What does it take to tell a story? One of the first skills a storyteller needs is imagination.

But what if the story is about science? At first glance, imagination might seem unrelated to science, a field grounded in rigour, rationality, and precision. Yet, it does. And actually, according to Terri Cook – geoscientist, science communicator, and Head of Communications at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Science at the University of Colorado in Boulder (United States) – imagination is essential.

Terri Cook recently visited the University of Padova to deliver a lecture titled “Science as Story” as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series of the European Geological Association. The event, hosted by the Departments of Biology and Geosciences and the University Museum Centre, offered us an opportunity to discuss her career as a science journalist and her insights into crafting more effective science communication for both institutional and informal settings.

Sparking interest in science

One remarkable detail in Cook’s biography is the story of how she first became fascinated with science. Curious to learn more, we asked her what initially sparked her interest in the world of scientific discovery.

“My interest in both storytelling and science was sparked when I was a child. I grew up in a house in Connecticut, in the Northeastern United States, and one of the cornerstones of the house – part of its foundations – was a meteorite: a rock that came from outer space, maybe Mars. I wasn’t a geologist then, but I knew it was a cool rock from outer space. I spent countless hours imagining its origins and all the amazing adventures it might have gone through. Looking back, that experience truly ignited my career in science communication.”

Recognising how this awe and wonder towards science influenced her journey, Cook is passionate about igniting that same spark of wonder in younger audiences. “I communicate with many different groups, but when I do outreach, it is almost exclusively with kids – and I love trying to spark their interest. Kids have this unfiltered joy for science; when they figure something out, they get so excited. This is especially striking to me now that I work in space sciences. Most kids think rockets and astronauts are really cool, and I love engaging with them when I can.”

The art of storytelling in science

Regardless of the audience’s age, the way stories are told is crucial. Sometimes, complex topics can be hard for non-specialists to connect with, creating the risk of ‘losing the audience.’ Cook shared some strategies to fill this gap: “There are ways to frame stories that can make them interesting even when the topic seems challenging to understand. One of the simplest and most engaging approaches is to treat the story like a mystery. By presenting science as a puzzle to be unravelled, you make some of that very complex and abstract science more approachable.”

Another effective technique is to put people at the centre of the narrative: “Our brains – Cook explains – are wired to relate to other people and to living organisms in general. Having a relatable character at the centre of the story makes it more personal and tangible for the audience.”

Cook also highlighted the power of familiar storytelling cues: “Research shows that starting with “once upon a time,” the classic opening of a fairy tale, the brain actually releases certain chemicals. This phrase creates a sense of comfort and anticipation, probably rooted in childhood experiences. To communicate science effectively, you need to tell the story well, and then, once you are in the middle of it, to use analogies and metaphors.” The key is to kindle the audience’s imagination.

Working with scientists

Science communicators, however, don’t work solely with the public; they also collaborate with researchers—the ones generating the discoveries and insights to be shared. This collaboration isn’t always straightforward.

“Not all scientists want to engage with the public”, Cook explained. “At my lab, we are very careful to honour their privacy and focus on the science when disseminating their research. While this approach might not always make the research as approachable to broader audiences, it is essential for scientists to feel comfortable with going public.” Some are perfectly at ease talking to hundreds of people, giving lectures and being publicly exposed, but others prefer to remain behind the scenes.

Even when the final goal is not public engagement, science communication remains an essential part of scientific research. One of the reasons is funding, a process that has become increasingly competitive over the years. Cook noted that researchers understand the importance of publicity: “There is an understanding amongst the scientists that good publicity about their research will help them obtain funding in the future. So, most of them are open to it. There is always a few who are shy or for other reasons don't really like the publicity, but the vast majority of the people that I've worked with at my current lab and throughout my career have been pretty excited about the opportunity to get some publicity. What is more, once scientists have done it once or twice, they realize that it’s fun and enjoyable, and are happy to continue.”

In the United States, universities and research institutions are acutely aware of the importance of communicating science to the public and policymakers. This is why most American universities, Cook reports, employ dedicated teams of science communicators – known as Public Information Officers (PIOs) – to work closely with researchers in all fields.

One of these teams’ key responsibilities is to engage policymakers, a crucial audience for securing research funding. PIOs have to organize VIP events – that are hopefully also attended by policymakers – but above all are in charge of elaborating effective communication strategies to reach this specific audience. Terri Cook has one primary advice for reaching this audience: “Keep it short. Policymakers are incredibly busy and only have time to process a few bullet points. Trying to provide the context and also the information that you want is really challenging, but you have to ruthlessly prioritize and present the information concisely.”

Keeping the imagination going

Beyond catering to specific audience types, Terri Cook emphasises that the ultimate goal of a science communicator is to “make things stick” – to ensure that a scientific result, discovery, or mystery becomes memorable. To resonate with people’s emotions, however, the communicator must first feel that connection themselves. For Terri Cook, this emotional spark is also fuelled by another passion: travel writing. Her articles have been featured in outlets such as Lonely Planet.

When asked how her love for travel began and how she manages to keep these two seemingly separate worlds together, she traced it back to the same childhood wonder that shaped her science communication career.

“I love to travel, though growing up, I didn’t have the opportunity to. Maybe it was because of that meteorite in my house and all that daydreaming about its journeys through space, but I always wanted to explore. In high school, I got the chance to be an exchange student in Germany for a year. After that, I was hooked, and I've spent absolutely as much time as I can traveling. Then, since I love writing, it was just natural to write about it. Over time, I realised that not many people blend the two, so I carved out a niche for myself. I would write about science and incorporate it into the travel writing: I found that it was a really good fit for me to have one foot in both world.

Also, this mentally gave me a break. After working on a demanding science article, I can shift to writing a fun travel blog. I think that has helped me stay energized and keep that imagination alive.”

Ultimately, Cook’s approach to science communication centres on making scientific results  and discoveries memorable and engaging. In her view, everyone can be a science communicator: you have to embrace wonder and share it with others.