Tell Your Story: Strengthening Scientific Engagement and Welfare Leadership among Animal Technologists

Animal Technologists (ATs) are vital in the scientific community, offering crucial expertise in animal care, welfare, and experimental procedures. As projects become more complex, there is an increasing opportunity for ATs to engage actively in scientific projects, decision-making, and collaborative research processes. Unfortunately, many ATs may feel that their professional background is insufficient or may not consistently recognise the significant scientific value of their daily activities. These perceptions can result in missed opportunities for personal and professional growth, and for advancing Refinement and Reduction initiatives within and outside their establishments.

In developing the resource, we took into account commonly reported barriers to ATs engagement in scientific communication and collaboration, including perceptions of role boundaries and confidence in interactions with researchers and management. We describe the development of a practical resource designed to support ATs' self-awareness, confidence, and engagement in scientific discussions by helping them articulate their expertise clearly and effectively. The resources were evaluated during "Tell Your Story" workshops.

Feedback from the workshops was consistently positive. Participants reported increased confidence in recognising and communicating the scientific value of their work, as well as improved engagement in scientific discussions and collaboration.

By integrating an understanding of the challenges with practical tools and clear strategies, ATs can fully adopt their roles as knowledgeable scientific contributors and welfare advocates. This enables ATs to confidently share their expertise, advance their careers, enhance research quality and reproducibility, support the 3Rs principles, and strengthen the culture of care within a more collaborative and inclusive scientific research environment.