DISSENT BY DESIGN is a book that was produced during 2022-2023 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.  It was on this date that I began a social media campaign on LinkedIn that directly addressed the invasion of a Sovereign country by a rogue super power. As a Graphic Designer I felt it was my obligation to do all I can to bring attention to this atrocity and bring the narrative to the forefront of the conversation so that we help end this conflict in all theways we can.  This book is a call to action, in the form of 'social media' posts throughout a one year period of time in our collective past, it is a documentation in chronological order of what happened, when and who was to blame and how many sufferred.   FInally, this book illustrates how Graphic Designers can use their knowledge as storytellers to forward a conversation about the most important things in our lives and how to preserve them.  We can be a vehicle of change and/or social engagement, to help people understand all the complex problems we face and to begin the process of solving those problems.  This is a way forus to bring past narratives to light once again, to rejoin the conversations that have been lost, and to further discuss and provide solutions through dialogue and change.

Our project “SCISO” (which stands for “science with society”) aims…
… to provide easily accessible content, in the form of freely available video tutorials, that enable scientists to reflect about the role of science in society, and to communicate with broader audiences.

It provides insights…
… not only about the practical tools of science communication, but also about the deeper roots of the problems, e.g. perspectives on scientific integrity.

Building on research in science ethics, sociology of science and science communication, our videos contain both theoretical content and practical, hands-on tips for addressing these problems.

Opening up the "black box" of science
For this project, we have paired up with the German National Institute for Science Communication (NaWik), a non-profit organization that offers training for scientists, with funding provided by the
Volkswagen Foundation. Over the course of two years, we have developed content, recruited a passionate science communicator as presenter, and produced the videos clips.

Building on research in science ethics, sociology of science and science communication, the clips contain both theoretical content and practical, hands-on tips for getting started in science communication. The films cover topics such as how to interact with lay people, taking responsibility for one’s research, or opening up the “black box” of science.

We also present “best practices” of select researchers regarding various forms of outreach and communication, for example in policy advice. We want to encourage young scientists to position themselves in public debates, and enable them to make active contributions to the solutions of societal problems.