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Hi Matt, When I started out (old fart warning - a LONG time ago) it seemed that all the best comms jobs were going to people with teaching qualifications - indeed I know someone who left a junior comms post to do a teaching qualification - not with any real intention to teach but to learn skills to get better comms positions (and she did). I still think that one of the most challenging and rewarding communications experiences is to enthuse a bunch of apathetic kids. So perhaps an alternative route to consider. I've interviewed a lot of people for comms positions. Always, always, always, you are looking for communications skills, enthusiasm, experience in organising things (student gigs whatever), demonstrable writing ability and an awareness of the world in which science communication takes place - so having views on issues like student grants, climate change, GM crops are all good. Sometimes this sort of aptitude comes with a PhD, sometimes it doesn't. Ideally people are looking for someone who can do more than just translate complicated scientific concepts into everyday English. A sense of why we need to communicate something: exactly who we are talking with; and the organisational ability to think through and implement a programme of activity are all major plus points - a PhD may help you to develop these skills, but I've met plenty of people without a PhD who can do this. So as most others have said here - do a PhD if you are fascinated by some area of your science and you really want to do it. If all you really want to do is communicate science then there are other ways - and plenty of us have had a fruitful career doing just that. Good luck! Dianne On 10 Mar 2012, at 10:12, Matt Templar wrote: > Hello, > > It seems that these days, everyone has a bachelors degree. How > important therefore do you feel having a PhD is in science > communication? Does it open doors and create opportunities that > otherwise wouldn't exist? I'd be really grateful to hear your > responses. I suspect that these sorts of questions are on the minds > of many others who, like myself, are at an early stage in their > careers. > > The reason I ask is that, as a recent science graduate, I already > know that I don't want to work in research long-term but rather see > myself in science communication. However, when browsing various > science communication roles, it seems to me that the most > prestigious or senior roles (and sometimes most exciting) are > occupied by Dr xyz. I only have a Bachelor's degree (a good one, in > biology) - will this put me at a significant disadvantage vs. PhD- > holders? In order not to exclude myself from the better roles, I > would be prepared to apply for and complete a PhD. But is this > really necessary? Perhaps I have an inaccurate picture of the sci- > com sector? > > I suppose you might say the the answer depends on what area of > science communication I see myself in? Unfortunately it's difficult > for me to say exactly what I want to do at this stage. I do really > enjoy communicating complex science to non-specialists (both through > the written word and verbally) and teaching/advising, interacting > with people. I could see myself working in the media/science > charities/learned societies etc etc. > > It would be really great to have your thoughts, particularly from > the more experienced/senior science communicators amongst you - in > what circumstances would you employ someone who holds a PhD over > someone who doesn't? What sci-com roles have an absolute requirement > for a PhD? > > Thanks a lot, > Matt > > ********************************************************************** > Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including > list archive, can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html > You may also change your settings and subscribe/unsubscribe to psci- > com from the web site. > > Psci-com is part of the National Academic Mailing List Service, > known as 'JISCMail'. > It adheres to the JISCMail Acceptable Use Policy: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/acceptableuse.html > and to the JISCMail guidelines for etiquette: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/etiquette.html > > Email commands: > 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, > send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the following > message: > > set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] > > 2. 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It adheres to the JISCMail Acceptable Use Policy: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/acceptableuse.html and to the JISCMail guidelines for etiquette: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/etiquette.html Email commands: 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the following message: set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: leave psci-com -- [include hyphens] Please allow up to 24 hours for these commands to activate. Remember that you will need to send commands using the same email address that you used to register on psci-com. To contact the Psci-com list owner, please send an email to: [log in to unmask] **********************************************************************