Wednesday, June 4th Agenda

Milano Reading Room @ WVU Downtown Library (2nd Floor)

All events take place here unless otherwise noted.
 

8:30 AM
Registration & Breakfast

9 AM
Conference Kickoff

Sheena Murphy, Vice President for Research

9:15 – 10:15 AM
KEYNOTE: The Fun Guy on Fungi

Speaker: Matt Kasson, a mycologist, plant podcaster and associate professor, is the national go-to expert on all things fungi. His research, namely on “zombie cicadas” aka “flying saltshakers of death,” has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN, Popular Science, National Geographic and PBS, just to name a few.

10:30 – 11:20 AM
SESSION 1: Employing AI Efficiently and Ethically in Research Comms

Generative AI represents a game-changing technology in research communications, but it’s not without costs. This session will examine how a few comms offices are using AI while also considering its potential downsides.

Moderating the panel is Bob Britten, associate professor at the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media. Panelists include Josh DeLozier, University of Oklahoma; Kathryn Jepsen, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Joe Kays, University of Florida; and Michael Terrazas, University of Georgia.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
SESSION 2: Nuts & Bolts Sessions

Fixing the ‘Unreadable’ Scientific Annual Report
Presenter: Erin Podolak, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

When you know a publication isn’t working, where do you start to rebuild? We’ll talk through bringing narrative storytelling, compelling photography and updated graphic design to a legacy scientific annual report to redefine what it is and can be for your institution.

Managing Communications Responses to Crises and Research Uncertainty
Presenters: Kelley Christensen (University of Oregon), Jen Humphrey (University of Kansas) & Lewis Taylor (University of Oregon)

This session will bring together the URMA community to discuss crisis communications across web, social media, e-news, and other platforms to address situations such as government shutdowns, the changing federal funding situation, public advocacy for research support, etc. The session will invite conference participants to ask questions that reflect the spectrum of university communication responses, campaigns, and processes.

Plan, Panic, Pivot: Some Things I’ve Learned from Hosting Events
Presenter: Alyssa LaFaro, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Event planning is equal parts strategy, stress, and serendipity. In this candid session, Alyssa LaFaro will share some tips she picked up from hosting three major events in the past year. From the magic of a stellar emcee to the power of backup plans (and backup coffee), you’ll walk away with practical tips, hard-earned wisdom, and a healthy respect for duct tape and deep breaths. Whether you’re planning your first event or your 50th, this talk will leave you laughing, nodding, and maybe rethinking your caffeine strategy.

12:30 PM: LUNCH

1 – 1:45 PM
SESSION 3: Research Comms and Social Media

A conversation about current social media best practices as the landscape rapidly changes with users leaving traditional platforms (X and Facebook) and the emergence of new ones (Bluesky, Threads).

Presenting: Meredith Cole, Director of Communications and Marketing, Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Virginia; and Katie Unger Baillie, Director, Environmental Innovations Initiative, University of Pennsylvania.

2 – 2:30 PM
SESSION 4: Between Scientists and Science Communicators

More scientists are trading traditional careers in academia for jobs in research communications. One example is Shelby Bradford, who earned her PhD in immunology and microbial pathogenesis at WVU. Today she is an assistant editor for The Scientist. Shelby will discuss why she left the bench for the science communication sphere and how scientists-turned-journalists and traditional science communicators can benefit from one another to bring research to the page.

2 – 2:30 PM
SESSION 5: An Open Discussion on the Current Climate

A community conversation on how to react – and be proactive – to the ongoing changes to the higher education landscape under a new presidential administration. Federal directives have slashed DEI efforts and funding opportunities have vanished. How have universities created content and strategy in response?

3:15 – 3:45 PM
SESSION 6: Cookies & Speed Networking

4:30 – 5 PM
TOUR: WVU Forensics Crime Scene Training Complex

WVU is a world leader in forensic science – being one of only a few universities in the country to offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. We will tour the WVU Crime Scene Training Complex, the largest in the country that consists of four crime scene houses.

6 – 8 PM
Reception/Trivia Night with an appearance by Mountaineer Mascot Rachel Morgan :

Location: River View Rooftop Bar, 48 Donley St., Morgantown, WV

Join us for trivia, beverages and appetizers on the roof of Marina Tower at the River View Rooftop Bar, overlooking the Monongahela River and city of Morgantown.

Greeting us there will be Rachel Morgan, one of the Mountaineer mascots!

A shuttle will stop at Hotel Morgan to drop off passengers opting out of the reception before we proceeding to the River View Rooftop Bar. The shuttle will leave and return to Hotel Morgan at 8 p.m.

***Note: URMA members will be responsible for purchases at this reception.

Thursday, June 5th Agenda

Milano Reading Room @ WVU Downtown Library (2nd Floor)

All events take place here unless otherwise noted.
 

8:30 – 9 AM: BREAKFAST

9 – 10 AM
SESSION 1: Meaningful Analytics

We often pull analytics, but are they useful? This session will examine which metrics have meaning and are worth gathering not just for metric’s sake.

Speakers: Brianna Sheppard, Director, West Virginia Area Health Education Centers at WVU; Beth Potier, Director of Research Communications UNH Marketing/Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach; and Michele Berger, Director of News and Publications, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania.

