Casting a Wider NetUsing Social Media To Improve Scientific Research, Communication and Outreach
Christie WilcoxPhD Student, Cell and Molecular Biology
Science Writer/Blogger
The Connected World
of Americans use the internet
78%
more than
The Connected WorldIn 2000…
360,985,492 users
In 2012…
2,405,510,175 users
…an increase of more than 660%!
Internet = InformationWhere do you get most of your news about national and international issues?
PEW Research Center, Dec 2010
Internet = InformationWhere do you get most of your news about national and international issues?
(< 30 yrs old)
PEW Research Center, Dec 2010
Internet = Information
University of Chicago, National Opinion Research Center, General Social Survey (2008)
Where do you get information on specific scientific issues?
The Internet is the main source of information for learning about specific scientific issues such as global climate change or biotechnology
Social Media = Internet on Steroids
15,358
tweets per second when Italy lost to Spain in the
2012 European Championship
684,478
pieces of content shared every
minuteon Facebook
of video is uploaded to YouTube every second
1 hour
57% of Americans say they talk to people more online
than they do in real life
17% of all time spent online is spent on
social networking sites
In 2011, social media overtook looking at porn as the number one online activity.
50%
All The Kids Are Doing ItClose to 90% of 18-30 year olds have at least one social media
account…
… and almost a third will check their
networks before they even get
out of bed.
Internet = CommunicationDo you use social media?
PEW Research Center, Feb 2012
Digital Water Coolers
• Chat• Discuss• Share• Gossip• Debate• Connect• Keep In
Touch
The Internet is Yours!
One Size Does Not Fit All
Facebook, twitter, etc are tools — their use depends on the job and your goals
One Size Does Not Fit All
≠ ≠≠
What works for others may not be right for you!
Social Media Landscape
Social Media Success Stories: NOAA
Website TrafficStatistics:
Social Media Success Stories: Roberts Lab
Social Media Success Stories: Roberts Lab
Social Media Success Stories: Roberts Lab
Twitter Success Stories: Live-Tweeting An Expedition
“We had arranged a text to donation number, and I tweeted that every dive in
PNG cost us about $5USD and that $5 donations to support the expedition could
be made by texting the number. That single tweet raised a couple of hundred
dollars.”
Joshua Drew, lead scientist
Be Creative
Filtering The DelugeThe key to success is filtering.
You have to accept the fact that you cannot, and will not, see everything.
Christie Wilcox
PhD Student, Cell and Molecular BiologyScience Writer/Blogger (Science Sushi)
Twitter: @NerdyChristie
http://christiewilcox.com