What is what in science communication?

Scientists wishing to talk to a broad audience about their research have more opportunities to do so than ever. But unfortunately, the variety of science communication events can also create some confusion and leave scientists wondering: Which format is right for me? What do I have to prepare? Am I even eligible to speak?

To clear up some confusion and also help interested non-scientists find the most suitable event to attend, here's a little "who is who" or rather "what is what" of events aimed at science communication!

My personal entry into the world of science communication were science slams. Roughly speaking, you have a certain amount of time (usually ~ 10 min) and can do whatever you like to educate and entertain the audience. Most slammers I know use PowerPoint presentations to support their talk, but you can also sing, dance, bring props, do live experiments... Anything goes! In the end, the audience votes for their favorite presentation.
What should you talk about in a science slam? Most importantly, don't forget that your audience likely doesn't know much about your field of research, don't kill them with data! Some organizers require you to present something from your own research, others are more liberal in the topic of your talk.

In response to the rise of alternative facts, the March for science aims to highlight the role that science has for society. It is not an event just for scientists, but for everyone because everyone benefits from science! First held in 2017 in 600+ cities, the next marches for science will be held on April 14, 2018! Look here for a march near you...

3-minute thesis (3MT) is an event specifically aimed at mid- to late-stage PhD students. As the name implies, the time limit is three minutes and the talk should be about your thesis. A distinctive feature is that you only have one static Powerpoint slide to support your talk (no animations, videos etc) and importantly, no props! 3MT has a competitive character. Local preliminary rounds are held and winners can move on to the next round.

Like 3MT, Famelab is a competition for PhD students with 3 minutes to present the topic of your thesis, but it still has a very different character. Slides are not allowed, but creative props are highly encouraged as long as you can carry them onto the stage yourself! This creates a very special suspense to see how props are used to present a certain topic.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, there's so much more: Soapbox science aims to enhance the visibility of female scientists with events mostly in the UK, but they are expanding to other countries. The Pint of science festival will be held in bars across 21 countries in May 2018.

Resources:
Youtube is your friend! You'll find lots of clips on all of these events.
3MT
Pint of science
Soapbox science
Famelab
March for science
look for local science slams on facebook or here or here for events in Germany