Stand up for Science: Practical Approaches to Discussing Science that Matters

Information about Nia Heard-Garris What is your name, title, and role at the University of Michigan? My name is Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MSc, FAAP. I am a Physician Scientist, Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, Pediatrician, and Clinical Lecturer at the University of Michigan Medical School in the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases. Why are your public engagement efforts in science media important (to you and/or to the cause you’re working to promote)? The people and communities that I serve are one of the main reasons that I do research. I feel strongly that research findings should be communicated to the public. Our research findings and scientific discoveries should not only sit in journals in hopes that one day someone will read them, but we have a duty to disseminate our information to others. For many researchers receiving federal funding, taxpayers are directly supporting research. From an ethical standpoint, I think taxpayers along with subjects directly involved in research have the right to know what we’ve found. Also for researchers engaged in work around social justice, we do not have the time to wait for people to stumble upon our work. We need to get our findings to the public, policymakers, and advocates to change injustices. Nia Heard-Garris on Audience Who do you interact with when working in science media? What makes this audience different from other groups that you might interact with? I have been fortunate to work with journalists, editors, radio show hosts, and the public directly. I think working with people across sectors is fun yet challenging. Researchers need to be able to communicate the science, including the nuances in “digestible”, understandable language, and sometimes this can be challenging. I think another difference is that people within the media generally have very quick timelines, which means researchers need to respond promptly to media requests. Finally, directly interacting with the public allows researchers to see how lay people respond to their work and ideas. However, similarly to manuscript reviewers, it may not always be positive, so researchers have to be ready for those negative responses. What suggestions do you have for making interactions with science media producers or consumers as effective as possible? Be friendly and collaborative. Researchers are the experts of the science, but journalists/editors are the experts of the media world, and researchers should utilize their expertise. It may be valuable to look at other stories media producers have been involved in to ensure that you are satisfied with the quality of their work. Researchers also may want to make themselves available for follow-up after an initial interview for additional questions. What is the biggest challenge you face when trying to work with science media producers or consumers? What is the biggest reward? I think challenges arise, when the scientific findings are not communicated effectively or is just plain incorrect. This can be an uncomfortable situation, but in this case, it should be rectified immediately. I think discussing any concerns and presenting solutions to correct the misinformation, which could salvage the story. For me, the most rewarding part of working with media producers, is having the public directly respond to my work. There are no subscription fees to journals, scientific jargon, or complex statistics as barriers. What are you trying to accomplish when you write to or speak with science media producers or consumers? Generally, I am trying to increase awareness and I hope to provide new knowledge when I engage with media outlets. I enjoy informing the public on an issue or problem that may not have been in the forefront of peoples’ minds previously. Nia Heard-Garris on Messaging When you’re planning to interact with science media producers or consumers, how do you decide what you want to focus on? I try to focus on 1 or 2 important points that I would like the audience to walk away with. I think the information should be easily understandable, relatable, and important. I also think that stories can be effective tools to communicate messages or illustrate complex concepts. Nia Heard-Garris on Narrative Do you use stories or narratives as a tool to communicate with science media producers or consumers? If so, what kinds of narratives? I love stories. I think they help to make ideas or concepts more concrete in people’s minds. I like to use stories that may engage an individual’s emotions and may allow them to understand a concept/idea in different way than just reading words on a page. What kinds of documents or presentations are most effective at capturing and maintaining science media producers' or consumers’ attention? Again, I go back to relatability and understandability. An idea could be extremely important; however, if it is presented in a way that is understandable, it is useless to media producers. Once those two criteria are met, I think the timeliness of a topic or issue is very important. If you study, HIV, you may want to have lay pieces ready to submit for HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (April 10th). Those dates are important to know. So in some cases, researchers may need to be patient and if a piece is not getting traction, it could be that it has missed its window and they wait to the next cycle.