Ash Russell, Tasmania Engagement, Division of Student Services and Operations*
Jeannie-Marie LeRoi, Tasmania Engagement, Division of Student Services and Operations
Shasta Henry, Tasmania Engagement, Division of Student Services and Operations*
When training postgraduate students, it is important to remember that they are already highly skilled and often work as teachers themselves. Their expertise can be harnessed to improve training outcomes and student satisfaction. The Young Tassie Scientists (YTS) program has been running for 21 years, during which we have trained over 300 postgraduate researchers in science communication. Participants are widely recognised National Science Week ambassadors, and they visit a third of all Tasmanian schools in August each year. They are tasked with translating their research into a format which anyone from kindergarten to grade 12 can understand. To achieve this, participants are trained in science communication principles including public speaking, media techniques and tailoring delivery to suit their audience. However, science communication is a complex topic which is best learned through practical experience that is difficult to provide during teaching workshops. Recently, the YTS program has applied peer mentoring during our training to utilise the highly skilled postgraduate students who have spent multiple years in the program. Each mentor has years of practical experience communicating their research and they utilise this lived experience to teach new participants skills that are difficult to teach in a formal class. Mentors also assist during training workshops by leading group tasks and providing personal examples of times when they have utilised the training in practical situations. By involving postgraduate students in training their peers, a collegial support network is created, and students are more engaged with training as they feel respected for their expertise.