In Europe, a significant portion of scientific production is funded with public money. Therefore, researchers have an ethical commitment to explain not only to their colleagues but also to society at large what is being done with those funds allocated to research, which come from taxes. Fortunately, science has a powerful ally to effectively reach the general public: video.

At Connaxis, we employ various forms of visual expression to communicate science (infographics, scientific posters, fact sheets, brochures, visual abstracts...), and video is one of the most effective in terms of reach and interaction. It is increasingly common for the team to witness how a video about one of the research projects we work on reaches thousands of views on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook or TikTok. The rapid dissemination of visual content encouraged by the algorithms of these platforms presents a unique opportunity for scientists to reach global audiences in a way that was unthinkable before.

Here are some examples of videos we have created at Connaxis for projects we are involved in.

• Video explaining the RIVER-EU research project:

• Additionally, we created a short version to reach a wider audience (in this case without voiceover):

• Video using an interesting fact to capture attention and subsequently highlight the projects of the UNDP in Suriname:

• Whiteboard-style video explaining the methodology of Diálogos de saberes developed by the World Health Organization (WHO): 

• Video featuring interviews with Ugandan scientists participating in the PRESCRIP-TEC research project:

• Short, vertically formatted video to raise awareness about the importance of cervical cancer prevention.

As you can see, we use different formats depending on the available content and the needs of each situation. Images and videos from image banks (some of which are free, like Pexels) can be used. In most cases, it is advisable to add background music (Pixabay, for example, offers more than 24,000 files), and explanations can be included through voiceovers or on-screen captions. And if you have the necessary resources, do not hesitate to conduct interviews with researchers because, after all, they are the true protagonists of the story!