In partnership with the Cheltenham Science Festival since 2007, the British Council has been running FameLab, a science communication competition, in 20 countries world-wide.

We’ve gathered some top tips for budding science communicators from this year’s contestants.

Listen to the interview with FameLab winner 2011 Myrtani Pieri from Cyprus:

Israel finalist and 2nd prize in the international competition: Karen Lavi

Q: Why are you so passionate about science communication?

A: Science is all around us and if I can help people understand science, I can help them understand more about themselves and the world they live in, which is amazing. I consider enthusiasm to be the secret of successful science communication.

Q: Can you provide your top five tips for how scientists can improve their science communication?

A: 1. When you try to communicate science, imagine you are talking with your mother. Of course, this only applies if your mother is not a scientist herself. Try to use metaphors instead of technical language. e.g. DNA is the recipe book of our body.

2. Don’t overload your audience’s mind. There is a limit to the amount of new information that can be digested. Also make sure you can sum your entire talk in a few sentences – what is the message your audience should take home with them? What will they tell their friends and family?

3. Don’t explain science, talk science. Imagine holding the hands of your audience as you walk them through your story. Tell it as a detective story, not as a presentation at a conference.

4. If you are capable – use humor. Worst case scenario, it will make you smile!

5. Keep in mind that your subject is the most interesting topic that ever existed. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chosen to invest your whole life in it. Try to pass on this feeling to your audience.

Egypt finalist and 3rd prize in the international competition: Mahmoud Abu-khedr

Q: Why are you so passionate about science communication?

A: Imagine the world without different channels that can spread knowledge? It is hard to imagine and because spreading knowledge is very important, I really believe the way that people try to spread this knowledge, particularly in science, is important.

From here I started to think about what is the easiest way to spread knowledge and I found that science communication, converting what we see into things that we know, is one of the best ways to spread knowledge.

Q: What do you consider to be the secret of successful science communication?

A: Talking from heart. Understanding information and science is very important and at the same time is a very difficult thing. The most important thing, from my point of view, is to believe in science and to talk from heart. People always think that science is really difficult and impossible to understand, but a good communicator has to believe it is worth communicating.

Q: Can you provide your top five tips for how scientists can improve their science communication?

A: 1. Referring: one of the important tips is referring to something that most people know. If you make a reference to something that everyone knows, anyone can connect to the topic.

2. Smiling: very important to be smiling.

3. Attraction: Science communicators need to be good actors. To be a good communicator, you have to be able to act as well as present. If you simulate every world you say, everyone will be attracted to your talk.

4. Talk from the heart. If you believe in what you are saying, everyone will be interested in your talk.

5. Be how you are: there are a lot of tips to be a good communicator but as a presenter you must believe in yourself, your talk and your skills.

This blog first appeared in expanded form in nature.com

To find out about our work in science, please visit the British Council Science website.