The 6^th Annual SWAT symposium will open with a plenary session lecture on "Distilling your message", a session designed to teach learners how to communicate scientific information in terms that non-scientists can understand.  This type of communication is critical to basic scientisits and researchers in order to communicate with non-scientists and colleagues in other disciplines in order to to simulate interest in their work, help with funding opportunities, and creating collaboration across disciplines.  Likewise, health care workers (including physicians) will learn who to communicate medical informatioin as well as improving overall communications skills with patients, their families, colleagues, and the public.