Posts in: Bridging Communities

A few years ago, in one of my science writing classes at Johns Hopkins University, a guest speaker shared one of her most regrettable moments as a science journalist. She was a writer at the respected magazine Science News, and several years previously had covered a high-profile paper published in a top journal. Dutifully, she included in her story some of the fig...

We’re excited to share stories from scientists in their own words. This guest post is by Barbara Spiecker, a graduate student at Oregon State University (OSU). Barbara recently participated in a ‘Making Your Science Matter’ graduate seminar I teach each winter at OSU. Our staff, past and present, provide services such as graduate courses, seminars, and 1:1 co...

Culture is an important, but sometimes overlooked, aspect of communication. Understanding the behaviors, beliefs, and norms of your audience can (and should!) change how you talk about your own work. One key reason COMPASS brings journalists and policymakers to our communication trainings is to give scientists a window into their worlds. Journalists Chris Joyce...

By Amy Mathews Amos Published Jan. 14, 2016 Title: Mining Science For Stories: The Value Of Journalist Fellows At The Society For Marine Mammalogy Meeting (#MARMAM15) Categories: Communication, Science, Media Tags: conferences, connecting,journalist, outreach, Amy Mathews Amos What happens when you offer an opportunity for 14 journalists to rub shoulders with 2,50...

Washington D.C. often gets a reputation for being opaque, with lots of rules and unspoken customs for how things are done.  It’s true that D.C. has its own culture, and Capitol Hill especially can feel like its own world. My experience is that there are many dedicated staff on Capitol Hill who want to understand the best science available and how it can help the...

By Heather Mannix and Chad English Published July 14, 2014 Title: Connecting At NACCB Categories: About COMPASS, Media Tags: conferences, congress, journalists, Twitter The COMPASS team is in Missoula, Montana this week for the 2014 North American Congress for Conservation Biology (NACCB). Our plenary “Tapas” and the reception that followed kicked off myriad...