Research Comms

Join us at Research Unravelled

Peter Barker — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0500

Come and listen to our new podcast, Research Unravelled.

We'll be digging into the complexity that lies at the heart of research communication and hearing from expert practitioners about how they navigate or unravel that complexity.

Research Unravelled is hosted by Peter Barker and brought to you by Orinoco Communications - the creative agency where we specialise in helping research organisations to tell their stories and give their research the reach it deserves.

In addition to his monthly conversations with experts Peter will also be joined by colleague and co-host, Bianca Winter, for bonus episodes where they will respond to listeners' comments and questions and discuss the latest news from the world of research comms.

Research Unravelled

Beyond the buzzword: how storytelling can transform research communications

Peter Barker — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:30:00 -0500

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 certain narratives can shape public attitudes to emerging technologies like AI.

This is the last episode of Research Comms in its current form but we'll be back later this year with a brand new podcast dedicated to the art and science of communicating research. Watch this space!

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Rewriting the future of dementia: building a community of researchers with a shared purpose | Lucy Wilson | UK Dementia Research Institute

Peter Barker — Mon, 27 May 2024 17:18:00 -0500

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 dementia research workforce across multiple UK universities. In doing so, the institute has brought together researchers from across diverse disciplines, collectively enabling a better understanding of dementia and the brain.

This 'hub and spoke' model is not without its comms challenges, and Lucy shares her insights into how her team and their key initiatives help foster a shared sense of the DRI's purpose.

If you're a listener of the podcast, we'd love to connect!

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Show links:

UK Dementia Research Institute

The Montessori Child

Making Sense of Sensemaking: A framework for communications that cut through the noise | Liz Neeley & Ambika Kamath | Liminal

Peter Barker — Wed, 01 May 2024 09:00:00 -0500

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 and contextualised communication.

🤝 Connect with us

If you're a listener of the podcast we'd love to connect!

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Liminal

Wrigley Storymakers Program

How an economic institute's video strategy helped it reach millions of people around the world | Matthew Kulvicki | Institute for New Economic Thinking

Peter Barker — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:21:00 -0500

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 elevate those ideas have reached millions of people around the world. In this episode of Research Comms, Peter talks to Matthew Kulvicki, INET's Director of Video, about what has made the institute's approach to video such a success. 🤝 Connect with us If you're a listener of the podcast we'd love to connect!

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📕 Book of the month

Sidney Lumey, Making Movies

Avoiding the Spiral of Silence: The Case for Talking About Climate | Eric Fine | Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Peter Barker — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0500

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 ‘spiral of silence’ that can happen when we make assumptions about people's beliefs, the 'SASSY' public opinion survey, the power of segmentation for crafting tailored messages, and how to find optimism at at time when reality can seem so bleak. Connect If you're a listener of the podcast we'd love to connect!

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Generative-AI: Establishing guidelines for how to use it | Amy Mollett, Barney Brown and William Kerslake | University of Cambridge

Peter Barker — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:06:00 -0500

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 communicate research.

Links:

Trust: how can research communicators earn the trust of the public?

Peter Barker — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

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?

Changing landscapes: telling stories from Antarctica against a backdrop of climate change and an evolving media | Athena Dinar | British Antarctic Survey

Peter Barker — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0500

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.

Unpacking ‘impact’: What does it mean, and how do you know if you’re achieving it? | Prof. Mark Reed | Fast Track Impact

Peter Barker — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0500

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 designing research and maximising its benefits for the good of wider society.

How can research-adjacent professionals pave the way for a more collaborative research and innovation ecosystem? | Sarah McLusky | Research-Adjacent Consultant

Peter Barker — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0500

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 to achieve greater recognition for those professionals, as well as best practices for evaluating the success of research-adjacent endeavours.

Fusion energy: how to prepare the world for transformative technology | Celestine Cheong | UK Atomic Energy Authority

Peter Barker — Thu, 04 May 2023 04:24:00 -0500

Celestine Cheong is Head of External Communications at the UK Atomic Energy Authority. In this episode of Research Comms she talks about the work of UKAEA to push for the delivery of sustainable fusion energy, about the challenges of communicating science that is at times, very complex, and about managing public expectations around the development of technologies that have the potential to transform society.

LINKS

How can we improve public understanding of artificial intelligence to ensure it works for all? | Sophie McIvor | Alan Turing Institute

Peter Barker — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:48:00 -0500

Sophie McIvor is the Director of Communications and Engagement at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. She has been in the role since the Institute opened in 2015 and is spearheading its new strategy focused on public engagement with AI.

In this episode of Research Comms we discuss why the public needs to be engaging with emerging technologies like AI, how people have more power than they think when it comes to influencing the progression of such technologies, and the importance of participatory research.

