Download - Online Outreach for Scientists
Miriam C. GoldsteinCalifornia Sea Grant/U.S. House of RepresentativesScience Leadership Program, University of Toronto
May 3, 2013
Online Outreach for Scientists
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Jeff Atwood, codinghorror.com
The internet: friend or foe?
Why use the internet?
1
100
10,000
1,000,000
100,000,000
Scientific Conference
College Class
Scientific American
Local Paper
National Paper
TwitterBlogs
log
(Mon
thly
Aud
ienc
e)
Traditional MediaNew Media
Bik & Goldstein 2013, PLOS Biology
Why use the internet?A look on a linear scale: new media dominates
0
175,000,000
350,000,000
525,000,000
700,000,000
Scientific Conference
College Class
Scientific American
Local Paper
National Paper
TwitterBlogs
Mon
thly
Aud
ienc
e
Traditional MediaNew Media
Bik & Goldstein 2013, PLOS Biology
One model of the online science ecosystem
Rob Helpy-Chalk
Caveat: science is a small subset of online world
xkcd.com/802
“Blogosphere”
?
Science blogs not even on
map
Caveat: the online world is also limited
Define goals before selecting social media tool
Examples of goals:
• Disseminate information about a discrete event, such as a field expedition
• Build a community of your scientific peers
• Further specific policy or education goals (e.g., climate change legislation)
• Communicate your science directly to a general audience
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Different goals lead to different outreach strategies
Bik & Goldstein 2013, PLOS Biology
Goals & time committment determine tools
Bik & Goldstein 2013, PLOS Biology
