On 13 September 2017, Julian Siddle (BBC Radio Producer, BBC Science Unit) delivered a 2-hour workshop for science communications practitioners at the Manege Central Exhibition Hall in St Petersburg.

Based on his first-hand experience, Julian talked about transformation of complex scientific materials into engaging content interesting for non-specialist audiences:

· How can we better explain the complex scientific discoveries to people of all ages?
· What is the best way to communicate science to the public?
· How do we get non-specialist audiences interested in issues that have an impact on the world they live in?

The presentation was followed by an interactive exercise where the participants had an opportunity to put their knowledge into practice using newly acquired tips & tricks of pop-science.

This event was one in a series of workshops with prominent experts from the United Kingdom organised within the programme of the UK-Russia Year of Science and Education 2017, held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk. Aimed at Russian science communicators, media and academics, they aimed to address the global challenge of making science accessible to wider audiences and provide the tools and skills to promote science and innovation more effectively, whether in Russian or English.

Julian Siddle is a Radio Producer with the BBC Science Unit. He makes weekly programmes covering all manner of new developments in science and health. He also produces science documentaries. Julian has also developed and managed science led initiatives for the BBC such as seasons of programming on global digital communications from Asia to Latin America, and a week of broadcasting on African science from Uganda. Julian helped develop and taught on the Science Journalism Masters course at London’s City University and has run programmes and workshops on science communications with science teachers, journalists and university researchers. In collaboration with the UN in Liberia he organised health programming there during the Ebola outbreak. He has also run training programmes in how to communicate complex science to a lay audience for BBC journalists covering international news in English and 28 other foreign languages. More recently Julian developed the BBC wide science social media strategy and set up and managed the BBC science news accounts on Twitter and Facebook.