LINKS

https://www.turing.ac.uk/

Attitudes of young people to science | Katherine Mathieson | British Science Association

Peter Barker — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:25:00 -0500

In March 2022 the British Science Association published a report examining the attitudes of young people in the UK to science. In this episode of the Research Comms podcast, the BSA’s outgoing Chief Executive, Katherine Mathieson, talks about the reports findings, speculating on why young people do not feel sufficiently engaged with science, the impact of the Covid pandemic on their appetite for science, and why now is a golden opportunity for us to rework young people’s relationship with science.

What can we learn from the Covid pandemic about crisis communications? | Glen Nowak | Grady College

Peter Barker — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:23:00 -0500

It's been more than two years since the Covid pandemic took hold. And although it may have more surprises in store for us, there is hope that the worst has passed.

So now seems a good time to start thinking about what lessons we can learn from the experience to better prepare us for future pandemics and public health crises.

How we communicate the science, risk and recommendations is one of the most critical things to get right.

Glen Nowak spent 14 years working at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) where he was director of media relations and director of communications for its National Immunization Program.

Today he is a professor of advertising and public relations at Grady College, where he also manages their new Center for Health and Risk Communication.

In this episode we talk about:

- Glen's take on how well organisations like the CDC have done over the past two years

- the core concepts that underpin crisis communications

- the importance of documenting research during crises

- the special challenges of a virus with unexpected longevity and messaging around the inevitable unknowns

Growing your community on Linkedin | Laura Hannan | Pitch121

Peter Barker — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 10:54:00 -0500

In this episode of Research Comms, Laura Hannan shares the wisdom that she’s gleaned from 15 years of experience on Linkedin and gives her top tips on how communicators can make the most out of the platform to grow their network and drive engagement with their organisation’s research.

Harnessing the power of social media | Amy Mollett | University of Cambridge

Peter Barker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 09:25:00 -0500

In 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.

Communicating research for the development sector and NGOs | Suzanne Fisher-Murray | Christian Aid

Peter Barker — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 11:23:00 -0500

In this episode of Research Comms, Suzanne Fisher-Murray talks about the differences between communicating research in the development sector and academia, the power of radio for sharing stories and influencing behaviour, what truly participatory communications look like and the value of creating personas for strategic communication with communities that care.

Telling stories about innovation | Ashley Jennings | Texas Innovation Center

Peter Barker — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 10:53:00 -0500

Managing Director of the Texas Innovation Center, Ashley Jennings, talks about the thriving innovation and startup scene in Austin (and across Texas) and how the innovation center is helping transform great ideas into valuable products. A big part of that is training founders in how to tell their stories in a compelling way, to raise awareness, generate interest in their technology or product, and to build relationships of trust with funders and future customers.

Is 'data sonification' the new frontier for science communication? |Matt Russo | System Sounds

Peter Barker — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 11:16:21 -0500

Matt Russo is an astrophysicist, musician and sonification specialist. He teaches physics at the University of Toronto and has toured schools with sonifications that bring parts of the universe to life. He founded the sci-art project SYSTEM sounds, through which he works with NASA to sonify data collected in and about the cosmos.

In this episode of Research Comms Matt Russo talks about what sonification is, the skills required to create sonifications, his work engaging students with data about the universe through sonification, and the musical solar systems that Pythagoras and Kepler were looking for.

How to read statistics (and knowing when to trust them) |Tom Chivers

Peter Barker — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:01:24 -0500

Tom is science editor for the digital news magazine UnHerd. His writing has featured in The Guardian, Telegraph, New Scientist and BuzzFeed. He covers an array of subjects, mostly science, but he also delves into politics, foreign affairs, sport, culture wars - pretty much anything that piques his interest. He's won two statistical excellence in journalism awards from the Royal Statistical Society, but he's not stopping there. He wants all journalists and consumers of news to share his appreciation for numbers and to learn how to use them.

In this episode of Research Comms Tom Chivers talks about the media during the pandemic, about the pre-requisites for journalism and the tension between attracting a readership and writing serious news stories and he discusses his book How to Read Numbers: A Guide to Statistics in the News (and Knowing When to Trust Them)

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

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LINKS

Tom’s website
Tom’s work on UnHerd
How to Read Numbers: A Guide to Stats in the News (and Knowing When to Trust Them)

Creating new narratives around Artificial Intelligence |Dr Kanta Dihal| Global AI Narratives Project

Peter Barker — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0500

This week’s guest on the Research Comms podcast is Dr Kanta Dihal, a Senior Research Fellow at Cambridge University’s Leverhulme Centre for Future Intelligence, where she runs 'Global AI Narratives', a project exploring the many ways in which artificial intelligence is perceived by cultures around the world.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

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LINKS

The art of data visualization | Stefanie Posavec and Miriam Quick

Peter Barker — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0500

This week’s guests are data designer, Stefanie Posavec, and data journalist, Miriam Quick. We talk about their new book, about how constraints can encourage creativity, and they give their tips on how researchers and communicators can improve their own data visualizations.

