Presentation to the Kavli Neurosciences Innovators group, 11/30/17

1. Communicating about
Research & Discovery
Kara Gavin, M.S.
Lead Public Relations Representative,
Michigan Medicine Dept. of Communication
Policy & Research Media Relations, U-M IHPI
News media, social media & beyond

2. Who am I?• Member of Michigan Medicine Dept. of Communication
• Trained in biology, science writing & journalism
• 20+ years’ experience publicizing research (U-M, BNL)
• Find & tell stories
• Handle news media inquiries
• Push stories out any way I can
What do I do?

3. Why does U-M* have staff like me?
• our institution’s work should reach people who care
• U-M expertise can have impact
• taxpayers & policymakers who fund research
need to know what they’re paying for
• most Americans need science/medicine translated
• it’s easier than ever
*and lots of other places too
Because…

4. What do they know about science?
• 71% extremely/very confident: mental illness is a medical
condition affecting the brain (21% somewhat confident)
• 69% extremely/very confident: a genetic code in cells
helps determine who we are (22% somewhat confident)
• 53% extremely/very confident: childhood vaccines are
safe and effective (30% somewhat confident)
• 31% extremely/very confident: life evolved through
natural selection (24% somewhat confident)
AP poll published April 2014; 1,012 adults rated confidence in a scientific concept

5. Are genetically modified foods safe to eat?
Scientists: 88% Public: 37%
Should childhood vaccines be required?
Scientists: 86% Public: 68%
Is research involving animals OK?
Scientists: 89% Public: 47%
Did humans “evolve”?
Scientists: 98% Public: 65%
The survey of the general public was conducted using a probability-based sample of the adult population by landline and
cellular telephone Aug. 15-25, 2014, with a representative sample of 2,002 adults nationwide.
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/29/public-and-scientists-views-on-science-and-society/
Their views vs. scientists’ views

6. An eager audience
National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Indicators 2016

7. Pew Research Center – Sept. 2017
http://www.journalism.org/2017/09/20/science-news-and-information-today/
Where they’re getting science info
Plus: 81% watch
science-related
entertainment
media
(crime dramas,
hospital-based
shows or sci fi)

8. Science & policymakers
• Take aim at ‘wasteful
spending’
• Seize on controversies &
safety lapses
• Staffers may have little
scientific background
• Policy should be based on
evidence

9. Don’t take it from me…
National Academy of
Sciences
Committee on Science
Literacy and Public
Perception of Science
Science Literacy:
Concepts, Contexts, and
Consequences
August 2016

10. “Science literacy for individuals, communities, and
societies emerges at the interface of the knowledge,
attitudes, and motivation of laypeople and the
communicative efforts and trustworthiness of scientists.
The scientific community needs to
take at least partial responsibility
for creating an environment in
which science literacy can thrive. ”

11. 1.8%
98.2%
STEM ~ 5.7M Everyone else ~310M
STEM workforce vs. US population
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsb20161/#/report/chapter-3/u-s-s-e-workforce-definition-size-and-growth

12. What do we do?
• Connect with faculty about upcoming
publications, grants, major events, etc.
• Plan the best communication course
• Write & get feedback on what we write
• Commission or create visuals & videos
• Disseminate content via all appropriate
channels -- including reporters & social media
• Act as intake for media requests
• Coach faculty on media interactions
• Approach reporters with ideas or experts
• Handle “hot button” issues

13. Connect via the media
• Press release/blog post
on research or other work
• Expert opinion
on a topic in your specialty
• Commenting
on research by others
or on a societal/policy issue
• In-depth stories on a weighty topic
• Crisis/problem situations

14. Talking to reporters
• Prepare with PR person
• three key points
• Use layperson’s terms
• avoid jargon
• speak colloquially
• If there’s a press release, use it
• Respect deadlines
• Understand the news outlet
• Respect their independence

15. Use the time AHEAD of publication
The “Scout’s honor”
embargo system
for research news
• Institution/journal reaches
out to reporters a few days ahead
• Reporter agrees not to publish or
broadcast results until a set date/time
• Used by all major journals &
scientific/medical societies

16. A new era of communication
• Traditional news media’s
gatekeeper role is eroding
• Big institutions =
trustworthy news sources
• Everyone’s a publisher

