecodontosaurus). Throughout my time at university, I also worked the Bristol Festival of Nature and gave guided fossil walks at Aust cliff to school groups.
Immediately upon finishing my course (I had two days off) I started work as a Dino Ranger at the Bristol Zoo Gardens in the DinoMania exhibit (pictured). This involved talking dinosaurs all day and hanging out with life sized animatronic replicas. A hard job, but someone had to do it. I led tours and games, as well as “busking” throughout the zoo with specimens from the zoo and BDP collection.
Since then, I have independently worked with the Scouts, given museum tours and assisted on experience days for children and teenagers who want to become palaeontologists. At Virginia Tech, I have taken part in Fossil Friday outreach, our annual fossil unwrapping party and the Hokie for a Day event.