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Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

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LINKS

To buy the book ‘I am a book, I am a portal to the universe’

How to create effective online public engagement events | Dr. Jamie Gallagher

Peter Barker — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Dr. Jamie Gallagher is a science communication and evaluation expert. In early 2020 Jamie’s freelance schedule, which was dominated by live workshops, talks and events all over the world, emptied.

In this interview I talk to Jamie about how he pivoted to take his science communication business online and how he’s been helping others navigate that transition to our new virtual world.

We also discuss his pre-pandemic career in science communication and how he made that transition from scientist to public engagement professional.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

Jamie's Website

Jamie on Twitter

Curiosity Box

Animal Research Nexus - Psychic Fish

Communicating the biggest story of our times | Alex Buxton | University of Oxford

Peter Barker — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0500

This week’s guest on the Research Comms podcast is Alex Buxton, Head of Strategic Communications at the University of Oxford. We discuss what it was like to be parachuted into his role just after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and to do so at a time when the University was involved in one of the biggest news stories of our times - the race to develop a vaccine to combat the disease.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

How to combat the 'crisis of science communications' | Prof. Andy Miah | University of Salford

Peter Barker — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 06:30:00 -0500

This week’s guest is Professor Andy Miah - Chair in Science Communication and Future Media at the University of Salford. In our conversation we discuss how best to engage people with unfamiliar technological advances, why it’s so important for all academics and researchers to have some kind of a public presence, as well as delving into what Prof. Miah means when he says that we’re undergoing a crisis of science communication.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communication

www.orinococomms.com

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LINKS

Andy Miah’s website
You can follow Prof. Miah on Linkedin, Twitter, TikTok

Going viral on Tik Tok with vaccine video content | Dr. Anna Blakney

Peter Barker — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0500

This week’s guest is Dr. Anna Blakney, a vaccine scientist and recent viral sensation on the social media platform, TikTok, where her videos about vaccines have racked up millions of views since she started creating them just a few months ago, gaining her hundreds of thousands of followers.

She uses her platform to teach people about the Covid-19 vaccines as part of an initiative called Project Halo that was set up last year by the UN and the Vaccine Confidence Project, with the goal of giving the public a better understanding of how the Covid vaccines were developed.

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

For more info about our video abstracts service:

Orinoco Video Abstracts

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LINKS

#BlackInSciComm Week and STEM diversity | Raven Baxter aka Raven the Science Maven

Peter Barker — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:39:24 -0500

This week’s guest is Raven Baxter, aka Raven the Science Maven.

Raven is a molecular biologist and science communicator who, as well as sharing her love of science with the world, is also a huge champion of greater diversity in the STEM sector. One of the most notable ways that she’s challenge stereotypical ideas of what a scientists should look and act like is a rap song that she recorded and produced a video for called Big Ole Geeks.

She also recently gave a TEDX talk about the narrow way in which scientists are represented in the media and the damaging effect that the lack of representation of Black and other minority groups in the STEM world is having on Black people who are trying to forge careers as scientists, and also on the STEM sector as a whole.

Her latest venture is as lead organiser of #BlackInSciComm Week that starts on Sunday 4th October and runs until 10th October 2020. As we hear from Raven, it’s been created as an opportunity for Black science communicators to recentre themselves after the traumatic events of past months, to amplify existing Black scicommers and to provide support and training for new, upcoming Black communicators of science.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

#BlackInSciComm Twitter

BlackInSciComm website

Raven The Science Maven website

Raven's 'You Don't Look Like a Scientist!' TEDx talk

Big Ole Geeks music video

How to build an engaged community | Dr Susanna L Harris

Peter Barker — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 05:00:00 -0500

This week’s guest is Dr Susanna L Harris, a former microbiologist turned science communicator. Susanna has been developing a large, engaged community of followers on social media ever since she started PhD Balance, an organisation that she set up in 2018 to address the needs of graduate students who are experiencing problems with their mental health.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

To find out more about our new video abstract service go here: http://orinococomms.com/vid-abstracts

The future of research conferences

Peter Barker — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 05:00:00 -0500

COVID has meant that scientific conferences, as we’ve previously known them, have ceased to exist.

Many events have responded by shifting their activities online, creating new virtual conferences, where attendees can join from the comfort of their own homes, wherever they might be.

So what does this mean for the communication of research going forwards? Is it possible to replicate the special magic of an in-person event online? Can meaningful collaborations be forged in chat rooms? Will it ever be possible to return to the old days? Do we even want to? Or has that pre-pandemic conference model already had its time?

