Biophysical Society Bulletin | February 2021

Career Development

How to Promote Your Research, and Yourself during the Pandemic

The research we do is only impactful when people know about it. We try to publish our work in peer-reviewed jour- nals, we attend scientific conferences and present our research, and we net- work so that we can tell our community what we are doing. We count on receiv- ing feedback so that we can make our research better. Until March of last year, many of these interactions had been in

virtual conference. Tell them why they should learn more about you and your work. Make them want to hire you. Even if you know that your potential employer has heard your talk or read your recent paper, prepare an elevator pitch. Be ready to tell them everything they need to know in 30-45 seconds, should you have an opportunity to engage with them directly. The same holds for your CV and cover letter. Hiring managers spend on the average of 10 seconds skimming a resume. If you are presenting to a lay audience as part of public out- reach or to meet potential donors or funders, you should assume that they are not familiar with your area of research. Be clear about what you do and why it matters. Don’t use a lot of scientific jargon— the big words don’t impress people; they will just stop listening to you. Show why your work is relevant by using “real world” examples and providing context. Simple graphics can also be helpful in this situation. Give your audience reasons to stay engaged. If your research leads to a discovery that could have wide- spread relevance, you may be speaking directly with the press. Keep in mind you are also representing your institution and your lab. Be concise, to the point, and keep it brief. There is nothing to be gained from a long press interview but there can be a lot to lose. Most reporters are looking for a hook that will attract readers or viewers and they will use your words to help achieve that. Make sure that what you say is accurate and can- not easily be taken out of context. One common technique is to repeat the question that a reporter asks you to give yourself a little time to formulate your answer. The media can be very effective in getting publicity for you and your research across a very broad audience— just make sure it is the message you want to send. Social media is a very powerful tool for communicating your re- search and for expanding your networks. This is especially true now in our online world. Use it wisely. Don’t post anything that you don’t want your professional colleagues (and potential em- ployers and funders) to see. As a general rule, it is best not to post very personal information or controversial political views. Once information is out there, it is there permanently, even if your personal situation changes or your views evolve. While it is good to show well-rounded knowledge of current issues and to have opinions on world events, posting vitriol is a big red flag to anyone looking to collaborate with you or hire you. Many talented researchers with great ideas miss their op- portunity to move forward because of their underdeveloped communication skills. You have one chance to make a good first impression. Use it wisely. Then find another chance to reinforce your message. — Molly Cule

person. While we now have some very promising vaccines and therapeutics in our fight against SARS-CoV-2, it is likely that things will not go back to “normal” for a long time. So, how can researchers, particularly students and early career scientists, promote their work and also themselves in a virtual world? Promoting ourselves and our work is all about communication and communication skills depend a great deal on one’s train- ing and experience as well as individual personality. It can be challenging to structure our communications in a way that will resonate with the intended audience—other members in our professional community, people in other fields, the lay public, or the media. It is not just what we say, but also how we say it and how we get our word out there. Since our in-person inter- actions are now severely limited, it is even more important to make an impact when we talk about our work and ourselves. Here are a few quick tips to help you hone your communica- tions skills, spread the word on your research, and move your career forward. Know your audience. It is important to consid- er who, exactly, will be watching or reading your presentations. Do not lose sight of what it is that you want your audience to take away from what they learn about you and your work. Do you want them to do something or is your goal purely infor- mational? How will you communicate your message? In the virtual environment that has been our reality for the past year, there are many modes of delivery so study your options and use them to your advantage. If you are presenting your research to your community, either by giving a talk virtually or by writing a paper for a journal, you can be a lot more specific and use more jargon and technical language than if you are talking to a lay audience. You also likely have more time to tell your story. But you still have to capture and retain the attention of your audience. Make them care about what you are telling them and what you are going to say next. This is especially true for papers that will be peer reviewed. Don’t make reviewers wonder what point you are trying to make. Tell them upfront; tell them why it is important, what you did, and how it will be applicable to future work. If you are looking for a new job, remember that potential employers might also be in your audience, attending the same

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