The University of Montreal in Canada is primarily a French language institution. Credit: Marc Bruxelle / Getty
English is my mother tongue, so for a long time I never had to think about talking about science in a different language – something that many researchers have to do every day. But my privilege was violated in July 2020 when I started my research group as a junior lecturer at the University of Montreal, a French language institution in Quebec, Canada. I now communicate every day in both English and French: during meetings with colleagues and collaborators; in interaction with interns in commissions and exams; when writing scholarships and teaching; and for administrative tasks.
When I moved to Montreal after my postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, I had a solid but rusty foundation in French grammar and vocabulary. I took French lessons as a child in Ontario, Canada, and as a student from 2010 to 2012, but there was much room for improvement.
For the last two years, I have been communicating science in French to a wide audience, the wider scientific community and university graduates. I believe that learning how to communicate science effectively in a language other than English has helped me become a better scientific communicator in general.
Don’t be afraid to try
Explaining my research to a wide audience in a second language proved to be a challenge. But with practice and constant opportunities, I began to find support. For example, shortly after I started at the University of Montreal, I interviewed in French about my research projects and goals for a blog at a university-related hospital. It was a great opportunity, but also a great test of my skills.
I learned to keep training and to have confidence in myself and my abilities. It is important not to be afraid to make mistakes or ask for help. The main goal is to clearly convey a message that is not the same as articulating with perfect grammar or pronunciation all the time.
I am constantly given new opportunities for scientific communication in French. These include teaching concepts in my field of computational human genomics to students (and perhaps soon to students) and preparing and marking homework and exam questions. During my first term in 2022, I taught my first diplomas in French. This will help me streamline the content and formulate key messages in a engaging and consistent way, as suggested by the feedback and presentation of students during class activities and homework.
Success factors
I have also encountered difficult tasks, in particular learning French jargon specific to the field and translating slides, abstracts, course materials, etc. In addition to these academic challenges, you have to deal with administrative and managerial responsibilities in a second language (including ordering laboratory equipment, filling out forms for student dissertation committees, and completing ethical protocol requirements).
It has not always been easy or convenient to incorporate French into my professional life. However, starting with a good foundation gave me a big advantage, even though I’m still learning. Here are some other factors that have allowed me to make significant progress on the path to communicating science in French.
Strong support system. The university has an individual training program to help teachers who do not speak French in their communication, professionally or in everyday life. The program is flexible and structured around the schedule and needs of the teacher. I am very grateful to my French teacher, to my colleagues who speak French as a first language, and to the members of my research team. They constantly provide me with a safe and supportive space for communication by editing my written work, giving feedback on my conference presentations, and helping me navigate administrative tasks. They were my cheerleaders, they encouraged me throughout the process.
Desire to learn. I appreciate the value of using a second language, which gives me a strong sense of motivation to keep learning and improving.
Many opportunities for practice. Montreal is a bilingual city (French and English) and has many opportunities to use both languages professionally and in everyday life.
Despite the challenges, speaking and writing about science in a language other than English helped me communicate more effectively with the general and scientific public and proved to be rewarding!
This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and tips. Guest publications are encouraged.
Competitive interests
The author declares that there are no competing interests.
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