That is the topic of this week’s episode and over the past couple of weeks I’ve interviewed a number of experts to try and answer some of those questions.

- Susanne Buiter, former Chair of the Program Committee for the European Geosciences Union

- Johnny Palmer, founder and CEO of Pytch, an events and experiences company

- Lauren Parr, Vice President of Meetings at the American Geophysical Union

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Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

*Video Abstracts*

For more info on our new video abstracts service check out our webpage: https://orinococomms.com/vid-abstracts

Championing women in STEM | Suw Charman-Anderson | Ada Lovelace Day

Peter Barker — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 05:30:00 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast, Suw Charman-Anderson tells the story of how Ada Lovelace Day started over ten years ago and how it has evolved over time. She also discusses how the COVID19 pandemic is prompting the event to return its online roots this year, and how we can all be part of the struggle to increase diversity in STEM.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

Details ALD Online: https://findingada.com/events/ada-lovelace-day-live/ Call for proposals for the Finding Ada Virtual STEM Conference: https://findingada.com/finding-ada-virtual-stem-conference-submit-a-talk/ Newsletter: https://findingada.com/get-involved/ald-newsletter/ Web: FindingAda.com Twitter: @findingada Facebook: AdaLovelaceDay

Dispelling myths about animal research | Wendy Jarrett | Understanding Animal Research

Peter Barker — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 22:20:47 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast, Wendy Jarrett, CEO of Understanding Animal Research, talks about changing attitudes towards animal research over the past thirty years, about some of the most common myths that opponents use in arguments against animal research, and how scientists should communicate with members of the public about the use of animals in their research. Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

Medical Research Charities: Communicating in a Crisis

Peter Barker — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 16:56:33 -0500

Medical research charities have been hit hard by the disruptive effects of the pandemic, with many fundraising events cancelled for the foreseeable future and charity shops shuttered for months during lockdown.

Plummeting income has meant they've had to pause or stop research projects, withdraw future funding and lay off staff.

In this episode Peter Barker interviews three experts about the crisis.

- Leonora Neale, Communications Manager at the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)

- Richard Berks, a freelance science writer and communications consultant who specialises in helping medical research charities to engage with their supporters.

- Matthew Lam, science communication manager at Worldwide Cancer Research.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

To find out more about the AMRC's campaign and for links to the resources mentioned here and in the podcast visit this blog.

Is listening the best antidote to vaccine scepticism? | Prof. Heidi Larson | Vaccine Confidence Project

Peter Barker — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:50:43 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast Heidi Larson, Professor of Anthropology Risk and Decision science at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, discusses the causes of loss of confidence in vaccines all over the globe, in the hope that we might develop a more constructive way to engage with people who have doubts over vaccinations. She also discusses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on attitudes to vaccine safety, and the impact that those changing attitudes might have on our ability to fight the disease. Presented by Peter Barker Produced by Orinoco Communications

LINKS

Watch Professor Heidi Larson’s TEDMED talk here

Pre-order Professor Larson’s book Stuck. How Vaccine Rumors Start - and Why They Don’t Go Away

Read about the Vaccine Confidence Project here

How to 'prebunk' misinformation | Dr Sander van der Linden | University of Cambridge

Peter Barker — Wed, 27 May 2020 20:53:32 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast Cambridge University psychologist, Dr Sander van der Linden, discusses the latest surveys that he and his colleagues at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication have conducted exploring this question. We also talk about his recent study into how people respond to uncertainty in communications, and his Fake News Game that inoculates players against misinformation. Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

Read more about the Fake News Vaccine here.
And play the Fake News Game here
Read the latest reports from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Read here about the study: Uncertainty about facts can be reported without damaging public trust in news

What makes a conspiracy theorist? | Dr. Asheley Landrum | Texas Tech University

Peter Barker — Thu, 21 May 2020 23:08:40 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast psychologist, Dr Asheley Landrum, from Texas Tech University unpicks some of the conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and puts them in the context of her wider research into why certain people believe in conspiracy theories and how they’re spread.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

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LINKS

Read more about Asheley's research on her website
Research paper: The role of conspiracy mentality in denial of science and susceptibility to viral deception about science by Asheley R. Landrum and Alex Olshansky

Being 'The History Guy' | Dan Snow

Peter Barker — Wed, 13 May 2020 18:12:21 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast broadcaster and historian, Dan Snow, talks about what it was like working at the end of TV’s ‘golden age’ , his ongoing love of Twitter, his hugely popular History Hit podcast, which gets over a million listens a month, and about the role that the humanities, and history in particular, can play in helping us navigate our way through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

