Talking to the Real World

Making science & medicinecome alive for the public

Kara Gavin, M.S.Lead Public Relations Representative,

U-M Health System Dept. of Communication

Who am I?• Part of communication teams for

U-M Health System • One of about 15 U-M media staff• Trained in science writing/

journalism and biology• Find & tell stories from

science & medicine at U-M• Handle news media inquiries &

pushing news out to the world

Why does U-M* have staff like me?

• Discoveries should reach people in language they can understand

• Taxpayers who fund research & public universities deserve to know what they’re paying for

• The public has an insatiable appetite for news about science & medicine

*and lots of other places too

What do I do?• Connect with scientists & doctors• Plan the best communication

course• Write stories & get feedback• Commission or create visuals • Push stories to the public/reporters• Handle media requests/find experts• Approach reporters with ideas• Handle “hot button” issues

Why would a doctor or scientist talk to a reporter?

• Announcements of new research• Special case: embargoed news

• Expert opinion on an issue • Commenting on other research• Commenting on a societal issue• In-depth stories on an new

program, or a disease or treatment• Crisis/problem situations

Working with reporters• Prepare key messages

3 things they MUST know by the end

• Anticipate questions • Be ready to explain• Avoid jargon• Respect deadlines• Understand the news outlet• Respect their independence

A new era of communication• The news media’s gatekeeper role is eroding

• Big institutions = trustworthy news sources

•Everyone’s a publisher

Who needs reporters anyway?• Social media/search

deliver info directly• People find info on

their own • Visuals are vital • Rapid response to

controversy

News Media

• Immediate coverage• Later coverage• Later expert source

requests

PR services

• Eurekalert• Newswise• PR Newswire• Futurity• News aggregators

U-M outlets

• Record / Headlines• Magazines• Websites & blogs• Newsletters• Email: donors,

alumni, others

Social media

• U-M/UMHS fans• Shares of our

stories• Shares of news

coverage• Reddit, etc.

The U-M Science

News Machine

Who’s the audience?• 20% of Americans can explain what it means to

study something scientifically

• 34% of Americans can describe how to test a drug

• 55% say that astrology is “not at all scientific” – down from nearly two-thirds in 2010.

• 56% say research involving animals is acceptableNSF Science & Engineering Indicators, 2014

What do they know?• 71% mental illness is a medical

condition affecting the brain

• 69% genetic code in cells helps determine who we are

• 53% childhood vaccines are safe and effective

• 31% life evolved via natural selection

AP Poll April 2014 1,012 adults

Extremely/very confident in a

scientific concept

Getting new info to them• Over 80% report

they’re "very" or "moderately" interested in science/tech discoveries

• 4 in 10 cite the Internet as their #1 source of S&T info

• 50% say the benefits of science have strongly outweighed the harmful results

National Science Foundation

Science and Engineering Indicators 2014

This means…• STEM students &

professionals must ALL be communicators

• Communication skills are more vital than ever

• Share things you find online. Explain why they’re cool. Get OTHERS excited about them.

Online resources• National Institutes of Health:

Science, Health & the Public Trust http://umhealth.me/NIHscicomm

• American Assn. for the Advancement of Science – Communicating Science http://umhealth.me/AAASscicomm

• American Society of Human Genetics – Communicating Science http://umhealth.me/ASHGscicomm

Find me online• @karag on Twitter

(also @UMHealthSystem & @UM_IHPI)• LinkedIn: http://umhealth.me/KG-LI • My writing:

• New this week! http://michiganhealthlab.org

• http://uofmhealth.org/News