We’re passionate about helping scientists, researchers, and communicators communicate better: with peers, the public and everyone in-between.
Here’s where you can learn a bit about who we are, what drives us, and what we do.
Who we are
We are a researcher-led team of communication specialists, learning experience designers, professional facilitators, foresight professionals, storytellers, writers, and strategists.
We’re on a mission to help scientists and researchers share their work with peers, policy makers and the public: clearly, confidently, and authentically.
Why? Because we know that science and cutting-edge research can help society co-create better futures. (And because we’re excited about what scientists and researchers are exploring, uncovering and creating across all disciplines.)
We offer science communication and core communication skills training for researchers across science, technology, engineering, medicine, the social sciences, and the humanities. Drawing on our background as facilitators, foresight practitioners, moderators and hosts, we also offer strategic communication planning workshops, and event support & hosting for SciComm events.
Here’s where you’ll find out a bit more about us.
Our story
How Suzanne Whitby shifted from an intercultural consultant and creative director to a science communication advocate and the founder of SciComm Success.
Back in 2010
Back in 2010, Suzanne Whitby was working as an intercultural communication consultant and communication skills trainer. She was also the founder and creative director of Future Makers, a thriving creative agency supporting mission-driven organisations with their communication.
Then came the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
At the time, Suzanne was based in Boulder, Colorado, a hotspot for environmental research and home to institutions like NOAA, NCAR, and the University of Colorado Boulder.
Scientists and researchers began reaching out for help.
They wanted to explain the crisis to the public, communicate clearly under pressure, and use the moment to raise awareness about broader scientific challenges like climate change, ecosystem collapse, and biodiversity loss.
From one-to-one coaching to the launch of SciComm Success
What began as one-to-one coaching quickly grew into small group workshops. By 2012, Suzanne was working almost exclusively with researchers and research organisations.
In 2014, she relocated (back) to Innsbruck, Austria, and made a pivotal decision: to bring her research background, communication skills, international experience, and conviction of the importance of science together, and focus entirely on supporting scientists, researchers and research teams.
That’s how SciComm Success was born.
Today, we support scientists and researchers across Europe (and wherever possible, in Africa, as Suzanne is proudly South African!) and beyond with practical, hands-on training that helps them communicate their science with clarity, confidence, and impact in any setting.
The people behind SciComm Success
Suzanne Whitby
Founder, Communication Specialist, Facilitator, Storyteller
Short bio →
Suzanne Whitby is a communication specialist with more than 20 years of international experience working at the intersection of science, society, storytelling, and sustainability. She has trained and advised researchers at leading institutions including the University of Cambridge, CERN, and the United Nations, and has supported numerous EU Horizon and European Green Deal projects.
Since 2012, Suzanne has helped thousands of scientists and science communication professionals share their research with clarity and confidence through practical, engaging training and facilitation. A foresight professional as well as facilitator and trainer, she also helps science-driven organisations and university spin-offs think strategically about communication and uncertainty.
An interdisciplinary researcher affiliated with VU Amsterdam, Suzanne explores experiential methods for climate communication. She is based in Innsbruck, Austria, and brings warmth, creativity, and rigour to every engagement.
Curious? See Suzanne’s longer bio or get in touch!
Megan Evans
Facilitator, Moderator,
Coach
Short bio →
Megan Evans is a professional facilitator dedicated to helping educational institutions, research groups, and individuals to deliver high quality projects, events, workshops and meetings.
Creativity, consensus building and exploring new ways of working are at the heart of her work.
Megan both designs and facilitates meetings and workshops at SciComm Success, and she delivers tailored facilitation training for scientists, researchers, faculty and staff.
Megan is based in Edinburgh and works across Scotland and parts of the UK in person, and worldwide online.
Curious? Get in touch!
Rasheed Ogunlaru
Media Expert &
Coach
Short bio →
Rasheed is our media expert. With a career that spans over 20 years, he often appears in media talking about life, work and relationship issues – including appearances on the BBC and ITV News and quotes in The Times and Guardian – and his own inspiring pilot TV show.
