As a researcher, you know the challenge: You’ve just published some really important research and insights that could transform industry practices. But getting that research into the hands of decision-makers in a way that works for them feels like an insurmountable task. The question of how to share academic research with industry is one for the ages. But it doesn’t have to be.
The Challenge: Bridging Academia and Industry
When Dr. Meg Hancock and her research team approached me in October 2024, they faced this common challenge. They had spent months collecting and analyzing data that shed light on gender representation in college athletics administration across the NCAA Power 4 and Group of 5 athletic conferences. Their analysis revealed stark, yet informative information for how to move forward. And now they wanted to share the research report but were uncertain about how to share academic research with industry, and if they had the time to do it all themselves.
“We knew we had important findings that could help transform athletics leadership, but we needed a strategic approach to reach decision-makers effectively,” says Dr. Meg Hancock, Principal Investigator of The Pipeline Project. “We wanted to ensure our research didn’t get lost or left behind. We wanted to ensure it got in the right hands, but I wasn’t sure how to do this or if I had the time or skills to do it properly.”
Her team and I collaborated to develop a strategic communication strategy, and finalize and disseminate the report. The results we achieved together were remarkable:
- Over 1,000 website visits in the first 24 hours
- Media coverage from Inside Higher Ed and other industry-specific publications
- Inclusion in industry email newsletters, podcasts, and online publications
- Engagement with industry professionals and decision-makers
These results weren’t luck or chance. They came from strategic frameworks I’ve developed as a research communications consultant. In this case study, I’ll show you exactly how to share academic research with industry, how we achieved these outcomes, and the lessons learned.
Essential First Steps: How to Share Academic Research with Industry
When Dr. Meg Hancock approached me in August 2024, our first step was an in-depth consultation to understand both the research and desired impact. Her research team had analyzed over 19,000 positions across Division I athletics departments, revealing critical insights about gender representation in college sports leadership. They developed a white paper/research report geared toward industry and practitioners. She wanted to ensure the report got in front of decision-makers, influential people and groups, and related research organizations.
Initial Consultation Process
Our initial consultation focused on developing a clear strategy on how to share academic research with industry leaders effectively. During our first meeting, I asked a few key strategic questions to understand:
- The project’s scope and why they wanted to expand its reach
- What specific support the research team needed
- Their primary goals for increasing research visibility
- Potential interested audiences
- Their vision for sharing the project
- Timeline expectations
- How they defined success
Project Goal Development
Once we established a better understanding of the project, its audiences, and the vision, we established clear long-term research impact goals for how to share academic research with industry:
- Develop a sustainable and turnkey annual research initiative that appealed to industry and specific audiences
- Present data as informational rather than judgmental
- Generate academic citations
- Drive implementation by athletics leaders
- Build a foundation for future gender equity research
Related Post: Want Better Research Impact? Stop Thinking About “The General Public”
Communication Strategy Development
We then developed specific communication goals focused on:
- Connecting findings with industry leaders and decision-makers
- Building ongoing engagement with findings
- Generating media coverage
- Securing speaking engagements
This foundation was instrumental in our success. With this, we knew where we were going and how we would get there.
Message Development & Refinement: Repackaging Your Research for Industry Impact
Understanding how to share academic research with industry audiences requires careful translation of complex findings. A significant part of my role involved repackaging and shifting complex research findings into compelling, applicable messages for different audiences through different mediums and outlets. There were a few steps I took to get there.
Understanding The Research
As a foundation for how to share academic research with industry, I needed to understand the research and the messaging the research team was promoting, I made sure to:
- Conduct multiple thorough reviews of the project report
- Record and transcribe team meetings to capture key insights
- Follow up with researchers to clarify data points and questions
- Ask the researchers lots of probing questions to get them talking about the research and what it means
- Use an AI assistant to help organize meeting notes
Report Refinement
I supported the research team in developing the final report. I reviewed the report multiple times, making edits and recommendations for readability for the audiences such as:
- Front-loading value with an executive summary and key takeaways
- Simplifing technical terminology for broader accessibility
- Balancing data presentation with actionable insights
- Adding audience-specific sections with targeted recommendations
Content Development
From there, I was able to create targeted messaging and materials for how to share academic research with industry, including:
- Targeted email content for each audience
- Email automation content
- Press release
- Podcast pitches
- Guest blog pitches
- Social media snippets highlighting key data and takeaways
Throughout the content development process, I consistently brought discussions back to core questions that related to the intended audiences such as:
- What does this mean for athletic directors?
- How can search firms use this information?
- What do early-career professionals need to know?
- What actions should industry leaders take with this information?
This careful attention to messaging and audience needs helped ensure The Pipeline Project‘s research would resonate with and drive action among key audiences and decision-makers.
Building Systems to Share Academic Research with Industry
Understanding how to share academic research with industry can also be supported through robust systems. This can help alleviate any additional tasks and help support the PI’s research workflow. With clear goals and messaging in place, I recommended a few systems and automation to help with the ease of report dissemination and communication.
