Escape from the Ivory Tower

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Most scientists and researchers aren’t prepared to talk to the press or to policymakers—or deal with backlash. Many have the horror stories to prove it. What’s clear, according to Nancy Baron, is that scientists, journalists and public policymakers come from different cultures. They follow different sets of rules, pursue different goals, and speak their own language. To effectively reach journalists and public officials, scientists need to learn new skills and rules of engagement. No matter what your specialty, the keys to success are clear thinking, knowing what you want to say, understanding your audience, and using everyday language to get your main points across.

In this practical and entertaining guide to communicating science, Baron explains how to engage your audience and explain why a particular finding matters. She explores how to ace your interview, promote a paper, enter the political fray, and use new media to connect with your audience. The book includes advice from journalists, decision makers, new media experts, bloggers and some of the thousands of scientists who have participated in her communication workshops. Many of the researchers she has worked with have gone on to become well-known spokespeople for science-related issues. Baron and her protégées describe the risks and rewards of “speaking up,” how to deal with criticism, and the link between communications and leadership. The final chapter, ‘Leading the Way’ offers guidance to scientists who want to become agents of change and make your science matter. Whether you are an absolute beginner or a seasoned veteran looking to hone your skills, Escape From the Ivory Tower can help make your science understood, appreciated and perhaps acted upon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Baron is the outreach director of COMPASS, the Communications Partnership for Science and the Sea. She designed and leads the communications trainings for the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program. She and her COMPASS team offer a wide range of workshops for academic scientists as well as scientists who work for the government, and non-governmental organizations in North America and abroad. Her experience as both a Canadian National Parks biologist, and well as a science writer inspired her to help bridge the gaps among scientists, journalists, and policymakers. An ardent naturalist, Baron has led natural history expeditions around the world. She wrote the popular introductory field guide, Birds of the Pacific Northwest, as a way to help people engage with the natural world.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
Acknowledgments
Foreword: Donald Kennedy

Part I The Scientist Communicator
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. The Decision to Speak Out

Part II A Clash of Cultures
Chapter 3. What You Need to Know about Journalists
Chapter 4. Tell Me a Story: What Journalists Want from You
Chapter 5. What the Changing World of the Media Means for You
Chapter 6. What You Need to Know about Policymakers
Chapter 7. Inform My Decision: What Policymakers Want from You

Part III The How-To Toolkit
Chapter 8. Deliver a Clear Message
Chapter 9. Ace Your Interview
Chapter 10. Fine-Tune for Radio and Television
Chapter 11. Reach out Instead of Waiting
Chapter 12. Promote a Paper
Chapter 13. Enter the Political Fray

Part IV Becoming an Agent of Change
Chapter 14. After the Splash, the Backlash
Chapter 15. Leading the Way: Ten Steps to Success

References
Index