Events

Feb

18

From vaccinations to climate change, university research communicators have the potential to be vital conduits for information about subjects currently under scrutiny in the wider public. But with these topics becoming lightning rods in public discourse, how can we share stories and science that are received with trust? In our February URMA Live, three communications experts on public health and climate change will share their insights, research, and time-tested techniques for crafting messages that land with the intended audience.

Our speakers:

Jennifer Carman, PhD is Director of Survey Strategy at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, where she develops and supports survey research on public attitudes, behaviors, and policy support regarding climate change both in the U.S. and globally. Her research interest is at the intersection of climate change adaptation and human behavior, focusing on how people can both protect themselves and advance the common good in the face of increasing climate change impacts.

Nikki McClaren, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Her research explores the cognitive and social determinants of health behaviors and examines how mediated messages can be constructed to facilitate successful persuasion and message engagement.

Glen Nowak, PhD, is the Jim Kennedy New Media Professor; Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies; Co-Director of Center for Health & Risk Communication; and Professor of Advertising & Public Relations at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Prior to joining the Grady faculty in January 2013, he worked 14 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He spent six years as director of media relations at CDC and six years as communications director for CDC’s National Immunization Program.

Jan

14

As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, research communicators are getting into the game. In this URMA Live!, we’ll hear from three of them:
Nancy Bazilchuk, science writer with Norwegian University of Science and Technology and host of 63 Degrees North
Dr. David Peterson, professor of infectious diseases at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and host of People, Parasites, and Plagues
Brian Yurasits, science communication specialists at New Hampshire Sea Grant and host of Time and Tide
Join us and bring your questions and your own podcast experiences.

Nov

19

For the November URMA Live!, URMA member Justin Shaw, higher education consultant at Communications Management, will present findings from his study on global trends and innovations in research communications.

Oct

08

Join the October URMA Live! for a discussion about how research communicators can learn from and partner with our colleagues whose work focuses on development. Hear from four professionals whose work ranges from principal gifts development to magazine editing about how they collaborate with research communicators, gift officers, donors, and more. You will hear examples of how this collaboration has been used to superb effect, learn about the similarities and differences between our areas of work and communications approaches, and get ideas for how to strategically partner with development teams at your own institution. It should be a wide-ranging and engaging discussion, and we’ll have time for audience questions. See you there!

Moderators:

Lewis Taylor, Director of Communications, Knight Campus at the University of Oregon
Katie Unger Baillie, Director, University of Pennsylvania Environmental Innovations Initiative

Panelists:

Rachel Bedford, Research Associate for Scientific Communication, Knight Campus Communications Office at the University of Oregon
Michele Berger, Editor of Omnia and Director of News and Publications for the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts & Sciences
Kelly Hochbein, Senior Director of Development and Research Communications, Penn Medicine Development and Alumni Relations
Callie Johnston, Assistant Vice President for Development and Chief Development Officer at the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon

Sep

24

In this URMA Live, we’ll discuss how we’re wielding our communications expertise to counteract federal funding restrictions and recissions, as well as a looming government shutdown. Bring your questions, ideas, and best practices to this interactive URMA Nuts and Bolts-style discussion led by Kelley Christensen (University of Oregon), Jen Humphrey (Kansas University LifeSpan Institute), and Lewis Taylor (University of Oregon Knight Campus).

Jul

24

Each year, the URMA Annual Conference offers members an unmatched way to learn about best practices, share your wins, and build a professional network. Are you interested in hosting this valuable event on your campus? URMA Conference Mentor Alyssa LaFaro, who hosted the conference in 2024 at UNC-Chapel Hill, will hold an information session for those considering bringing the conference to their campuses or institutions in the next couple of years.

This session will address:
• what hosting entails
• gaining buy-in from your institution’s leadership
• crafting a successful proposal
• working with the URMA board
• logistical and financial aspects of hosting

There will also be time for questions. Even if you’re a little curious about hosting but aren’t quite ready to commit for next year, please feel free to attend to get your questions answered. See you there!

