Making a broader impact with Web-based outreach

Sonya SenkowskyAlaskaWriter LLC &

Alaska Science Outreach

My background …My background …

http://www.alaskawriter.comhttp://www.alaskawriter.com

What do you think of What do you think of when when youyou think of think of science outreachscience outreach??

One of the many faces of outreachOne of the many faces of outreach

More outreach …More outreach …

This is outreach, too …This is outreach, too …

Also outreach …Also outreach …

And yet more outreach …And yet more outreach …

Some other pictures from outreach todaySome other pictures from outreach today

How will your site stand out?How will your site stand out?

The institutional science news The institutional science news sitesite

• • Delivery of feature storiesDelivery of feature stories• Multiple entry points • Multiple entry points

• Multimedia gallery• Multimedia gallery• Specialized tools• Specialized tools

The research-based siteThe research-based site

• • Individuals or collaborationsIndividuals or collaborations• FAQ for public • FAQ for public

• Provides 24-hour access • Provides 24-hour access • Primarily static info, • Primarily static info,

but can also be responsivebut can also be responsive

The event-based siteThe event-based site• • Journal entries or similarJournal entries or similar

• Uses trip as excuse to introduce • Uses trip as excuse to introduce context context

• Often aimed at K-12 • Often aimed at K-12 (but adults like them too!)(but adults like them too!)

New model:New model:www.alaskascienceoutreach.comwww.alaskascienceoutreach.com

• • Noninstitutional portal site - Noninstitutional portal site - to help people find all those other sitesto help people find all those other sites

• A resource for science teams• A resource for science teams• Science through storytelling• Science through storytelling• Interactive features/Q&A• Interactive features/Q&A

My secret weaponMy secret weapon

Case study: Coral cruise coverage Case study: Coral cruise coverage http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Case study: Coral cruise coverage Case study: Coral cruise coverage http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Goals:

• Establish researchers as experts on Alaska corals • Provide a neutral alternative to advocacy sites • Create transparency about fieldwork techniques• Get local media coverage of JASON visit • Create a resource that can be used again

Case study: Coral cruise coverage Case study: Coral cruise coverage http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Audience: Alaska media/general public, K-12. Resources: • Outreach funding • Video/still images and samples from JASON• Multimedia journalist

Case study: Coral cruise coverage Case study: Coral cruise coverage http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Using video to help tell the story Using video to help tell the story http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

NOAA ResearchNOAA Research

Using audio to help tell the story Using audio to help tell the story http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Case study: Coral cruise coverage Case study: Coral cruise coverage http://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsitehttp://www.alaskascienceoutreach.com/coralsite

Results:• More than 7,000 individual visits during July and August • APRN Radio story (produced onboard)• Illustrated feature story in Fairbanks newspaper• Tie-in with local NOAA site & national site• Frequent mentions in local media (including “Site of the week”)• The site provided a hook for local coverage and announcements in papers, etc.

Promoting the site/researchPromoting the site/research

Link to Link to coral sitecoral site

Feature storyFeature story

Bringing people to the site … Bringing people to the site …

Case study: Edge of the Arctic Case study: Edge of the Arctic ShelfShelf

http://www.whoi.edu/arcticedgehttp://www.whoi.edu/arcticedge

Edge sample pageEdge sample page

Case study: Edge of the Arctic Case study: Edge of the Arctic ShelfShelf

http://www.whoi.edu/arcticedgehttp://www.whoi.edu/arcticedge

Case study: Edge of the Arctic Case study: Edge of the Arctic ShelfShelf

http://www.whoi.edu/arcticedgehttp://www.whoi.edu/arcticedge

Case study: Climate blog Case study: Climate blog http://www.realclimate.orghttp://www.realclimate.org

Case study: Climate blog Case study: Climate blog http://www.realclimate.orghttp://www.realclimate.org

Case study: Climate blog Case study: Climate blog http://www.realclimate.orghttp://www.realclimate.org

“The site came from my personal frustration trying to engage. I would

always find myself arguing about the same things. It was like playing

Whack-a-Mole.”

–Gavin Schmidt

Case study: Climate blog Case study: Climate blog http://www.realclimate.orghttp://www.realclimate.org

Audience: Lay people/adults interested in climate change. Journalists.

Resources: Willingness to volunteer time, 9 colleagues willing to blog.

Benefits: More than a quarter of a million visits; FAQ page has saved time

Drawbacks: Some hate mail, “virtual fisticuffs” (but it’s easy to block someone from posting)

Case study: Climate blog Case study: Climate blog http://www.realclimate.orghttp://www.realclimate.org

Why does it work? “ Blogging demonstrates a willingness to talk at a

level that normal people do... Journalists like to talk to people who are willing to make an effort to talk at their level.”

Bonuses: FEEDBACK from the public, fan mail and encouragement, reporter contacts.

How broad an impact? How broad an impact? Consider NASA …Consider NASA …

Case study: http://www.nasa.gov• After 1997 landing of the Mars Pathfinder rover, NASA unveiled a newspaper-style home page.• In January 2003, NASA debuted its Web portal, with more multimedia and audience-based organization.

How broad an impact?How broad an impact?

NASA.gov daily page views in 2004:

4.6 million (up from 210,000 in 2002)

NYT.com (New York Times) average daily

page views: 1.6 million.

Thanks to: Jane Ellen Stevens, Multimedia journalistTeaching Fellow, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

What has changed since 1999-What has changed since 1999-2000?2000?

• More awareness of the value of outreach (“broader impact” requirements).

• Steady climb in US Internet use; increase in residential broadband use (the latter doubled from 2000-2001) Sources: US Census and US Dept. of Commerce

• Web logs (blogs)make their mark. • Fewer dedicated newspaper science

sections/reporters (Most recent casualty: Dallas Morning News)

““Broader Impact” outreach: Broader Impact” outreach: The focused approachThe focused approach

Fill in the blank:

If my outreach could accomplish this one thing: ____________,

I would be thrilled.

(If it could accomplish

____________, I would be satisfied.)

1. Know your goals

““Broader Impact” outreach: Broader Impact” outreach: The focused approachThe focused approach

The audience in the best position to respond/help me reach my goals has the following characteristics:

1. Know your goals

2. Know your audience

““Broader Impact” outreach: Broader Impact” outreach: The focused approachThe focused approach

Example:

I have these resources: • $5,000 dedicated funding• grad student with photography interest/ability• newsworthy and visually interesting fieldwork coming up…

They are found in the following places:

1. Know your goals

2. Know your audience

3. Assess all resources

Future of web outreachFuture of web outreach

More multimedia

More entertainment

Media-ready packaging

Portals

Increased role for independent communicators

Future directions:Future directions:

• • Partnerships Partnerships • Related print/traditional media products • Related print/traditional media products (syndicated column, adventure stories book)(syndicated column, adventure stories book)• Guest bloggers (or submit a story now)• Guest bloggers (or submit a story now)• Al-aska-a-Scientist spin-off publications• Al-aska-a-Scientist spin-off publications• Video/record interviews with scientists • Video/record interviews with scientists passing through Anchorage - use on site and in passing through Anchorage - use on site and in museum displays museum displays