Your research matters to you—but how do you make it matter to others? It is imperative that scholars, researchers and those engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and innovation know how to communicate their work to a wide range of audiences. When people understand what you do, why you do it, and how it benefits them, they are more likely to support your efforts, engage with your results, and benefit from your findings. The Graduate School’s Professional Development Team provides a structured approach for learning the skills to translate your research into a story that makes an impact through the pursuit of the Translating Research for Impact: The Power of Storytelling Certificate. This certificate was created in collaboration with the College of Engineering; however, ALL graduate students and postdoctoral scholars will benefit from this professional development offering. Enroll today.

This certificate, grounded in the KEEN Foundation framework and the College of Engineering’s Wolfpack Engineering Unleashed program, equips you with the skills to translate your complex research and your work into compelling stories that resonate with audiences from varied disciplines and levels of education. Whether you are pursuing grants, seeking public support, or sharing the value of your work, this program provides the practical insights needed to integrate the “Wolfpack Way” approach with our university’s signature “Think and Do” focus into your communication strategy. We welcome and encourage all graduate students to pursue this certificate, as storytelling is an essential tool for every researcher, teacher, scientist and scholar.

Foundational Requirement

All of the following six (6) microlearning modules are required for this certificate and can be found on this Moodle project site:

• Storytelling: Character
• Storytelling: Collaboration
• Storytelling: Communication
• Storytelling: Connections
• Storytelling: Creating Value
• Storytelling: Curiosity

Electives Requirement

Three (3) of the following elective workshops are to be chosen and fully attended for the Certificate:

Teaching Focused

• The INFUSE Method for Teaching and Storytelling (i.e., attending INFUSE workshop at the New TA Workshop, or the INFUSE workshop offered during the regular academic year)
• Designing for Engagement
• Assessing for Learning

Communication Skills Focused

• Communicating with Stakeholders
• INFUSE’d Research Storytelling
• Speaking Your Research Story

Experience Requirement

One (1) of the following is required for the Certificate:

• Participate in the Graduate School’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
• Participate in a departmental or college Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
• Provide a presentation that includes elements of storytelling learned from the foundational and elective workshops listed above
• Teach a class that includes elements of storytelling learned from the foundational and elective workshops listed above
• Facilitate a presentation at a conference that includes a storytelling element

Reflection Requirement

A typed, double-spaced reflection paper is required for this Certificate with answers to the following questions:

• Date, time, location, audience and title for your “storytelling” experience
• Which of the 6 C’s (from the microlearning modules) did you use for your storytelling experience and how did you use these 6 C’s?
• Which tools from the elective workshops you attended did you use for your storytelling? How did these help you formulate your story?
• What was the outcome of your story? What went well and what would you do differently?
• What did you learn about yourself from engaging in a storytelling experience? What did you learn about others who listened to your story?
• Additional thoughts about your storytelling experience.
• A testimonial you would like to share about the Certificate.

Submission of Reflection: Participants are to submit their 5 to 7 page double-spaced, typed paper through Moodle as there is a submission box on that site for the reflections. Please allow two weeks for a member of the Professional Development Team to read the reflection, review completion of the foundational and elective requirements, and send the Certificate.