Advice from Useful Science on how to build your own science communication platform. These slides were presented as part of the keynote address at ComSciCon Pacific Northwest 2019. Useful Science is a website and podcast run by volunteers that delivers accurate and reliable summaries of scientific research to the general public.

1. Steps to Building Your Own Sci-Comm Platform
Maryse Thomas
Director, Useful Science
PhD Candidate, McGill University

2. Usefulness
Accuracy
The “usefulness” curve in scientific reporting
Bad reporting,
sensationalized
headlines
Primary research
articles
Pop
science Press
releases
Sweet
spot

3. Lecturing
Telling facts
Debunking
Painting science as
detached & objective
Ridicule
Pointing out what
someone needs to change
Asking questions
Storytelling
Explaining
Revealing the human and
emotional side of science
Empathy
Finding out what someone
wants to change
PNAS2017
Slate

4. Recommended reading
• “Accurate science or accessible science in the media: Why not both?” Jackson,
Mahar, Altosaar & Gaultois, The Conversation
• “Opinion: Finding the plot in science storytelling in hopes of enhancing science
communication” Martinez-Conde & Macknick, PNAS 2017
• “Narrative Style Influences Citation Frequency in Climate Change Science” Hillier,
Kelly, & Klinger, PLOS ONE 2016
• “Communicating the science of climate change” Somerville & Hassol, Physics Today
2011
• “Exaggerations and Caveats in Press Releases and Health-Related Science News”
Sumner et al., PLOS ONE 2016
• “The association between exaggeration in health related science news and
academic press releases: retrospective observational study” Sumner et al., BMJ,
2014

5. 8 steps to building a sci-comm platform
1. Find an unmet need
2. Determine your audience
3. Choose a format and communication style
4. Set goals and include measures to evaluate them
5. Build a team
6. Engage with social media
7. Seek collaborations
8. Make real-world connections

6. 1. Find an unmet need
Usefulness
Accuracy
Sweet
spot
DIVERSITY
INCLUSIVITY
ACCESSIBILITY
INTERDISCIPLINARITY

7. 2. Determine your audience
Practice active listening and qualitative/motivational interviewing
Students Lay public Scientists Policymakers

8. 3. Choose a format and communication style
Written Audio Video
Data-driven Illustrated
What expertise will
you need?
And how can you use
storytelling in each?

9. Some brief podcast tips
• Get a good microphone!
• Be consistent
• Invest time in developing
relevant skills
Radiolab’s Story Board
Resources
Cast (free to try)
Simplecast (Hosting)

10. 4. Set goals and include measures to evaluate them
• # of people reached?
• # publications?
• $ raised?
• # of people trained?
*If your goal is to start a business or be profitable, look for advice
outside of academia: startup accelerators/incubators

11. 5. Build a team
Non-selective model:
Say yes to everyone
Selective model:
Employ a stringent
selection process
Journalism model:
Contributors pitch ideas
that can be accepted or
rejected
Number of
permanent
contributors
Time spent
Recruiting/
onboarding
Time spent
managing
Retention
rate

12. 5. Build a team – and show them your gratitude
• Offer opportunities for recognition
• Offer opportunities to develop new skills
• Letters of recommendation
• Ask for their feedback – and act on it

13. 6. Engage with
social media
#scicomm, #phdchat,
#PhDSupport, #AcademicTwitter,
#MarginSci, #FirstgenSTEM,
#WomenInSTEM
@iamscicomm, @realscientists,
@biotweeps

14. 7. Seek collaborations
University/InstitutionPersonal Network Sci-comm groups

15. 8. Make real-world connections
Attend or organize: Networking sessions, Community activities,
Workshops, Training sessions, Meetups, Conferences
You never know who is going to be in the audience!
Spell Your Science Workshop, McGill 2018 FORCE2018 Conference, Montreal

16. Free online tools
Project management
• Trello, Airtable
• Slack, Google Groups
Merchandise/Profits
• Threadless, Redbubble
• Patreon
Finding contributors
• SciComm Board, Idealist
Website
• Google Analytics & Search Console
• Wufoo (contact forms)
Social media and marketing
• Tweetdeck, Buffer, Mailchimp
• Canva (Design tool)
• Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay (No-strings
attached stock photos)