17. Who needs reporters anyway?
• Social media & search
• Institutions & individuals
create & share directly
• Visuals & videos are vital
• Fast response to
controversy

18. News
Media
• Immediate coverage
• Later coverage
• Later expert source
requests
PR
services
• Eurekalert
• Newswise
• PR Newswire
• Futurity
• News aggregators
U-M
outlets
• Record /
Headlines
• Magazines
• Websites & blogs
• Newsletters
• Email: donors,
alumni, others
Social
media
• U-M/UMHS fans
• Shares of our
stories
• Shares of news
coverage
• Reddit, etc.
Publish U-M
content in a
way that
anyone can
freely use
(as long as
they mention us
as the source)
Our Answer:

19. Since spring 2016:
www.michiganhealthlab.org
Reseach & education stories
via Web, Facebook, Twitter & Email
Sister site for health tips & patient stories:
www.michiganhealthblog.org

20. • 1-2 stories a day
• Aimed at sophisticated
general audience
• Easily shareable
• Custom graphics
• Paid social media
promotion
• Search engine
optimization
• Open copyright

21. Researchers using social media
• Connect with others in the field & beyond
• Share new findings, publications, news items,
observations, opinions, timely links
• Retain professional tone while engaging
• Get the most out of conferences & events

22. Creating your personal “brand”

23. Your personal brand…
• NOT a logo
• Must be built, over time
• Comes from the ways you present
yourself to the world…
… and what people can find about you
• Affects how people will interact with
you & your work

24. Why do it?
• Connect with others in your field & beyond
• Raise the visibility of your work
• Share new findings, publications, news items,
observations, opinions, timely links
• Engage with individuals and institutions around
the world & right next door
• Get the most out of conferences & events
• Raise awareness of YOU for career purposes

25. Why else? Altmetrics!
• Aggregating activity around
individual journal articles:
• media coverage
• blog posts
• social media activity
• more
• Traces links & specific mentions
• Assigns a score & percentile
• Not perfect! But getting better

26. Flagel et al
Genetic background and epigenetic modifications
in the core of the nucleus accumbens predict
addiction-like behavior in a rat model
PNAS, April 2016
An example…

27. Jargon = words not in common vocabulary
Words that people in a
given field use exclusively,
or in a different way from
how others use them
“Robust” – an adjective for data?
Or coffee?
“Significant” – passed a statistical threshold?
Or another word for important?
To reach the public, avoid jargon

28. Does it pass the
Thanksgiving Table Test?

29. Communicating with the public
Logical
organization
“You” and
other
pronouns
Active voice
Common,
everyday
words
Short
sentences,
short
paragraphs
Easy-to-read
design
features

30. Every researcher’s essentials
• A robust, updated
professional web profile
• Know your PR person &
when you should contact us
• Basic LinkedIn profile
• Google yourself/set up a
Google alert for your name

31. “Laying low”
• Start by “lurking” – follow
individuals, institutions,
organizations, news media
• Monitor Twitter traffic at
conferences via hashtags
(& use them!)
• Subscribe to lists of Twitter
users compiled by others in your field
• Join LinkedIn groups for professional societies

32. Take it to the next level
• Claim Twitter handle, write a
brief bio & link to your page
• Share links & posts on LinkedIn
• Write a “plain English” web
blurb on your research focus
• Post/tweet about each paper
you publish/talk you give

33. Engaging more fully
• Share links to your
own work & work of others
• Post slide sets on
your site or SlideShare
• Take part in tweet chats, Reddit AMAs, online
campaigns, virtual journal clubs, etc.
• On your personal social media, educate
friends by sharing news/observations

34. Join
• Platform to reach the public on timely topics
• Articles created by academics, shaped by
professional editors
• Open copyright for republishing
• Routinely republished by major media outlets, from
Time and Washington Post to IFL Science
• Easily shared via social media and the web
• Authors can see data on views & republishing

35. I challenge you…
• Speak their
language.
• Don’t just hope
someone else
will do it!
• See it as part of a
research career.

36. I need more help!
Resources for communicating
with press & public
https://www.slideshare.net/KaraGavin
Help with writing in plain English:
www.aaas.org/pes/communicatingscience
Logos, photos, templates
http://med.umich.edu/branding/logos.html
http://mediabank.med.umich.edu/