May 1, 2015

Media Communications Workshop 2014

Article by Anna Manko, (postdoctoral fellow, Buret lab, University of Calgary)

On the afternoon of May 1st, 2015, the Host Parasite Interactions (HPI) group held a workshop, “Media communications training for researchers.” This workshop was facilitated by two former journalists, Karen Owen who worked twenty years with CTV and Collene Ferguson, formerly of CBC news and now Manager – Marketing and Communications at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The purpose of this event was to teach the HPI trainees how to appropriately give a media interview or written article about their research and aimed at a non-scientific audience.

The first topic was dedicated to the process of how to build a successful television/internet story: it should contain the interview, plus video and photos that describe your story within a couple minutes. We were also told that we should ensure that the information is significant, interesting, and clear for the potential audience.  It was also suggested that it is best not to use metaphors, but if you have to use them, they should be very clear. The take-home message was to present something about what you do/work with that is visually interesting and significant.

The second topic was related to the press release. For scientists, it is very important to know how to publish research results in the most effective manner. First of all, the headline is very important – it needs to grab the attention and pique the interest of the audience – make them want to read it. Also be sure that this information is scientifically new and interesting. The main point being when you write a short review for a wide audience, you want to make a big impression, ensuring people are not confused and it is interesting. It was recommended that you practice with your friends and/or co-workers beforehand for their input.

The third part of workshop was dedicated to Karen and Collene individually interviewing each of the workshop participants. Each participant was allotted two minutes to present their research in easygoing manner, in order to be clear for those whose field is not science. After all participants had completed their interview, the group was able to watch the recording to see both the strong points and the areas that need correcting. For me, it was a really useful skill to practice.

HPI workshop participants would like to thank Karen Owen and Collene Ferguson for the generosity of their time and helpful information. This type of workshop will be very beneficial to develop and build new skills that could significantly increase our career opportunities and promote our research.  Also thanks to HPI trainee, Brad van Paridon (PhD student in Dr. Gillard’s lab) for organizing the workshop.