Communications Workshop

WCTWS Spring Technical Training

Where: Aldo Leopold Foundation Home Range Hall

When: June 16th 9:30am-5:00pm & June 17th 9:00am-11:30am

Cost: $30 for Professionals $20 for Students (Food and beverages included with registration)

Last day to register!

Event is limited to 30 people. 

Tour of the shack and farm included!

Program Module 1

Title: Facilitating meetings; Instructor: Bob Holsman

Biography & Module Description: Bob Holsman is the past-President of the state chapter. He has been working at the interface of wildlife management and public interactions for 25 years, the past eight as Social Scientist for the Wisconsin DNR. Prior to that he was a wildlife faculty member at UW-Stevens Point. He frequently runs focus groups, planning sessions, and other public input meetings on a variety of fish and wildlife issues.  This training will feature skills and practice for being a good meeting facilitator.

Program Module 2

Title: Communicating with the public; Instructor: Jeff Pritzl

Biography & Module Description: Jeff Pritzl has been a wildlife biologist and supervisor for almost 30 years in Northeast Wisconsin. He recently transitioned into the state Deer Program Specialist position to focus his public communication experience in that arena. A decade ago, Pritzl provided a presentation to WCTWS members titled “Someone’s Not Listening: Is it Us or Them?”, based on a book by science communication expert Randy Olson titled “Don’t Be Such a Scientist”. This presentation will follow up on those principles to pair anticipating your audience’s needs with your own inner conversation and reactions to their feedback. How you set the stage can influence the outcome before the questions even start. 

Program Module 3

Title: Level Up Your Writing (For Professional And Public Audiences); Instructor: Bower

Biography & Module Description: Bower found a passion for communications while working as a bench scientist. He later switched fields and completed his MS in Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bower is currently a Communications Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Within his field, Bower specializes in the communications of controversial science topics and has a special love for writing. He is excited to share his experience and expertise with you all. This workshop will deconstruct writing and rebuild it to better serve our purposes. Whether you are writing a technical document for your peers or writing a message for the general public, my goal is to strengthen your writing and make it more intentional and effective. This workshop will introduce relevant communication theory and combine it with hands-on activities to level up and refine your writing skills.  

June 16th 2022

9:30 am Module 1 begins

10:30 am 15 minute break 

10:45 am Module 1 continues

11:45 pm Lunch (provided by WCTWS)

12:45 pm Module 2 begins

1:45 pm 15 minute break

2:00 pm Module 2 continues

3:00 pm 30 minute break

3:30 pm Tour of Shack and Farm

5:00 pm Adjourn

June 17th 2022

8:00 am Breakfast (provided by WCTWS)

9:00 am Module 3 begins 

10:00 am 15 minute break

10:15 am Module 3 continues

11:15 am Workshop evaluation 

11:30 am Adjourn

One continuing education credit per training hour.