Website Development
When faced with university website constraints, the team opted to develop a website via WordPress. One member of the research team had experience developing and managing a WordPress website, making the set up easier to manage. Plus WordPress provides flexibility for hosting and future migration into the university website system. This website allowed the research team to maintain a simple but effective landing page to host the project information and where interested parties could download the report.
Distribution System Setup
One of my logistical concerns was with managing the PI’s workload (e.g., fielding requests for downloads, tracking people and new connections). We also were interested in learning more about the people downloading the report for future research development. So we initially implemented a hybrid approach for report distribution that included:
- Direct download links for email outreach and press releases
- Automated system powered by Qualtircs for website downloads that:
- Collected visitor data
- Automated report distribution through Qualitrics
- Facilitated direct communication with the PI
- Integrated with university email for legitimacy
Contact Management
While the research team wrapped up the report, I methodically built comprehensive contact lists that yield over 1,000 key contacts, including:
- Athletics leadership across every Power 4 and Group of 5 conferences and universities
- Industry organizations and search firms
- Targeted media contacts
These technical systems were important for the project’s success, enabling efficient outreach while maintaining professional presentation and minimizing manual tasks for the research team.
Launch Strategy: Getting Your Research to Industry Leaders
We implemented a carefully phased launch approach to ensure maximum impact which helped us maintain quality control and efficiency.
Soft Launch Testing
Before the full launch, we conducted a week-long soft launch to:
- Verify all technical elements were functioning
- Test email automation sequences
- Confirm PDF accessibility controls
- Validate website user experience
- Review automated response messaging
- Review and confirm all internal and external messaging
Official Launch Day Execution
With infrastructure confirmed, we executed our multi-channel launch on Wednesday, October 30, 2024:
- Strategically timed press release distribution for early morning
- Coordinated release dissemination with university communications
- Social media rollout with custom infographics
- Staged email outreach to prevent spam flags
- Initiated media pitching for blogs and podcasts
Sustained Engagement Strategy
To maintain momentum beyond launch and keep people engaged and downloading the project, I developed:
- Strategic social media guidance for the research team
- Ongoing media outreach and public writing projects for outlets like The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Conversation
- Opportunities for podcast interviews and guest blog posts
Proven Success Metrics: Real Results That Matter
The results demonstrate effective strategies for how to share academic research with industry. Within the first 36 hours of launch, The Pipeline Project achieved significant impact:
Immediate Engagement
- Over 1,000 visitors to the project website
- Project shared by major sports organizations via social media and newsletters
- Multiple feedback and partnership requests from industry leaders
- Positive responses from search firms
- Featured in Women Leaders in Sports daily newsletter, a leading college athletics organization
- Featured in d1ticker daily newsletter, a leading resource for college athletics leaders
Media Coverage
Project findings were featured in:
- Inside Higher Ed – secured from the press release
- Tucker Center Talks podcast – secured from direct pitch
- d1ticker/ADU guest blog – secured from direct pitch
Related Post: Beyond the Media Pitch: Strategies for Researchers to Gain Media Exposure
The immediate response and broad engagement validated our strategic approach to research communication. These metrics demonstrate how effectively packaged research can quickly reach and resonate with industry decision-makers.
Key Lessons on How to Share Academic Research with Industry
These insights provide valuable guidance for academics who want to learn how to share their research with industry. The Pipeline Project‘s success yielded valuable insights for future research communication initiatives.
“Working with a research communications professional gave us the structure and expertise we needed while maintaining the flexibility to shape the project’s direction,” reflects Dr. Hancock. “The collaborative approach meant we could focus on the research while ensuring our findings reached the right people in the right way.”
Start Early, Plan Thoroughly
Beginning our work two months before launch gave us time to build proper infrastructure and thoughtfully develop our strategy. This early start proved crucial for testing systems and refining our approach.
Balance Flexibility with Accountability
Our structured yet adaptable approach included:
- Regular bi-weekly team meetings
- Project management approach with clear action items and ownership
- Flexibility to adjust strategies based on team input
- Firm commitment to key deadlines
Collaborative Ideation
Team meetings served as both updates and brainstorming sessions, allowing us to:
- Test and refine messaging
- Explore new outreach opportunities
- Talk out challenges collectively
- Build on each other’s insights
Maintain Open Communication
Regular check-ins and clear communication channels kept everyone aligned and moving forward while ensuring we could quickly address any concerns or opportunities that arose.
The Pipeline Project‘s success demonstrates that when academic insights are thoughtfully packaged and systematically shared with industry leaders, they can drive real-world impact within days of launch.
Whether your research aims to influence policy, change industry practices, or spark new collaborations, the right strategy can help you achieve measurable results. It’s not about luck or the right connections – it’s about having the right approach and systems in place.
Next Steps
If you have a report or research you want to connect with industry professionals, schedule a free strategy session today! Together, we can achieve similar results for your work.
