Harnessing the power of social media | Amy Mollett | University of Cambridge
Release Date: 02/24/2022
Beyond the buzzword: how storytelling can transform research communications
Research Comms
It's the final episode of Research Comms! To mark this momentous moment, Peter takes a trip through six years of archives to explore a topic that has featured prominently throughout the series: Storytelling. With insights from past guests, including Dame Uta Frith, Kat Arney, Will Storr and Jessica Fox, the podcast unpacks why stories have such a hold on our brains and how we can harness that power to craft compelling narratives about research. It also digs into the darker side of storytelling - looking at how stories and rumours can help spread misinformation and mistrust. And looks at how...
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Rewriting the future of dementia: building a community of researchers with a shared purpose | Lucy Wilson | UK Dementia Research Institute
Research Comms
Despite the alarming statistic that 1 in 3 people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime, research into the neurodegenerative disease has historically been underfunded compared with other areas of medical research such as cancer. In this episode of Research Comms, host Peter Barker explores the reasons behind that with Lucy Wilson, Director of Communications and Engagement at the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI), who offers optimistic insight into how the tide is turning. Lucy outlines how the DRI, founded in 2017, was created to address the knowledge gap and boost the...
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Making Sense of Sensemaking: A framework for communications that cut through the noise | Liz Neeley & Ambika Kamath | Liminal
Research Comms
Sensemaking is a powerful communications tool that provides a framework for understanding the world in which we live and shaping the stories that we tell. In this episode of Research Comms, Peter is joined by Liz Neeley and Ambika Kamath, the founding members of science communications collective Liminal, to unpack sensemaking and its potential for navigating complicated issues facing society today. Liz and Ambika share their vision for Liminal as a collective model that brings together professionals across disciplines to transform how research is understood and shared through more impactful...
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How an economic institute's video strategy helped it reach millions of people around the world | Matthew Kulvicki | Institute for New Economic Thinking
Research Comms
It's no secret that video can be one of the most powerful ways of sharing research with audiences online. But creating a successful strategy that will get your videos seen by the right people isn't always so straightforward. One research organisation that has achieved huge levels of public engagement with its own video content is the Institute for New Economic Thinking, or INET. This New York based, nonprofit think tank funds economic research that ‘challenges conventional wisdom and advances ideas to better serve society’. And its incredible library of videos that showcase and...
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Avoiding the Spiral of Silence: The Case for Talking About Climate | Eric Fine | Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Research Comms
Over the past few decades, the evidence to show that climate change is happening, that it’s caused by human activities, and that we need to take urgent action to limit its impact, has gathered at an overhelming rate. But research into the best way to communicate that message has lagged behind. That’s changing, thanks in large part to the work of organisations like the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication In this episode of Research Comms, Peter chats with YPCCC Project Manager, Eric Fine, about his organisation's work to understand public attitudes to climate change, the...
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Generative-AI: Establishing guidelines for how to use it | Amy Mollett, Barney Brown and William Kerslake | University of Cambridge
Research Comms
Generative-AI tools, like ChatGPT, are increasingly embedded in the day-to-day work of research communicators. At the University of Cambridge the senior comms team has published a set of AI guidelines, created in consultation with staff across the university. In this episode of Research Comms, members of the working group that put the guidelines together - Amy Mollett, Barney Brown and William Kerslake - talk about their feelings towards AI, the good and the bad, why they felt they needed to create guidelines for its use, and how the University of Cambridge is currently using AI tools to...
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Trust: how can research communicators earn the trust of the public?
Research Comms
In this episode, host Peter Barker reflects on the unique archive of over fifty Research Comms episodes to bring together insights from those conversations around the theme of trust. Whether we’re discussing vaccine hesitancy, climate scepticism, young people’s engagement with science and scientists or the rise of conspiracy theorists, all of these topics are, at their core, issues of trust. Recognising how essential trust is to public engagement, how can the wider research community earn the trust of the public?
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Changing landscapes: telling stories from Antarctica against a backdrop of climate change and an evolving media | Athena Dinar | British Antarctic Survey
Research Comms
Athena Dinar is Deputy Head of Communications at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) where she’s spent over two decades conveying the captivating magic of Antarctica and the vital research scientists carry out there. In this episode of Research Comms, Athena speaks with us about the shifting narratives surrounding the climate crisis and how digital media has transformed the communications landscape, as well as unpacking BAS’s endeavours to reduce its own carbon footprint while striving towards solutions to preserve the southernmost continent, as well as the wider world.
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Unpacking ‘impact’: What does it mean, and how do you know if you’re achieving it? | Prof. Mark Reed | Fast Track Impact
Research Comms
Professor Mark Reed is a Professor and Research Centre Director at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) as well as the founder and Chief Executive of Fast Track Impact, an organisation that provides researchers with evidence-based tools and training to empower them to use their work to change the world for good. In this episode of Research Comms, Mark helps us define ‘impact’ in the context of research, explains the strategies, methods and tools he encourages researchers to employ when assessing the impact of their work, and highlights the importance of empathy when it comes to...
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How can research-adjacent professionals pave the way for a more collaborative research and innovation ecosystem? | Sarah McLusky | Research-Adjacent Consultant
Research Comms
Sarah McLusky is a Research-Adjacent Trainer and Consultant who works with universities in communications and engagement, education and curriculum enhancement, training STEM ambassadors and organising large scale outreach events, as well as hosting the recently-launched Research Adjacent podcast, among others. In this episode of Research Comms, we shine a light on the army of professionals who make communications in research and innovation happen in the burgeoning space within the sector known as ‘research-adjacent’. We unpack exactly what the term means, why it’s important and how...
info_outlineIn this episode of Research Comms Amy Mollett talks about the exciting early days of blogs and twitter, of her social media work at LSE, of the digital services team in Parliament. Tips for getting started, maintaining digital wellbeing and tracking what’s important abound.