Too often, focusing on adult learning is sidelined as unnecessary introspection. This belief rests on the view that the experience of learning as a child somehow equips one to teach in future. This is nonsensical, especially as research shows adults learn differently from children. Conveying information so that it is understood and retained is not an intuitive skill. Applying the principles of adult learning to presentations means you stand a much better chance of getting your message out accurately— and acted upon.
Over the past six months, I’ve been honored to work with the advising team at the Science Philanthropy Alliance. The Alliance works to increase philanthropic support for basic science. They focus on discovery science, which is that early-stage scientific research that lays the foundation for, well, the COVID vaccine, the healing of the ozone layer, and diagnosing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. One of the topics that the Alliance team is focused on a climate science.
This is a story about $5-7 million investment in climate science that happened as a result of a deep dive into adult learning and behavioral science. Their story is one that any expert presenter can relate to. It shows the power of adult learning to change the world.
Philanthropy advisors at the Alliance have deep experience advising on a range of topics, both in life and physical sciences, including climate science. Often the advisee has a deep science background. With the rise of climate related events in the news, a different audience has asked for climate science information— philanthropists who are completely new to climate philanthropy and who require a unique level and type of advising.
Here’s how the Alliance developed a climate philanthropy presentation tailored to these newcomers.
First, climate science is vast and complex. Unsurprisingly, those new to it often feel overwhelmed by the many options to contribute to climate solutions. Given the Alliance’s expertise in basic science, the team decided their role would be to clarify basic science priorities and help prospective funders find their philanthropic focus. As Senior Director of Philanthropic Advising Sue Merrilees explained, “Everyone wants their funding to have the most impact possible, but it’s not always easy predicting chances for a breakthrough, especially in discovery science. Explaining that complexity is a balancing act.”
What the Alliance team wanted to avoid was the classic “novice/expert” problem. That’s where the expert presentation goes over the head of the novice, leaving them wide-eyed and silent. We see that a lot in the sciences. Alliance Research Analyst Andrew Golnar, Ph.D. noted: “The last thing we want to hear is, “This is way too complicated! We can’t take this on now.”
The team adopted a more accessible, audience-centered approach. In June, they spent a day diving deep into adult learning, behavior change, and presentation development for ideas on how to revamp not only the climate slide deck but also some of their other presentations. The training amplified the team’s natural strengths, creating an approach designed to be more engaging and supportive for beginner audiences.
Key takeaways included:
- Use pre-reads and exercises to engage the audience before the presentation.
- Make learning effortful but not overwhelming to improve retention.
- Make the slide deck support the presentation, not be the presentation
- Elicit positive emotions to encourage decisiveness and action.
The Alliance team enriched their presentation by incorporating evocative imagery and emotionally resonant sections, making the science of climate philanthropy accessible and inspiring to a broader audience. Recognizing that negative emotions can be paralyzing, they emphasized the hopeful potential of basic science as a transformative force.
One way the team lifted up hopeful stories is through examples of basic discoveries that have leapfrogged costly or time-consuming technologies, emphasizing that while the path of exploration is uncertain, it is both exciting and essential. They included a success story about a long-running research station that tracked atmospheric data and detected changes in the ozone layer. This research attributed the changes to human emissions, sounding an alarm that led to an international ban on CFCs. Today, the ozone layer is healing—a rare hopeful story in climate change.
The team also simplified the content of the original presentation dedicating only one-third of the slides to the science itself, increasing information about science philanthropy to help put the science into a philanthropic context. They highlighted how little—less than 4%—of philanthropic dollars currently go to climate causes.
The redesigned presentation deepened the team’s connection with the audience, sparking meaningful dialogue and supporting real-time insights through interactive elements. They concluded the climate slide deck by determining next steps, addressing common obstacles to giving and how their advisory services help remove or reduce these barriers.
As for the Alliance’s new presentation’s impact, prospective funders found focus in several key areas. The advising team is now preparing sample portfolios for review, with a planned commitment of $5–7 million to climate science beginning in 2025—a testament to the power of an accessible, impactful approach.
With gratitude to Sue Merrilees and the SPA team for giving me permission to share their story!