WFA: Write From Anywhere

Do you have lofty summer writing goals but also dreams of being anywhere but here? Have you considered combining writing AND traveling? Like a work from anywhere (WFA) situation? You know, like the digital nomads and remote workers of the world, traveling to far off lands, allegedly “working”? Well, yes all this sounds lovely, but […]
Taking your research paper from published to public

Congratulations! The research paper you’ve been working tirelessly on for months years is accepted, published, and in print. You hold back the urge to print the cover page and post it on your refrigerator. Instead, you take the link and post it to social media sharing your paper with the world. And now you are […]
An Academics Guide to Op-ed Pitches

Long, long ago, in the year 2014, an opinion writer for the New York Times wrote a plea for more professors to come down from the ivory tower and write for the public. Our knowledge demands to be shared beyond the academy! And for many good reasons, not the least bit that op-eds can have […]
What is public scholarship?

What is Public Scholarship? What is public scholarship? What does it mean to be a public scholar? Or a publicly engaged scholar? Or to do community engagement? These are valid questions. Thankfully, and for simplicity’s sake, I’ve counted no less than two dozen published definitions and explanations. Just try googling ‘public scholarship’ or ‘public engagement.’ […]
Why do we assume the public is not interested in our research? Thoughts on the knowledge deficit model.

There is much to be said about the knowledge deficit model and its impact on how researchers and scientists think about communicating with the public. Get this: scientists more or less hold negative feelings about the public’s base scientific knowledge. To add insult to injury, researchers who already have negative views about their potential public […]
Public engagement, reappointment, tenure, and promotion

The incentive structure for research faculty at institutions of higher education in the United States and beyond hinges on knowledge creation through traditional research outputs (e.g., peer reviewed articles, books, conference presentations). Research faculty are awarded reappointment, tenure, and promotion based on a criteria of high productivity in research, teaching, and service. This is not […]
So you want to become a public scholar?

As you ease into your spring semester, take some time to think and reflect on your career goals, especially in relation to the impact your research is (or isn’t) making. A good place to start is checking out our webinar – So You Want to Become a Public Scholar? If you have ever wondered about… […]
build your professional brand via social media – part I

this is part I of a two part series on building your brand via social media. part II can be viewed here. one way to establish your expertise as a public scholar is to develop and maintain a public scholarly/professional brand. a professional profile represents you, your research, and what you want the world to […]