Last week, I attended the 54^th International Symposium on High Performance Liquid Phase Separations and Related Techniques (HPLC2025) that took place in Bruges, Belgium. This conference is one of the most important in the analytical sciences community.

As a separation scientist, it’s one of my go-to events when it comes to scientific content, but it’s also the place where I reconnect with people who have contributed to my professional and personal growth – from my PhD supervisors and colleagues from Switzerland to my current Amsterdam network, via collaborators and scientific friends met along the way.

This time, attending the conference felt different. It was my first HPLC in years, and also the first time I co-organized two full sessions on career preparation. These included a career insights presentation, a panel discussion featuring PhDs working in different fields, and a speed-dating interview session between job seekers and company recruiters. The two sessions were a big success, which didn’t surprise me; we knew that career preparation was an important topic for PhD students and postdocs, a topic still quite rare at conferences and not well covered in academia.

A shift in scientific influence: beyond the h-index

What I didn’t expect was the number of people who came to tell me how much they enjoyed my posts on LinkedIn, sharing what they found insightful and useful. In every conversation, the word “LinkedIn” popped up. These comments came from people I already knew, but also from scientists I had never met in person – people who follow my account and read my posts. Even more surprisingly, it wasn’t only early-career researchers – my main audience – but also senior scientists, media partners, and company exhibitors from a wide range of backgrounds.

What started as a hobby a few years ago has now become a major part of my professional identity. What I thought would be just a fun outlet, a diversion, and a way to express myself has turned into a way to educate, empower, and make a real impact – and to be taken seriously doing so.

This experience highlighted something I hadn’t fully appreciated: we’re living through a shift in how scientific influence works. Even though traditional metrics like h-index and citation counts still matter, there’s a growing recognition that impact can be measured in different ways – through the conversations you start, the minds you change, and the communities you build. For early-career researchers especially, who often feel trapped by the pressure to publish or perish, science communication offers another pathway to professional recognition and meaningful contribution.

6 tips when starting science communication

Are you considering building your science communication practice? Here are a few pointers to help you begin:

1. Start small and authentic. You don’t need a large platform. Begin by sharing your research process, insights, or challenges on LinkedIn, another social medium, or a blog. Authenticity builds trust and connection more than polished perfection. Post regularly, even if it isn’t frequently – consistency matters more than going viral.
2. Choose your medium. I’m a writer, and despite the number of people telling me I should consider video – this is not for me. So find what works for you – videos, reels, short or long posts, blogs, infographics, comics, public speaking.
3. Adapt to your audience. Whether you’re addressing fellow scientists, policymakers, or students, tailor your message. Ditch jargon when needed. A well-chosen analogy or simple visual can communicate more than technical terms.
4. Experiment and learn. Don’t wait until you feel like an “expert” to start communicating your work. It’s by making mistakes and listening to feedback that you will finetune your message and learn how to convey it more effectively.
5. Make it yours. Just because someone else gives great TED Talks or has hundreds of thousands of followers doesn’t mean you have to follow the same recipe. Think about what kind of impact you want to make. Over the years, I’ve realized I can have far more impact through my posts and columns than through traditional academic communication – so I’ve chosen to focus on that.
6. Turn it into a conversation. Science communication is not a monologue – this is especially important for early-career researchers who benefit enormously from building professional networks. See it as a conversation: respond to comments, ask questions, and connect with others. Engage with other science communicators, share their work, and build relationships. The more you interact authentically, the more your impact grows, and the stronger your professional network becomes.

Science communication doesn’t have to follow a specific format or formula. It’s a tool to share, connect, and amplify your impact beyond journal articles and conference presentations. Whether your goal is to educate, advocate, or simply connect, it’s worth investing time and thought into how you communicate your science. And who knows? It might even become one of the most rewarding parts of your professional journey.