Science Communications

Why is it that some scientists seem to have an easy time getting the ear of policymakers? When it comes to engaging decision-makers, we’ve told you to find the story in your science, to prepare yourself to answer the “So what?” and to keep it simple but not lose the details. But how do you get involved in that initial conversation in the first place? More specifically, how do you get involved in the RIGHT conversation? The one where you have a willing and interested audience who want to talk about what you actually know?

When you stand up and speak out – to the media, or policymakers, or you write an opinion piece or blog post – it is like a drop of water hitting the surface. It sends out ripples with unexpected repercussions – often, good ones. Doors may swing open, new opportunities may arise. You will meet new people and make new connections. Yet there are also challenges.

Editor's Note: Kendra Klein recently published a long-form piece in The Nation about her work with hospitals interested in serving sustainably produced food. We asked her to explain how the article came about so other Fellows could benefit from her experience.

We have compiled a list of excellent blogs based on what Fellows are reading regularly. Don't see your favorite on the list? Drop us a line and we'll add it!

This weekend, Erica Goldman and I traveled to a town outside of Boston to deliver a communications workshop for the 2012 New England Switzer Fellows. The fellows are in the midst of their graduate educations, and have diverse backgrounds – they are law students, representatives of NGOs, interdisciplinary and field scientists – all within the realm of environmental sustainability.

For several years now we have highlighted communications trainings by COMPASS in our fall retreats. COMPASS helps scientists communicate their work in a concise, lively manner that will get the attention of non-scientists including journalists and policymakers.

COMPASS trainers spend a lot of time at our retreats talking about simlifying your communications without dumbing them down. One quick way to do this is to make your writing simpler, clearer, and more accessible to a lay audience. This can be difficult when you spend most of your time writing for an advanced scientific audience, so let's get back to basics and look at an expert's advice on how to write clear sentences.

Learn about tools that can help you work and collaborate effectively in the cloud, and explore some workflows that have worked for others. Originally broadcast: July 9, 2012.