LINKS

History Hit podcast

History Hit video streaming platform

@thehistoryguy Dan Snow Twitter

thehistoryguy Dan Snow Instagram

Talking climate change with sceptics | Prof. Katharine Hayhoe

Peter Barker — Fri, 08 May 2020 02:06:03 -0500

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast climatologist and climate science communicator, Prof. Katharine Hayhoe, talks about the best way to engage with sceptics, how her Christian faith is the driving force behind her care for the planet, and some of the most common mistakes we make when trying to communicate the dangers of climate change.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

*Click here if you want to know more about the video abstract service mentioned in this episode*

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LINKS

Global Weirding YouTube Channel presented by Prof. Hayhoe

TED Talk - 'The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Fight Climate Change: Talk About It'

'Scientists who selfie' - scicomm + social media | Dr Paige Jarreau

Peter Barker — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 22:29:14 -0500

Selfies often get a bad rap as being somehow symbolic of our age of self-obsession. But can they also serve a more positive role for people looking to forge connections with new communities online?

That’s the question underpinning the work of Dr Paige Jarreau, social media and science communication expert, who last year had a paper published called ‘Scientists Who Selfie’ which investigates the question of whether the social media platform, Instagram, can help scientists’ public image.

In this episode of the Research Comms podcast we discussed the project’s findings and chatted broadly about the opportunities and the pitfalls of scientists using social media platforms to engage the public with what they do.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

To find out more about the video abstract service mentioned in the podcast: http://orinococomms.com/video-abstracts

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LINKS

Paige on Twitter: @FromTheLabBench

'Scientists Who Selfie' research paper

Lifeology Platform

Paige's Blog 'From The Lab Bench'

Susan Fiske - Stereotype Content: Warmth and Competence Endure

Covid-19 as a news story | Fiona Fox | Science Media Centre

Peter Barker — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 03:43:54 -0500

Fiona Fox is CEO of the Science Media Centre in the UK. In this episode she talks about what it's like to be working right at the centre of the biggest news story of our times, and about how she and her team are working hard to make sure that story is being driven by accurate and good quality science.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

For more information on the video abstract service mentioned in the podcast please visit:

https://orinococomms.com/video-abstracts

Paving the way for scicomm | Prof. Uta Frith

Peter Barker — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 20:13:43 -0500

Professor Uta Frith is a developmental psychologist with a special interest in autism and dyslexia. In this episode I chat to Uta about her career as a scientist who embraced public engagement at a time when most of her colleagues still saw it as something that serious scientists shouldn't be wasting their time with. Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

For more information about the video abstracts service mentioned in the podcast please visit:

https://orinococomms.com/video-abstracts

Taking on the 'anti-vaxxers' | Dr. Pete Hotez | Baylor College of Medicine

Peter Barker — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 10:07:51 -0500

Dr Peter Hotez has devoted most of his professional life to developing vaccines to combat neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of the most impoverished people in the world.

More recently he has also become an outspoken and prominent advocate for vaccines in the face of the growing anti-vaccine movement. In this episode Dr Hotez opens up about why he is so angry with those spearheading the anti-vaccine movement and his new book 'Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism' which debunks some of the most prevalent anti-vaccine myths, as well as telling the story of his life as the father of a daughter with autism.

This podcast is presented by Peter Barker and produced by Orinoco Communications.

Twitter: @orinococomms

www.orinococomms.com

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LINKS to PETER HOTEZ

Books

Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism

Forgotten People Forgotten Diseases

Blue Marble Health

Twitter: @PeterHotez

Website: https://peterhotez.org/

How to harness the 'science of storytelling' | Will Storr

Peter Barker — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 22:57:16 -0500

Will Storr is an award winning author, journalist and storytelling speaker, whose most recent book ‘The Science of Storytelling’ unpicks why storytelling is such an essential part of being human, and how we can use science and our understanding of the human brain to become better, more powerful storytellers and, by extension, better communicators.

Presented by Peter Barker

Produced by Orinoco Communications

www.orinococomms.com

BOOKS

Science of Storytelling by Will Storr

The Heretics: Adventures with the Enemies of Science by Will Storr

ARTICLES

Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Ketchup Conundrum’

TALKS

Will Storr’s ‘Science of Storytelling’ Ted X Talk

LGBTQ+ STEM Day | Dr Shaun O'Boyle

Peter Barker — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 05:55:11 -0500

In this first episode of the new series Peter talks with Dr Shaun O'Boyle: science communicator, founder of House of STEM (a network of LGBTQ+ scientists in Ireland) and co-organiser of grass-roots initiative, LGBT STEM Day, which is gearing up to happen for a second time this July 5th 2019.

Peter and Shaun talk about some of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ scientists, why so many feel that they have to hide their sexuality in the workplace and about why science communicators are perfectly placed to drive culture change in the STEM sector.

