Posts by: Meg Nakahara

Many challenges with virtual engagement come back to one thing—friction. Friction is that draggy, slow feeling when people talk over each other, or no one speaks at all, or everyone feels lost, and our brains take a vacation. Most folks are exhausted by endless Zoom meetings and (very reasonably) check out. The good news is that friction isn’t a foregone con...

Practice is core to our work. Our trainings revolve around hands-on exercises and feedback in a supportive setting, and are unique in that the practice and feedback comes from trusted partners from other fields, such as journalism, policy, and community leadership. These experts work closely with scientists in small groups and one-on-one as they practice communicat...

Prepping for meetings is important in helping you to have a constructive conversation - especially when the person you’re meeting with may have very little time or knowledge of your field of study. Another way to help your information stick, even after the meeting is over, is to leave behind a one-pager. A great one-pager catches their attention, starts a convers...

Many scientists fear repercussions from engaging around contentious subjects like climate change—anything from losing connections and opportunities, to jeopardizing their careers and credibility. But there are still productive conversations to be had, even in highly politicized environments. Continuing to engage, even when it’s difficult, is crucial for society...

Earlier this fall, I attended the Our Ocean conference held by the State Department in Washington, DC. I was fortunate enough to be selected to cover the event on social media and had a first row seat to hear amazing speakers like President Obama, Secretary John Kerry, and other world leaders, and witness global commitments to ocean health. I was blown away by...