Jul

09

Join URMA to hear about and discuss the recent annual conference at West Virginia University. Select attendees will offer a recap of their experiences and learnings, and we’ll have time for open exchange. We’ll also hear from host Jake Stump about some takeaways from the post-conference survey. See you there!

May

14

The need has never been greater for researchers who can effectively communicate the nature and impact of their work for the public. Join the session of URMA Live for a conversation with four faculty researchers who understand the critical role of science communication and have dedicated themselves to engaging with public audiences in new and innovative ways. They will talk about their own work and tackle questions like, how do they work with their institutional communicators? How have their activities evolved with technology? What adjustments are they making to their strategies and messages in the current environment? Tune in on May 14 to hear about all this and more.

Speakers:
• Holly Bik, Associate Professor of Marine Science, University of Georgia
• Tera Fazzino, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Associate Director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas
• Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program, University of Georgia
• Adrian Smith, Head, Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Apr

23

In response to the recent cuts to DEI programs and coverage, thoughtful and accurate storytelling is more important than ever. This session will explore how writers can build trust with diverse communities and conduct interviews with care and integrity. Driving the discussion are two esteemed experts: Letrell Crittenden, director of Temple University’s new Center for Community Engaged Media, and Paul Cuadros, a UNC-Chapel Hill journalism professor and award-winning investigative reporter specializing in coverage of the Latino community. URMA members Alyssa LaFaro of UNC-Chapell Hill and Edyta Zielinska of Thomas Jefferson University will moderate.

Mar

19

You are invited to register for our next URMA Live!, which will take place over Zoom on Wednesday, March 19 at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Jake Stump of West Virginia University will give a preview of the program being planned for this year’s URMA Conference in Morgantown, W.Va. Jake can also address travel logistics and other questions about the conference and WVU.

To register for the conference, book your hotel or review the working agenda, go to
https://urma.org/conferences/urma-conference-2025/

Feb

26

Join us Feb. 26 for an URMA Live focused on e-newsletters!

We’re living in a golden age of newsletters, and your institution can tap into this powerful way of sharing stories even if you are not a tech geek and even if you don’t have tons of new content every week. Three URMA members will offer their insights about topics such as content, frequency, metrics and design in the next URMA Live session.

Panelists:
Kelley Christensen at University of Oregon
Michael Hughes at University of Notre Dame
Sarah Perdue at University of Wisconsin Madison

Feb

05

We will gather for a special URMA Live! to discuss a timely issue: How are universities and institutions communicating amid a shifting landscape of executive orders with implications for research?

Catherine Zandonella, executive director of research and innovation communications at Cornell University, will moderate this session, sharing her own experiences, and Layla Dowdy, director of communications for UNC Research, will also report on how her office has managed this turbulent period. We’ll have lots of time for open discussion and sharing from attendees.

Jan

15

Many colleges and universities produce commercials about their institutions’ academic and research activities to run during broadcasts of their teams’ games, but these are not the only way to leverage athletics for research visibility. In this webinar, URMA members will share ideas that go beyond the PSA and ride the wave of sporting success for impact with media, industry, high-impact donors, and other key stakeholders of the research enterprise.

Speakers:
• Michael Terrazas – Director of Research Communications, University of Georgia
• Chad Binette – Assistant Vice President of Communications, University of Central Florida
• Michael Hughes – Program Director for Research Brand Execution, University of Notre Dame
• Lisa Robbins – Senior Director of Integrated Brand Strategy, University of Georgia
• Jake Stump – Director of Research Communications, West Virginia University

Dec

04

Alyssa LaFaro, URMA member and research communications manager at UNC-Chapel Hill, will share UNC Research’s “epic journey” from print to digital to print.

Her office was formed in 1984 to produce a research magazine called Endeavors three times per year. It did so successfully until 2012, when state budget cuts eliminated the magazine, forcing the office to reform into a digital communications shop. With much persistence and a passion for print, Alyssa and her graphic designer were able to bring back an annual print edition in 2019 and just produced their sixth edition under a new name with new branding: UNC Research Stories.