LINKS

Queering Museums
‘Exploring the Workplace for LGBT+ Physical Scientists’ report by Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Astronomical Society.
Yoder and Mattheis; Queer in STEM: Workplace Experiences Reported in a National Survey of LGBTQA Individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers
A reading list by Shaun O’Boyle that he maintains at House of STEM
Articles by Shaun:
siliconrepublic.com/innovation/lgbtq-house-of-stem …
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/science-communication-diversity-activism …

The power of authenticity | Barney Brown | University of Cambridge

Peter Barker — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 23:59:17 -0500

How do you tell the story of an 800+ year old academic institution - one of the most famous universities in the world - using the most modern of communications methods? Barney Brown has been doing that for the past decade as Head of Digital Communications at Cambridge University where he has headed up an award-winning team that not only generates excellent digital content of its own but also embraces other creators who form part of the university community, such as student vloggers.

In this episode of Research Comms Barney Brown talks about the power of authenticity, how academic institutions can tap into the creativity of their members, as well as giving advise on what social media platforms offer the greatest returns on investment.

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Research Comms is produced by Peter Barker, digital media producer and director of Orinoco Communications, which is a communications agency that specialises in the communication of research and innovation in science, the social sciences and humanities.

www.orinococomms.com

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NOTES/LINKS:

Becky Inkster's research: http://www.hiphoppsych.co.uk

Film by Zeb (Cambridge student blogger)

Science in the news | Fiona Fox | Science Media Centre

Peter Barker — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 23:03:17 -0500

In this episode The Science Media Centre's Fiona Fox talks about the turbulent time in the late 1990s/early 2000s when science was rocked by a number of adverse news stories that led to the formation of her organisation. She reflects on how things have changed in the seventeen years since the SMC started, the impact of digital technology on science journalism, and the danger posed if scientists decided to retreat to their ivory towers.

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LINKS

http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/

www.orinococomms.com

Transitioning from science to scicomm | Dr Kat Arney

Peter Barker — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 23:44:14 -0500

This week's guest is science communication extraordinaire, Dr Kat Arney. Kat cut her scicomm teeth at Cancer Research UK where she spent 12 years before a hugely successful run with phenomenally successful podcast series The Naked Scientists. Now she is a freelancer producer and has her own science communication consulting company. Her latest work is the brilliant podcast, Genetics Unzipped. Through her years in the science communication sector Kat has developed an acute understanding of what it takes to engage people with compelling and accessible narratives and she was kind enough to share her wisdom with me in this episode.

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Kat's website

First Create the Media

Genetics Unzipped

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Research Comms is produced and presented by Peter Barker in association with Orinoco Communications. Orinoco is a digital communications agency that specialises in the communication of research and innovation.

www.orinococomms.com

Communicating across divides | Jonathan Haidt | New York University

Peter Barker — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 00:25:06 -0500

That we’re living in highly polarised times won’t come as news to most people. Our natural propensity to tribalism has been let loose and public discourse has given way to people ranting and raving at anybody who doesn’t share their worldview. And all of this comes at a time when we need strong and healthy debates more than ever to to tackle the major challenges we face. So what can we do to encourage better communication across political and cultural divides? How can we have productive conversations about issues like climate change that have become so politically and culturally loaded? In this episode of Research Comms social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, author of the superb book ‘The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion’ talks about how we can break down barriers by talking to people’s ‘elephants’ and why the defence of viewpoint diversity in academic and research institutions is one of the most critical battles of our times, an argument laid out in his latest book, The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

Putting comms at the core of research | Liz Hutchinson | The British Academy

Peter Barker — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:12:41 -0500

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences. For almost 120 years the Academy has been championing these disciplines and boasts some of their most distinguished scholars as fellows, past and present, including John Maynard Keynes, C.S. Lewis, Mary Beard and Rowan Williams. Recently the BA announced a new strategic plan that places reinvigorated communications at its core, so for this episode of Research Comms I caught up the Communications Director, Liz Hutchinson, to find out more about their plans.

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British Academy Website

British Academy Blog

Wonkhe article by Liz Hutchinson

Diarmaid MacCulloch on 'What are the humanities?'

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www.orinococomms.com

Research Comms Blog

Going freelance | Hana Ayoob

Peter Barker — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:42:35 -0500

Hana Ayoob is a science communicator with a plethora of skills. She is a festival organiser who has helped run some of the UK’s biggest science events, she is a comedian, a consultant, an illustrator and one quarter of the excellent science podcast ‘Why Aren’t You A Doctor Yet?’

In this week’s episode of Research Comms Hana talks about her multi-pronged approach to scicomm, what it’s like being a new-found freelancer and why she is so committed to supporting minorities in STEM.