10:15 – 11:15 AM
SESSION 2: The State of Print

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted how universities handle their magazines. Some made the switch to a digital only product. Others have resumed printing; but many at a less frequent pace. Here, we hope to gather a snapshot of what universities are doing with magazines. And is online content worth it?

Panelists are Christina Dierkes, The Ohio State University; Angela Nicoletti, Florida International University; Edyta Zielinska, Thomas Jefferson University; and Jake Stump, WVU.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
SESSION 3: FIREHOSE SESSION

Wrangling your content with Microsoft Lists
Presenter: Christina Dierkes, The Ohio State University
Does your team produce a lot of content? Would you like to be better at repurposing that content, but it’s hard to keep track of everything in a way that’s easy to search? Building a content tracker may be for you!

This presentation will introduce you to Microsoft Lists: using our Story Content Tracker as an example, Christina will show they thought through needs, built a database, created tags and filters, and used the tracker for everything from department newsletters to performance reviews.

Bridging silos: Leveraging cross-unit collaboration for greater impact
Presenters: Kathleen Garrigan & Shane Seger, The George Washington University

At this year’s AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, GW’s Office of Communications and Marketing and Office of the Vice Provost for Research partnered to bolster GW’s visibility and worked with other GW offices to connect with and engage diverse constituencies, including alumni, prospective students and members of the science community. The integrated approach demonstrates how scientific conferences can serve as launch pads for greater stakeholder engagement.

#TeachingTuesday: Simplifying research into bite-sized insights
Presenter: Meghan Lepisto, University of Wisconsin

This session will showcase the University of Wisconsin Collaborative for Reproductive Equity’s #TeachingTuesday posts, which distill complex reproductive health research into simple, engaging insights for social media. The presentation will share examples, highlight the posts’ reach and impact, and show how an internal tracking system supports the continued use of this accessible, evidence-based information.

Getting audiences amped for your annual report using a video trailer
Presenter: Madison Rice, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

In a multi-media world where even campus signs and announcements are digital, how do you drum up excitement for a print report? By leveraging a video trailer to tease our annual scientific report, St. Jude was able to increase awareness of this legacy print asset and provide a different asset to help reach additional readers.

Leveraging multi-media storytelling to honor anonymous patient narratives
Presenter: Kathryn McCullough, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Learn how St. Jude crafted a multi-media storytelling experience around HIV research and care to honor patient and research participant anonymity requests. The final product is a dynamic piece that broadens how our audience perceives the impact of clinical research and medical care.

You can lead the public to research, but you have to serve them drinks: Lessons from a successful science café series
Presenter: Beth Potier, University of New Hampshire

Each month, curious citizens throng to brew pubs in New Hampshire to hear about timely research from the University of New Hampshire. That is, if they can get tickets. This session will feature highlights from UNH’s popular Seacoast Sips of Science and discuss how the organizers are growing and sustaining these powerful, popular research outreach events with almost no budget and minimal staff time and effort.

12:30 – 1:15 PM: LUNCH

1:15 – 2:30 PM
SESSION 4: AAAS/Science on influencing policymaking; AI

Members of the Science and Science Advances “SciPak” press package team will present on a couple of topics, including SciPak-PIO collaboration, getting science that intersects with policy to policy-focused journalists and outlets, and AI and ChatGPT’s role in the science comms office.

Speaking will be Science Advances Senior Writer, Abigail Eisenstadt, and Science Senior Writer, Walter Beckwith.

2:45 PM: Distinguished Service Award / Break

3 – 4 PM
SESSION 5: Writing for The Conversation

Presenter: Bruce Wilson, chief university and foundation relations officer

4:30 – 5:30 PM
OPTIONAL: URMA Book Club Session

Optional Book Club
Location: Room 104, WVU Library

Location: Morgantown Co-Op
• A discussion of “Deep & Wild: On Mountains, Opossums, and Finding Your Way in West Virginia,” as voted on by URMA members. Laura Jackson, a research writer at West Virginia University, will share her experiences writing the book and how it intersects with her work as a research communicator.

6:15 – 8 PM
RECEPTION: URMA Film Festival & Reception at the Gluck Theatre, WVU Mountainlair

Join us for an evening of culture, small bites, and short films! The 7th Annual URMA Festival features videos and documentaries from our member institutions that highlight research excellence, discovery, and history.

Friday, June 6th Agenda

Monongalia Arts Center (107 High Street, next door to Hotel Morgan)

All events take place here unless otherwise noted.
 

8:30 – 9 AM: BREAKFAST

9 – 10 AM
URMA Business Meeting

Meet with the board to get an update and provide feedback about the organization.

10:15 AM: GROUP PHOTO

10:30 – 11:30 AM
KEYNOTE 2: Written in the Stars

Speakers: Duncan Lorimer and Maura McLaughlin are internationally-renowned astrophysicists credited with discovering fast radio bursts — intense, unexplained pulses of energy, coming from billions of light years away, that pop for mere milliseconds. The married couple has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Shaw Prize, considered the ‘Nobel of the East.’ Lorimer, McLaughlin and their colleagues and students are active throughout the state and local community making astrophysics relatable to the average person.

11:30 PM
CONFERENCE ADJOURNS