Rasheed is an inspiring seminar leader, speaker and podcaster, adept at helping scientists and researchers nagivate the media maze. Based in London, Rasheed works online worldwide, and locally in person.
Curious? Get in touch!
Dr. Martin Graus
Scientific Advisor &
Workshop Reviewer
Short bio →
Dr. Martin Graus is an atmospheric physicist and since 2014, he has been SciComm Success’s scientific advisor. He’s on hand when we design and develop new programmes and customise workshops, providing expert insights and guidance to ensure that our programmes meet the needs of the scientific community.
Curious? Get in touch!
Simone Lightfoot
Training Designer & Online Workshop Producer
Short bio →
Simone Lightfoot is the wonder woman who helps us design new workshops and she regularly acts as our technical producer for our online workshops. Additionally, she provides much-needed support in our back office, managing diaries, travel, and generally keeping our team doing what they do best: being out and about, training, facilitating and coaching.
Simone is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and she works remotely with workshops and projects worldwide.
Curious? Get in touch!
Associates & partners
Our network of
experts
More →
When a project requires specific subject-matter expertise, skills that we don’t have in-house, or we need more people to support us on large-scale projects, we draw on our network of experts. These include creatives, designers, communicators, trainers, facilitators, coaches, mentors and more.
Working in this way means that we can keep our overheads sensible, whilst being able to draw on an expert network when needed.
Curious? Get in touch!
Why we’re different
Real-world experiences and insights learned from doing this work ourselves.
We’re not actors or “career-trainers”
Our team brings real-world experience as professional communicators, facilitators, moderators, and researchers. Many of us have worked in academia and understand the “publish or perish” pressure, the research culture, and what it takes to connect science to broader audiences.
We specialise in working with diverse, multilingual groups
- Deliver our workshops in English
- Focus on helping people build the practical skills they need for the task at hand
- Always leave participants with tools they can use throughout their careers, in any language or context.
We know what it’s like to view the world from many different perspectives
We're small, agile and adaptable. And we can scale up when needed.
We’re a compact team, but when we’re presented with complex projects that need a larger team or expertise that we don’t have in-house, we draw on our network of associates in Europe and internationally to bring in the skills and brains we need.
We're nice people, fun to work with, and genuinely invested in helping you succeed
Think of us a an extension of your team, there to support you every step of the way for your project, willing to share a few laughs along the way.
“In uncertain times, scientists and researchers play a vital role in helping society learn, adapt, and innovate.
More than ever, we need research organisations and researchers to communicate clearly — to raise awareness, counter misinformation, and create more resilient, informed communities.
That’s why I created SciComm Success, and I’m honoured that this award recognises the work we’re doing.”
Suzanne Whitby, Founder of SciComm Success
Excellence in Furthering Science Communication
European Enterprise Awards, 2024
Why do we do what we do?
First, we’re excited about what researchers in science, technology, engineering, medicine and social sciences are discovering, and we want to help them thrive in their careers.
Second, we believe that the world not only needs science and research but deserves to UNDERSTAND the work that researchers are doing and why it matters – even if the only reason that it seems to matter is, “It’s fascinating!”
The thing is: most researchers are already excellent communicators. After all, writing a paper or a dissertation or a thesis and collaborating with other people to gather and analyse data requires the ability to communicate!
What we know, however, is that few researchers have been lucky enough to have a grounding in how to communicate effectively in all aspects of their careers, and that’s where we come in.
Our training, strategic workshops and event support are all designed to equip researchers, scientists and communicators with the skills they need to communicate effectively, authentically, and with impact in a variety of situations.
What else might be useful to you today?
Expert talks & skills training
Bite-sized sessions or deep dives to strengthen communication skills quickly and effectively.
Retreats & offsite programmes
Bite-sized sessions or deep dives to strengthen communication skills quickly and effectively.
Strategic workshops for teams & leaders
Facilitated planning and strategy workshops for communication teams and science communicators.