This episode can also be found over on the Research Comms Blog.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast if you like what you hear and please feel free to leave a review!

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To see/hear what Hana does check out here work here:

http://www.hanaayoob.co.uk/

For her illustrations: http://www.curiousoctopus.co.uk/

Why Aren't You A Doctor Yet? podcast: https://wayady.podbean.com/

Climate communication in practice | Sam Illingworth | Climate Communications Project

Peter Barker — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 23:26:06 -0500

In this week's episode I welcome back friend of the podcast and science communicator, Sam Illingworth, to talk with me about the recent report 'Climate Communication in Practice - How Are We Engaging the UK Public with Climate Change?' produced by Sam and members of the Climate Communications Project.

We discuss the importance of identifying specific audiences, the need to understand their beliefs and values, and how it's ok for scientists to have opinions.

Here are links to some of the things discussed:

The Climate Communications Project Report

Yale Climate Change Communication Report 2017

The Age of Consequences documentary

How Not to Talk About Climate Science YouTube

Climate Visuals Project

Telling science stories | Jessica Fox

Peter Barker — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 23:06:20 -0500

Science and storytelling are not often seen as natural bedfellows. Stories are more commonly associated with the make-believe, told for purposes of entertainment or escapism. Cast as being a million miles away from the strict, truth-seeking nature of science. But in reality science and storytelling have a great deal to offer each other, at least when it comes to the communication of science. In this week’s episode of the Research Comms Podcast we’ll be exploring how storytelling can help drive clear communication of scientific ideas to all kinds of audience. And my guest, who will be helping me do that, is Jessica Fox: writer, filmmaker and science storytelling consultant. We speak about how she got into the world of science storytelling, why stories resonate with us so deeply, and how researchers can harness the power of Story to engage people with their ideas.

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Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets available here

Jay O'Callahan's story about NASA 'Forged In The Stars' can be seen here

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Research Comms Podcast if you've enjoyed this episode.

And also, while you're at it, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter the Research Comms Digest with all the latest news and best content from the world of research communication.

Science and art meet | Science Gallery London

Peter Barker — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 21:50:33 -0500

In September of this year London welcomed an exciting new addition to its cultural scene - Science Gallery London - opened by King’s College London at its central London Bridge location. It promises to be a place ‘where science and art collide’ designed with young adults in mind; a space where visitors can consider the most urgent scientific challenges we face, through the lens of art and culture.

Just before its opening I popped along to check out ‘Hooked’ its inaugural exhibition, exploring the theme of addiction, and in this episode of the Research Comms podcast I chat to some of the people who have helped to bring the gallery’s mission to life.

www.orinococomms.com

Communicating the future of humanity | Martin Rees | University of Cambridge

Peter Barker — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:04:34 -0500

A brief summary of this episode

Getting your research on TV and radio | Lucy Vernall | Academic Ideas Lab

Peter Barker — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 22:45:59 -0500

In 2011 the Academic Ideas Lab was created, with the goal of transferring the most exciting research stories from UK universities onto our TV screens and radios. Ex TV producer, Lucy Vernall, runs the company and in this episode of the Research Comms podcast she talks about the challenges of getting shows commissioned, what elements can turn a piece of research into a captivating documentary idea, the difficulty of gauging the impact of reaching millions of people with your research, and how the changing digital landscape is affecting our viewing habits and what we watch.

www.orinococomms.com

Knowing your digital audience | Dr Michaela Livingstone-Banks | Oxford Sparks

Peter Barker — Thu, 31 May 2018 08:29:52 -0500

Just over ten years ago a couple of communications staff at Oxford University realised that there was need for a one-stop-shop where members of the public could go to find out more about the university's scientific research. Oxford Sparks was the result. It started out as a website and has since grown into a multi-faceted digital engagement programme, including including podcasts, animations, blogs, teaching resources and live streaming events. In charge of it all is Michaela Livingstone Banks, who is this week's podcast guest. In this episode of Research Comms she discusses the need to be realistic when defining a target audience, getting scientists into bed for Facebook Live, overcoming social media algorithm changes and the power of networking. www.orinococomms.com

A bold mission to transform how we see science | Katherine Mathieson | The British Science Association

Peter Barker — Thu, 17 May 2018 05:34:28 -0500

Last week I met up with one of the most influential figures in British science and science communication, Katherine Mathieson, Chief Executive of the British Science Association. The British Science Association is an organisation that plays a prominent role on the science scene over here in the UK. It's been around for almost 200 years now, since it was founded in 1831 as the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Its focus back then was on the communication of science amongst scientists but since then it’s evolved considerably and now it’s a far more outward looking organisation that seeks to engage the public with science through a variety of programmes, such as British Science Week and the British Science Festival, as well as public engagement campaigns both offline and digital.

