The public hungers for stories about morphological research!
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The public hungers for stories about morphological research! Professor John R Hutchinson Structure & Motion Lab, CBS Dept. The Royal Veterinary College University of London United Kingdom www.rvc.ac.uk/sml Twitter: @JohnRHutchinson
description
My talk at the International Conference on Vertebrate Morphology in Barcelona, Spain on 10 July, 2013, in a symposium on "Morphology: The Great Integration. Contemporary Relevance of an Old Field." Note: the images in this presentation show dissections of long-dead animals and so may be upsetting or unpleasant to some viewers. No animals were killed for the purpose of dissection. Dissections shown were part of normal postmortem veterinary investigations, with scientific research benefiting from that opportunity as well.
Transcript of The public hungers for stories about morphological research!
The public hungers for stories about
morphological research!
Professor John R Hutchinson Structure & Motion Lab, CBS Dept.
The Royal Veterinary College
University of London
United Kingdom
www.rvc.ac.uk/sml
Twitter: @JohnRHutchinson
TALK IS ONLINE AT: whatsinjohnsfreezer.com
Professor John R Hutchinson Structure & Motion Lab, CBS Dept.
The Royal Veterinary College
University of London
United Kingdom
www.rvc.ac.uk/sml
Twitter: @JohnRHutchinson
My team
Zoos providing
specimens
Tweeps, pinners &
bloggers
RVC, SMLab
Symposium
organizers
Muchas gracilis!
Morphological research: more than just
publication-centred outreach?
By Luis Rey By Julia Molnar
Morphological research: more than
publication-centred outreach?
By Julia Molnar
Why anatomy/morphology?
anatomy
function
performance
phylogeny ontogeny
ecology evolution
health
Beauty is anatomy
Anatomy is beauty
Why anatomy/morphology?
Are the glory
days gone?
Modern Victorian
“Genetics as a whole is the great over-hyped science, and
geneticists know that even if they don't say it. All that genetics really
is is anatomy plus an enormous research group grant. It's what
anatomists did in the fifteenth century-looking at the heart and
seeing how it worked. Now, we are doing the same with DNA.”
— Steve Jones, geneticist, UCL; The Observer (14/9/2002).
“Anatomy is to physiology as geography is to history; it
describes the theatre of events.”
— Jean François Fernel, doctor in France; De Naturali Parte
Medicinae Libri Septem (1542)
Attitudes toward morphology, including its ‘‘value,’’ are changing
because new tools and methods apply so broadly to major
biological questions. I predict that morphology will be well
represented in this more-synthetic approach to biological
research. The questions will become the drivers; a greater
diversity of techniques, including the morphological, will be
applied to their analysis.
— Marvalee Wake, J Herpetol (2012),
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1670/11-221
Morphology has evolved
Tools
Molecular
Microscopic
Medical imaging
Histochemical
Computerized
Methods
Phylogenetics
Biomechanics
Statistics
Simulation
More data accessible, more questions answerable
More integration with other disciplines
Still a LOT left to study! OPPORTUNITY -- also to show others!
(Social) Media & Morphology- Examples
Image-based-
Pinterest, Flickr etc.
Youtube
Short format text/images-
Facebook/Google+
Long format-
Blogging (Wordpress, tumblr)
Documentaries…?
It’s about conversations
Animal Anatomy Social Media Hits Witmerlab– Facebook, YouTube https://www.facebook.com/witmerlab https://www.youtube.com/user/witmerlab
The Brain Scoop–YouTube,
blog(tumblr), Twitter, Facebook https://www.youtube.com/user/thebrainscoop
http://thebrainscoop.tumblr.com/
Tetrapod Zoology- blog,
podcast, Twitter, Facebook http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/
But generally online:
Palaeontology, Evolution strong
Morphology/Anatomy weaker
Big success: public exhibits,
books, internet, TV…
Proves public interest
Where was the morphological
science?
Could be done better!
More:
http://whatsinjohnsfreezer.com/2012/05/24/an
-anatomists-view-inside-animal-inside-out/
Popularity of surgery/medicine
programmes...
Bodyworlds/Animal: Inside Out
Compile/share ~any online images/videos
“Pin” (link/feature) on personal/shared “board” (page)
Interaction: Likes, Comments, Repins
1. Pinterest
Quick science image-based communication
48.7M Pinterest users…
Under-utilized by science!
Copyright issues!
Me: http://pinterest.com/johnrhutchinson/boards/
6 boards, 1963 pins
615 followers; not bad
(<1 yr).
