GENIalità – Science Communication Workshop

Communicating science is not the end goal of research: it is the moment when knowledge becomes the collective heritage of society.

Born from this conviction is GENIalità – Science Communication Lab, a program createdby the University of Naples Federico II in collaboration with AIRCampus. Now in its sixth edition, it is dedicated to students who wish to acquire the skills to communicate research using clear, rigorous, and innovative language. The event is scheduled for October 22, 2026, featuring an introductory lecture and the launch of the project work in the Council Hall of the Department of Biology at Monte Sant’Angelo and online via TEAMS (all details are in the attachment).

Coordinated by Federico II geneticists Barbara Majello and Susanna Ambrosio, along with Giada Faragò from AIRCampus, the workshop has been guiding students through the world of scientific communication for years, transforming them into key players in the dialogue between research and society.

GENIalità stems from the realization that conducting research today also means knowing how to share it. Scientific communication is, in fact, an essential component of the relationship between the university and society: it helps build trust, fosters critical thinking, and makes knowledge and findings that affect everyone’s future accessible.

More than just a series of meetings, the workshop is a training and design program in which students become active participants in the communication process, engaging with faculty, researchers, and science communication professionals.

The sixth edition will feature sessions dedicated to various aspects of science communication in the field of oncology: from research storytelling to the creation of public-facing content, from the use of digital media to engaging with diverse audiences.

Among the key figures in the program, in addition to Barbara Majello and Susanna Ambrosio from the University of Naples Federico II, will be Giada Faragò from AIRCampus and science journalist Gianluca Dotti, who will guide students in the design and production of educational videos focused on cancer research and combating misinformation about cancer.

Thanks to the collaboration with AIRCampus, participants will have the opportunity to conceive and produce video content for science communication through new media. The best videos created by the students will be featured on AIRC’s communication channels and published on the AIRC Education YouTube channel, offering participants hands-on experience in communicating with the general public.

The sessions will also be accessible online to students in bachelor’s, doctoral, and specialization programs, as well as to postdocs.

The online format will not diminish the active and participatory nature of the sessions: the program will be structured as an interactive workshop, fostering direct engagement, discussion, and exchange among participants.

The program will conclude with a presentation of the activities during a university-wide event dedicated to transferable skills, coordinated by Professors Barbara Majello and Susanna Ambrosio. Students will play a leading role in the session dedicated to GENIalità and will help shape the program of presentations, sharing the experiences they gained during the workshop and showcasing the videos and content created throughout the program.

The event will provide an opportunity to share with the university community the skills developed by the students and the new ways of communicating science explored during the workshop, fostering a dialogue between research, communication, and society.

Students who complete the entire program and participate in the presentation day for cross-disciplinary skills will receive an Open Badge—a digital certification of the skills acquired—which recognizes the educational journey they have undertaken and the abilities they have developed in the field of science communication.

Six years after its launch, GENIalità reaffirms its mission: to train young people capable of transforming scientific knowledge into accessible, engaging, and responsible narratives.

Because a discovery has its greatest impact when it is understood, shared, and transformed into collective value.

Research generates knowledge. Communication transforms it into shared value.