I had a fascinating conversation with Katherine at BSA's headquarters in London. As you’d imagine, given her role, she's a passionate advocate of the importance of public engagement with science, so we spoke about why it matters and about the critical role that diversity has to play in science communication. We also chatted about public debates around emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, how digital media can be used to reach under-served audiences and we also spoke a lot about the BSA’s ambitious new mission to transform the relationship that millions of people in the UK have with science over the next couple of years.

Check out the Research Comms Blog for more information, insights, resources and inspiration for communicating research in a digital age.

Why public engagement? | Kimberley Freeman | Queen Mary University of London

Peter Barker — Thu, 03 May 2018 15:30:43 -0500

A brief summary of this episode

Research comms, Texas style | J.B. Bird & Christine Sinatra | University of Texas

Peter Barker — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 18:16:05 -0500

This week's episode of the Research Comms podcast comes all the way from America's wild and wonderful Lone Star State......Texas. A few weeks ago I paid a visit to the University of Texas in Austin to meet the team behind some of the most creative research and science communication content that's coming out of American universities at the moment.

J.B. Bird is UT's Director of Media Relations and Christine Sinatra is Director of Communications at the university's College of Natural Sciences.

www.orinococomms.com

Physician scientist activist |Sir Doug Turnbull | Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research

Peter Barker — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:59:28 -0500

This episode tells the story of a team of scientists and doctors from Newcastle’s Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research who spent years campaigning strenuously, alongside patients, to persuade UK policymakers to pass a law that would permit the use of a pioneering but controversial fertility treatment The team from Newcastle hoped that the IVF treatment, known as mitochondrial donation, might halt the transmission from one generation to the next of a devastating, incurable and often fatal condition - mitochondrial disease - that blights the lives of many thousands of families across the world.

In 2015 the five year long campaign reached a dramatic conclusion when Parliament made its landmark vote on whether or not the treatment should be allowed in the UK.

It was huge victory for the campaigners, shared amongst the doctors, scientists, patients and their families but much credit has to go to the man who spearheaded the campaign, Professor Sir Doug Turnbull.

Professor Turnbull is one of the world’s leading experts of mitochondrial disease and last year he was given a knighthood in recognition of his dedication, spanning decades, to the study of the disease and to the care of patients afflicted by it.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Doug and his team for a few years on their public engagement projects but my involvement with their work started after the climax of this dramatic story of their Parliamentary success, so I was very excited to sit down with Doug a few weeks ago to hear all about the campaign from his perspective, as well as hearing his insights generally into the power of public engagement.

To learn more about the work of Doug and his team check out their website. You can also watch the videos I produced for them explaining what mitochondrial disease is and telling the stories of people whose lives have been impacted by the disease:

Beth's Story

Kim and Betsy's Story

Stuart's Story

For more information, insights, resources and inspiration for communicating research in a digital age please check out my Research Comms Blog

Celebrating research in the humanities | Michael Eades | Being Human Festival

Peter Barker — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 09:24:27 -0500

This week's episode comes right from the heart of Bloomsbury in London; from iconic Senate House, to be precise, where the UK's only dedicated humanities festival, the Being Human festival, is organised. The man in charge of putting on this public engagement extravaganza is Michael Eades and I caught up with him to chat about the health of the humanities and to hear his insights into what it's like to put on a global festival celebrating the latest research into the humanities. www.orinococomms.com

Research Comms Blog

Want to start a science podcast? | Emily Elias | Oxford Sparks Big Questions Podcast

Peter Barker — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 10:26:04 -0500

This week the Research Comms podcast is becoming somewhat introspective with an episode all about...podcasts! I was lucky enough to joined by Emily Elias, presenter and producer of my favourite research podcast around at the moment, the Oxford Sparks Big Questions podcast, and we shot the breeze about topics such as why podcasts are so popular right now; how to communicate complex research in an accessible, engaging way; whether or not there's a secret magic ingredient to creating a successful podcast; and the importance of building a community to help grow your podcast.

Emily gave me some really valuable podcast production insights, which will be hugely helpful to anybody who is looking to use podcasting as a way of communicating their research to a wide audience.

www.orinococomms.com

Research Comms Blog

Using poetry to communicate science | Sam Illingworth | Manchester Metropolitan University

Peter Barker — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 10:11:22 -0500

My guest on Episode 1 is science communication expert, Sam Illingworth. Sam is a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at Manchester Metropolitan University and he is also a prolific practitioner of digital science communication.

Listen for Sam's top tips on how to avoid being overwhelmed when it comes to building an engaged community around your research, and a live rendition of one of his fantastic science poems 'A Piscine Problem' that addresses that age-old problem of people peeing in public swimming pools!

www.orinococomms.com

Research Comms Blog