From Curiosity to Award-Winning Science Communication

Folding the First Crease: Taking the Leap

Chenying’s engagement journey began with writing about the intersection of origami and mathematics. Without formal training, she refined her communication skills through feedback and iteration. Public engagement with research, she found, also helped her gain confidence in verbal communication, especially as a non-native English speaker. “Engaging with the public continuously refined my ability to explain complex ideas,” she reflected, “which, in turn, helped my academic presentations.” 

Expanding the Pattern: Embracing Opportunities

Building on her early success, Chenying explored different formats, including video formats. Her Oxford Sparks video on origami robotics unexpectedly connected her with researchers from other universities. “Someone contacted me online about the idea of origami based deployable parachute,” she recalled. “You can try to communicate your research with them and try to find the overlapping areas and initiate some collaboration,” she continued, underlining how public engagement doesn’t just help grow public awareness of science - it also fosters collaborations between scientists. This realisation reinforced the broader benefits of communicating science beyond outreach.

Origami in Motion: Confidence and Recognition

Public engagement helped Chenying grow as a researcher. By regularly discussing her work in accessible ways, she became more confident presenting in high-stakes academic situations, including her DPhil viva. This experience gave her the confidence to apply for the British Science Festival Award Lecture, even while writing her thesis. “The application process was manageable, so I went for it,” she said.

Winning the Josh Award: The Next Chapter

In 2024, Chenying received the Josh Award for Science Communication for her project Sustainable Origami: Art, Robotics, Construction, and Space Exploration. This initiative combined hands-on activities with arts and cutting-edge science, allowing audiences to create origami-based flapping birds, decorative flowers, deployable shelters, and space solar panels from recycled materials. The project will help Chenying to engage with a wider audience through science festivals and discovery centres across the UK. Her ability to merge creativity with scientific communication continues to inspire new audiences.

Final Thoughts: A Journey of Growth

Now a postdoctoral researcher, Chenying is continuing to engage the public with her unique work, including leading an origami workshop at the Cheltenham Science Festival on 8 June 2025. This also brings a new challenge that Chenying is grasping enthusiastically. “I’ve done a little engagement with school children before, but with this festival you never know who is coming to your workshop.” She explained. “But I’ll just go for it.” Her story proves that public engagement doesn’t require a perfect plan - just a willingness to start. Her advice? “Just give it a go. Start light, see how you feel, and build from there.”

Lessons for Researchers: Start, Learn, Grow

Chenying’s journey offers key takeaways for researchers:

Start small – Writing an article, giving a short talk, or making a short video is a great first step.

Engagement builds skills – Confidence grows with practice and iteration.

Public engagement benefits academia – It enhances communication and fosters unexpected collaborations.

Say yes to opportunities – Many arise through university networks and informal conversations.

There’s no perfect time – Engagement can fit around research and even enhance it.