Alyssa will share the story of this evolution, including her strategy for pitching a print magazine to research administrators, what kind of team it takes to produce a print magazine in house, their distribution plan and recent rebrand, how the print edition is used to complement online content, and much more.

Nov

06

URMA member Justin Shaw, UK-based Chief Higher Education Consultant at Communications Management, has been undertaking a review of university research communications around the world. In this session he’ll provide an update on his latest findings, building on the preliminary work he presented at URMA 2023 in Philadelphia. Justin will cover different comparative insights relating to: roles and resourcing; methods, channels and tactics; integrated campaign approaches and examples; and measurement and reporting. His work on this continues and he now has funding to expand this project over the next two years in order to feed into the evolution of best practice by those who lead on design and policy for research communications. He’ll also ask members about what else they’d like to see addressed through his investigations – so this will also be a chance to bring along your own list of ideas and opportunities.

Oct

13

Ongoing basic research to understand how cells decode the information present in our genes has recently made it possible to develop new types of drugs. We will discuss one of the key steps in this genetic decoding, namely how messenger RNA (mRNA) undergoes splicing. Splicing edits each mRNA to remove non-coding segments, so that the information it carries can be used to make a protein. We will also discuss how mRNA splicing can be precisely manipulated with designer drugs called antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), for example to correct defective splicing in the context of disease. One notable example we will discuss is an ASO drug that is being used to prevent or treat a deadly neurodegenerative disease.

This event is free and open to the public.

Sep

18

Communicating about science is a special skill, but nonfiction writers and editors have plenty to learn from the world of fiction. At our September URMA Live!, URMA board member Kathryn Jepsen will demonstrate how to use fiction editing techniques to improve a piece of science writing.

Jul

24

Has anyone told you that “ChatGPT isn’t going to take your job, but someone who can use ChatGPT will”? At our July URMA Live!, URMA board member Kathryn Jepsen will take a critical look at this sentiment while examining how generative AI and large language models work, how chatbots like ChatGPT were trained, how they can go wrong, and how they’re a part of a larger change to the internet. Tune in to get tips and share in discussion following the presentation.

Jun

26

Join URMA to hear about and discuss the recent annual conference at UNC-Chapel Hill. Four conference attendees—Adria Amos, Emma Candelier, Heather Noel, and Brianna Shepard—will share their experiences and takeaways. We’ll then open the floor for discussion and exchange, including suggesting topics you want to learn more about, perhaps at a future URMA Live!

This event is open to all URMA members, whether or not you attended the meeting. Hope to see you there.

May

14

Join us for URMA 2024 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill! You’ll connect with colleagues from universities and institutions who communicate about research through online and print magazines, media relations, social media, videos, podcasts and more. Our conference features practitioners in realms such as journalism, design, photography, multimedia and other areas relevant to telling the stories of research. If you communicate about your institution’s research, URMA’s annual conference is for you.

Apr

17

Polish up those networking skills in time for this year’s URMA Annual Conference. Gail McCormick of Penn State University, URMA’s Secretary, will facilitate a virtual networking session so we can get to know one another better in small groups (via breakout rooms) and discuss issues of mutual interest before many of us gather at UNC-Chapel Hill next month. All should feel welcome to join, whether or not you’re attending the conference.

Mar

19

PIOs are often tasked with finding ways to highlight their institution’s expertise. This session is aimed at discussing ways to do this that don’t rely on traditional news releases. We’ll talk about both formats for highlighting expertise and how to generate story ideas. (Hint: it’s helpful if you know some curious kids!)

Mar

13

This year’s conference organizer, Alyssa LaFaro of UNC Chapel Hill will give us an in-depth preview of the events she and other members and partners are planning for May. Bring your questions and get ready to register and book your room! If we have time left over we will open the floor for general discussion among membership.

Feb

14

Lindsay Lewis of the Baylor College of Medicine will host this discussion, including Julie Kiefer of University of Utah Health and Catherine Zandonella of Princeton University, on how to prepare yourself, your leaders, and your institution for challenging times.

