What National Parks Teach Us About Science Communication
When I stumbled across a new study about science communication in national parks, I was shook! Two worlds I care about suddenly collided. For starters, science and research communication is my jam! I have also visited roughly 16 national parks (and counting!). So, I was intrigued by Davis et al.’s (2025) study on interpretive signage […]
How to Explain Your Research: From Blank Stares to “That’s Amazing!”
Here is a scenario many researchers dread: you’ve just explained your research to someone and you’re met with a blank stare followed by “Interesting… but what does that mean?” That moment highlights one of the biggest challenges facing academics today—learning how to explain your research in a way that resonates with your audience. And after […]
The Ultimate Guide to AI Prompts for Researchers and Research Communication
When I first started exploring AI prompts for researchers back in 2023, I had no idea how quickly it would transform the way I work. Since then, AI has become an indispensable thought partner in nearly all aspects of my research and communication efforts. Today, I rely on AI to develop media pitches, update bios […]
A New Era of Community Engagement in Higher Education
Town and gown. The Ivory Tower. These are just a few well-known descriptors for universities and their relationship to “the community.” And who/what is the community? Well, in the simplest of terms, the community is everyone on the outside. Hence the Ivory Tower metaphor. So what does this mean for research and community engagement in […]
Want Better Research Impact? Stop Thinking About “The General Public”
I recently revisited a blog post I wrote in early 2023 on public scholarship and reflected on how much I’ve learned since then. Through deeper reading, conversations with science communications theorists, and my own practice, I’ve evolved in how I think about research communication. To start, I’ve shifted from exclusively using the term public scholarship […]
How to Include a Communications Manager in Your Research Grant Proposal: A Practical Guide (With Free Download)
Research grant proposal writing is challenging enough. You’ve refined your research questions, developed your methodology, and calculated your grant proposal budget. Then you reach the section about research dissemination and research impact – and realize you have no idea what to write about. More U.S.-based funders such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) […]
AI for Independent Scholars: Building a Research-Informed Business
Just because I’m not in academia doesn’t mean I’m not an academic. For better or for worse, this mindset shaped how I developed my business as an independent scholar – learning everything I could to create an evidence-based approach. Research and literature aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re integral to my work. And transitioning into science communication […]
International Fellowships for Independent Scholars: Racing to the British Academy Deadline
Y’all, I did it. I somehow managed to submit TWO international fellowships for independent scholars within a month of each other. The Fulbright went in mid-September, and I just hit submit on my British Academy Visiting Fellowship application (at 5:14am my time, but more on that adventure later). I’m exhausted and proud. When I started […]
How Engagement Coaches Elevate Science Communication
We’re back with more on coaching! In our previous post, we introduced the concept of engagement coaching as an innovative approach to science communication training. Unlike traditional science communication training, engagement coaching is personalized. It offers one-on-one support tailored to each researcher’s unique needs and goals. We explored the benefits for graduate students, established researchers, […]
Engagement Coaching: A New Approach to Science Communication Training
In the modern world, communicating research outside of academic spaces has become increasingly important. Yet many researchers struggle to connect their expertise and public communication. On top of that, the terms “public communication,” “science communication,” or “research communication” can mean so many different things to different people. Science communication training is often generalized and lack […]
