Mrunal Nagaraj Kulkarni

At the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), India, science communication is embedded as both a practice and a form of informal training. Since there is no formal coursework or structured pathway for science communication within most research institutions in India, our approach offers a practice-led model to support capacity building and professionalization within the scientific community. We actively involve graduate students and early-career researchers in the design and delivery of science communication projects, ranging from social media storytelling to public engagement events- where they learn how to translate their research and engage with diverse, non-specialist audiences. These collaborative experiences help them develop skills in visual thinking, public speaking, audience engagement, and narrative development, while also encouraging reflection on the broader relevance of their work. Our science outreach initiatives span school visits, open days, summer camps, and creative media collaborations, including comics and theatre groups. These efforts aim to make fundamental life science research accessible and engaging for children, educators, and other science-enthusiasts. By integrating hands-on science communication training into ongoing institutional outreach, we are building communication capacity from within. This dual-purpose approach—doing and teaching science communication- supports the professionalization of the field while making science accessible to the wider public.