- After the success of the I SRUK/CERU Science Communication Symposium, the second edition took place at the Instituto Cervantes Manchester.
- The II SRUK/CERU Science Communication Symposium focused on the role of science journalism and risk communication and took place on October 26th and 27th in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Manchester, 28th October 2024. Led by The Midlands Constituency and the former Communication and Online Department, with the support of other members, the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) celebrated on October 26th and 27th the II SRUK/CERU Science Communication Symposium at the Instituto Cervantes Manchester, in Manchester (more information here). This symposium comes after the great success of the first edition of the symposium, also hosted by the Instituto Cervantes Manchester on the 2nd and 3rd of December 2023. The initiative has been supported by several organizations and institutions including the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECyT), the Embassy of Spain in London through its office for Cultural and Scientific Affairs, the General Consulate of Spain in Manchester, and the San Millán de la Cogolla Foundation, among others.
In this edition, SRUK/CERU has aimed to raise awareness on the role of science journalism in science communication and risk communication through a two-day event in English (Saturday the 26th) and in Spanish (Sunday the 27th) and has facilitated the attendance of its members by providing small travel grants.

The symposium was opened by the director of the Instituto Cervantes Manchester, Pedro Eusebio Cuesta, the vice-president of SRUK/CERU, Dr. Carlos Soler Montes, and the co-chairs of the symposium, Dr. Asier R. Muguruza, Dr. Fernando Gomollón-Bel, and Dr. Marta Dominguez-Prieto. Moreover, the attendees were welcomed by the vice-president of the San Millán de la Cogolla Foundation and Councilor of Culture, Tourism, Youth, and Sports of the Government of La Rioja, José Luis Pérez Pastor, with a recorded video.
The first day of the symposium focused on the role of science journalism and its importance in science communication. Lucía Torres (video officer at Mongabay and secretary of the Spanish Association of Science Communication, AEC2) highlighted the importance of science communication and its impact in translating complex scientific concepts into more accessible messages. Afterwards, Andrea Arnal (communication technician at the Centre for Ecology Research and Forest Applications, CREAF and coordinator of Esfera Climática) discussed the importance of science communication in climate change awareness, alongside Magda Bandera (co-founder and director of La Marea magazine and editor of Climática). Finally, Patricia Ruiz (coordinator of Maldita Technology) shared her experience in the use of science communication to fight misinformation.
The second day was devoted to risk communication. Due to the limited science communication available in Spanish, SRUK/CERU decided to conduct this session in Spanish, also to showcase the high quality of Spanish-speaking science communicators. This session was opened by Marta del Amo (member of the newly formed Spanish National Office for Science Advice, ONAC), who addressed the aims of the newly created institution. Following her, Maricarmen Climént (research and editorial office at Sense about Science) emphasized the significance of improving risk communication and understanding. Finally, Dr. Igor Arrieta (co-director of the Science Policy Department of SRUK/CERU) focused on the consequences of Brexit on the research and university network in the UK.


The symposium also included two lively roundtable discussions on the advances and obstacles in Science Communication and the influence of Science Communication in decision-making, with the participation of Pedro Eusebio Cuesta and Dr. Rafael Carrascosa (co-director of the Science Policy Department of SRUK/CERU) alongside the previously mentioned speakers. Attendees also participated in a workshop on how to market scientific research led by Fernando Gomollón-Bel (co-chair and founder of Agata Communications).
In summary, the II SRUK/CERU Science Communication Symposium concluded with great success, establishing itself as one of the main Science Communication events for the Spanish researcher community in the UK.
For media enquiries, please contact: Marta Dominguez Prieto, PhD
Co-chair of the symposium and director of the SRUK/CERU Midlands Constituency
E-mail: [email protected]