9 June, 2013:
Image (from Reddit) showing how owl’s eyeball can be seen
through its ear goes “viral”: >40 retweets, >10 repins, etc
1. Pinterest– my experiences
Chatting in ≤140 characters; easy to dip in and out
General useful tool for integrating/disseminating social media-
brief notices of new blog posts, publications, Pinterest pins, …
Not just “your own PR agent”- fast, concise; strong community
e.g. morphology/biomechanics/evolution emphasis to my tweets
2. Twitter
Time-intensive but rewarding way to communicate morphology
Independent of or partnered w/publications, other activities
Turns scientists into ~journalists- write to broader audiences
At its best, truly interactive & dynamic
Ideally: have novel hook; find unique niche (do homework)
Do what you like & others will come, but tweak to fit them too
Link w/other social media– advertise! Build a base
MUST interact- reply to comments, encourage discourse
3. Blogging
http://whatsinjohnsfreezer.com/ & http://thechickenofthefuture.com/
I was a social media naysayer
Joined Facebook 2007, Twitter 2011, blog
2012 (as half-joke)
“Freezer-based science” = silly hook
Really = anatomy blog
Expectation: niche blog; few enthusiasts, not
broad appeal/exposure
>1 year later: >145,000 views; >100 followers
Excellent feedback, good success, very fun
Many new interactions, opportunities
Time demands still modest. Worth it!
3. Blogging- My experience:
3. Blogging- My
experience: Going viral: post on “Inside
Nature’s Giants” 13 April;
26 April coverage erupted (Boing Boing, Reddit (multiple
times), Gizmodo (+Japan), io9,
metafilter
http://whatsinjohnsfreezer.com/2012
/04/13/inside-various-giants/
Photo of elephant
intestines
No negative comments-
except one 1-liner on 23
June (NSFICVM)
Inside Nature’s Giants (UK Channel 4) /
Raw Anatomy (National Geographic): 4 episodes
filmed Jan-Feb 2009 (Windfall Films)
~1 year of planning: access to dead
elephant, giraffe, crocodile,
lion/tiger… succeeded!
~10 days, paid >£2000 research
funds, loads of fun & hard work
BAFTA awards, accolades; HIT!
But…
Risks of documentaries!
4. Documentaries
Keep your clothes on
Not for everyone; try it
Takes sustained effort; 1-3 hrs/wk?
Comparative Anatomy course
popularity down?
How to teach/get interest?
--Take morphology to the people!
--VAST, EAGER audience! e.g.
users: 1B Youtube, 1.1B Facebook, 500M
Twitter, >> 200M blogs…
-- Documentaries more willing now
to venture past old “taboos”?
Public & Morphology: Reflections
The Yuck Factor:
Be honest, respectful, give warnings
People tend to understand
Defend yourself openly
Don’t overdo it
But there is an audience
How to measure engagement?
Social media sites do this for you
Get your IT dept to help?
ImpactStory, other sites compile
Include methods for feedback:
How did you change visitors’ views?
Used in others’ teaching? Links from other sites?
Public & Morphology: Challenges
How to avoid dumbing
down? Boredom?
Sophisticated audience
Simplify prose, don’t
sacrifice science
TEACH & DISCUSS
Functional approach
enriches anatomy
Avoid function/evolution
storytelling; misleading
Make it personal; use
your enthusiasm
Public & Morphology: Challenges
The mantra: grants and papers, grants and papers…
Given that: time & energy are finite (for now)
Why bother? Leaves less time for (the mantra)
Public, Social Media & Morphology:
Dissecting The Elephant-In-The-Room
Not zero-sum game; unused spare time
(commuting, too tired, in boring meeting/talk…)
If you don’t want to, DON’T TRY (bad!)
You. Must. Have. Fun. Dammit!
Unexpected benefits, e.g.:
-collaborations, contacts (outside field?)
-reputation, awards, career benefits?
-hone your skills
-better dissemination
(publication PR tends to saturate media)
Don’t worry about “stigma” of self-promotion
http://extelligenceexperiment.com/2012/11/1477/
Public, Social Media & Morphology:
Dissecting The Elephant-In-The-Room
Documentaries etc:
Negotiate for benefits
such as getting paid,
so your time is not
wasted if you get cut!
Join the discussion!
http://whatsinjohnsfreezer.com
/2013/06/13/documentaries-
why-bother/
Respect starts with us!
But Morphologists Deserve Respect.
Negotiate, with dignity.
Morphology = visual science
Social media/doc’s = highly visual
Current tastes = permissive?
Not a lot of (non-porn) morphology on ‘net
Lots of interest (Blogs! Reddit!)
Opportunity to: (1) try new things &
(2) establish niche
We can do this!
But what…? (anything = good?)
And who (not everyone; not
organized)?
How to sate the public’s hunger for
morphological research? SUMMARY
Just a few… there are TONS:
Osterrieder and Pritchard- slides from SEB 2013 talk:
http://www.slideshare.net/anneosterrieder/linking-research-with-social-media
Science Communication at a Tipping Point?
http://blogs.nature.com/soapboxscience/2013/05/15/science-communication-at-a-tipping-point
Nature- SpotOn
http://www.nature.com/spoton/
Science Uses/Misuses of Twitter
http://www.katherinelwheat.com/lifeafterthesis/uses-and-misuses-of-twitter/
Example Advice/Ideas/Resources:
Social Media & Science
