Sci Comm Toolkit
Science communication has the power to change lives
By sharing your science with the public, you can reach more people and create real-world impact.
Whether you are a sci comm beginner or a full-fledged expert, this toolkit has all the resources you need to communicate your work effectively. There’s a little bit of something for everyone, no matter how you learn best or which communication vehicles interest you most. Podcasts, infographics, videos, op-eds, tip sheets, tweets—we’ve got it all! The possibilities are endless. Take some time to explore our toolkit and find out what sci comm can do for you.
What is science communication? At its core, sci comm is the practice of sharing your work with the public. Start here to discover what sci comm is and why it’s so important.
Social media is ever-evolving and that can make it hard to understand when, where, and how to use social platforms to share your work. But your potential reach on social media is infinite and you can conquer these platforms with a few tips and tricks.
An op-ed is an opinion piece from an author with some expertise on the topic being discussed. Op-eds provide a perfect opportunity to share your own research with a broader audience or to use your expertise to shape public opinion on important topics.
Infographics are an incredibly helpful tool for sharing research findings. By blending text and graphics, infographics facilitate communication of complex issues in a visual and easy-to-understand format.
Engaging patients and communities in research as partners create more relevant and rapidly adopted findings and help resolve the science communication problem.
Connecting with the media may seem daunting at first. Once you determine which of your studies will be of interest to the media and how to best summarize your science, there are tips and tools available to you to make it easier.
Search engine optimization is a tool that you can use for garnering media attention for your work, connecting your work to your intended audiences, and keeping your work evergreen in public discourse.
"Like many, I got into behavioral medicine because I want to improve community well-being and equity. Working with my graduate mentor Joni Mayer on her NIH-funded CITY100 study over a decade ago showed me that engaging in strategic science communication is a key ingredient to making a systems-level impact."
— Katherine Hoerster, PhD, MPH
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"Science communication has changed my work. I think a lot more about the relevance of my work and how it might address major public needs and interests. I also think about how to communicate my science a lot more simply and effectively."
— Megan J. Shen, PhD
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"Sci-comm has influenced the types of research questions I ask. It has become a "next step" in the research process rather than an optional professional activity."
— Joanna Buscemi, PhD
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"Science communication doesn't have to take a lot of time, you can dip your toe in the water first to see what mediums you like!"
— Becca Krukowski, PhD
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