Please register in advance for this meeting on Zoom:
https://upenn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlde-prTgrEtVuyiCzTlEIFph0oI-Ime2S

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

I look forward to seeing you then and there!

Jan

24

Our January URMA Live!, coming up on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. Eastern, will offer a round up of members presenting about the conferences they attend for professional development. I’m still looking for presenters, so if you’re willing to share a brief explanation of a conference you’ve attended in the last couple of years and what you got out if it, let me know! It could be one of the usual suspects (NASW, AAAS) or something more out-of-the-box.

Dec

13

For December, log on to receive a tour of URMA’s beautiful new website and to hear an announcement about the 2024 URMA Annual Conference. If we have time, we will also open the floor so you can share projects from the last year of which you are particularly proud.

Nov

15

Catherine Zandonella of Princeton University will guide us through our next URMA Live, focused on understanding your audience. Technology like UTM codes, QR codes, Google Analytics, and other platforms offer powerful ways to gather data. Learn how your peers are using these tools and share your experiences to improve your content and your reach.

In addition, I’m happy to report that the recording from last month’s URMA Live, on generative AI applications in research communications, is now up on the members-only page of the URMA website: https://urma.org/resources/urma-live-videos/.

Sep

27

At our next Live, we’ll discuss a topic that is relevant for many URMA members: research newsletters. Who is producing them and how do you make them great? URMA Member Beth Potier of the University of New Hampshire will moderate a panel discussion to highlight a few examples of stand-out research newsletters and explore audience development, platform selection, content strategy, metrics, and more. There will be plenty of time for Q&A to learn from panelists and one another. Join us!

Aug

23

At our next Live, URMA members will share highlights from the Annual Conference at the University of Pennsylvania. Leah Hesla will moderate and Christina Hernandez Sherwood and Christie Kennedy will talk over their experiences before opening up a general discussion about conference learnings. We’ll also reserve time to go over post-conference survey results. And, if desired, the board and former conference hosts will be able answer questions about applying to host a conference. (Proposals are due August 25!)

Jul

25

SciPEP 2023 will take place July 25-26, 2023. Join with other science communication scholars, practitioners, and trainers to explore new insights and generate ideas and opportunities to advance basic science communication research and practice.

This virtual event is free and open to the public.

Jun

05

This 8-week USF Summer Grant Writing Workshop is designed to guide grant seekers through the basics of the application process to develop competitive proposals. Join us to learn the latest in grant writing techniques and strategies to attract funding for your projects. Participants will be provided access to the Research Resources that include grant templates and sample proposals, as well as the Training Activity Guide (TAG). Walk through the grant application process with us this summer because your research matters.

May

31

This month, meet chemistry teacher and TikTok star Phil Cook, who will talk about how to create short-form videos that make viewers curious about science!

At the suggestion of a student, Cook began filming science demonstrations for TikTok as @ChemTeacherPhil in 2019. The following year, he racked up multiple millions of views with his first viral video. He continues to share his love of science with an audience of 3.9 million followers.

Apr

27

The University Research Magazine Association is pleased to announce the Nick Houtman Travel Grants for the annual URMA Conference. Travel grants cover half of URMA conference travel expenses – up to $1,000. This year’s conference at the University of Pennsylvania hosted by Team Penn will be amazing. Registration is online at https://urma.org/2023-conference.

Travel grant recipients are required to submit a brief synopsis of their experiences at the conference to be posted to the URMA website. Priority will be given to URMA members who have not attended the conference. Members who have received a travel grant in the past are not eligible.

The deadline to apply for a travel grant is Friday, May 5. Recipients will be notified by May 12.

The travel grant application is attached. To apply, please return it to me at lindsay.lewis@bcm.edu.

Apr

26

At our next Live, URMA members Katie Baillie, Michele Berger and Heather Davis will give an overview of the exciting program they have planned for our annual conference, June 13–16, at the University of Pennsylvania. We also will provide information on URMA travel grants.