{"193411":{"#nid":"193411","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Learn Communication Best Practices","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETell the truth. Be brief. Speak in common language.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are just a few of the tips that a panel of experts shared during a Jan. 11 seminar,\u0026nbsp; \u201cCommunicating Technical Research to Policymakers and Media.\u201d The event was part of the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u2019s (GTRI) monthly Technical Seminar Series. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose providing tips for communicating with policymakers included GTRI\u2019s Doug Britton, senior research engineer, Danielle Ayan, senior research scientist and Jud Ready, principal research engineer; Warren Matthews, a research scientist in the Office of Technology; and Danny Boston, a School of Economics professor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBritton, who regularly appears before the Georgia Legislature to talk about his state-funded food processing and technology program, recommended rehearsing sound bites ahead of time, as if you were being interviewed by the media.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFigure out the three to five words you want to communicate, even if your presentation is much longer,\u201d Britton said. \u201cRepeat them often.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFatimot Ladipo, assistant director of federal relations in the Office of Government and Community Relations, offered the following tips when dealing with policymakers:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESpeak in \u201ccommon folks\u2019 language.\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDo your research on the group or individual you are speaking with.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENotify Government and Community Relations when you\u2019re contacted by a policymaker.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe panelists providing tips for communicating with the media included GTRI researchers who ranged in experience from first-timer to veteran including Andrew Howard, Leanne West, Jason Nadler and Sheila Isbell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBe prepared for contacts when a story goes out from communications,\u201d Nadler said. \u201cIf they release a story on your work, you will know it immediately because your email inbox and voice mail will fill up in a hurry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe panelists also suggested these tips:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETreat every conversation as \u201con the record.\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENotify the communications office in your department or college.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERehearse sound bites ahead of time.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor personalized media training, contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:nagel@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMatt Nagel\u003C\/a\u003E, director of media relations.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETell the truth. Be brief. Speak in common language. These are just a few of the tips that a panel of experts shared during a Jan. 11 seminar,\u0026nbsp; \u201cCommunicating Technical Research to Policymakers and Media.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tell the truth. Be brief. Speak in common language. These are just a few of the tips that a panel of experts shared during a Jan. 11 seminar,  \u201cCommunicating Technical Research to Policymakers and Media.\u201d"}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-02-19 14:02:58","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:40","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"58891","name":"communicating"},{"id":"58901","name":"communicating best practices"},{"id":"58871","name":"Communicating Technical Research to Policymakers and Media"},{"id":"1976","name":"Media"},{"id":"58881","name":"policymakers"},{"id":"56181","name":"researchers"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:lance.wallace@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ELance Wallace\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}