Established in 2002 by Fiona Fox, the Science Media Centre, was set up to act as a bridge between journalists and the science community in the UK. In this episode of the Research Comms podcast Fiona Fox talks about the early days of the SMC, as well as reflecting on how things have changed in the seventeen years since it started, on the impact of digital technology on science journalism, and on the dangers of scientists retreating to their ivory towers.

Kat Arney is an award-winning science writer, author, presenter, broadcaster, podcaster and public speaker. In this episode of Research Comms she shares her scicomm experiences and talks frankly about some of the big issues facing the science communication sector.

In this episode of Research Comms social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, author of the superb book ‘The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion’ talks about how we can break down barriers by talking to people’s ‘elephants’ and why the defence of viewpoint diversity in academic and research institutions is one of the most critical battles of our times.

Recently the British Academy (the UK’s body for humanities and social sciences) announced a new strategic plan that places reinvigorated communications at its core, so for this episode of Research Comms I caught up the Communications Director, Liz Hutchinson, to find out more about their plans.

Hana Ayoob is a science communicator with a plethora of skills. She is a festival organiser who has helped run some of the UK’s biggest science events, she is a comedian, a consultant, an illustrator and one quarter of the excellent science podcast ‘Why Aren’t You A Doctor Yet?’ In this week’s episode of Research Comms Hana talks about her multi-pronged approach to scicomm, what it’s like being a new-found freelancer and why she is so committed to supporting minorities in STEM.

In this week’s episode of Research Comms I welcome back old friend of the podcast, Sam Illingworth: scientist, science communicator and poet. Sam communicates all kinds of STEM topic but specialises in environmental science and he was recently involved with the research, writing and publication of a report exploring how climate specialists are communicating the issue of climate change and global warming to the UK public.

In this week’s episode of the Research Comms Podcast we’ll be exploring how storytelling can help drive clear communication of scientific ideas to all kinds of audience. And my guest, who will be helping me do that, is Jessica Fox: writer, filmmaker and science storytelling consultant. We speak about how she got into the world of science storytelling, why stories resonate with us so deeply, and how researchers can harness the power of story to engage people with their ideas.

In September of this year London welcomed an exciting new addition to its cultural scene - Science Gallery London. Just before its opening I popped along to check out ‘Hooked’ its inaugural exhibition, exploring the theme of addiction, and in this episode of the Research Comms podcast I chat to some of the people who have helped to bring the gallery’s mission to life.

In this episode of the Research Comms Podcast I talk to Lord Rees about his concerns for the future, how he is actually an optimist at heart, what prompted him to take public engagement seriously, and what other scientists need to be doing to become more engaged and active as citizens.

This book, charting the phenomenal rise of one of the world's most successful creative powerhouses, Pixar Animation Studios, offers valuable insights for any leader who is looking to manage innovation or harness the creative energy of a team. Heads of communication, public engagement managers, lab directors, team leaders...this one's for you!

Scientists and public engagement professionals need to take action sooner rather than later to avoid the debate around genome editing going the same way as the GMO debacle of the 1990s.

Made to Stick’ is a book about why some ideas stick in our minds more than others. It’s about how to craft a message that captures the attention of our target audience and motivates them to act.

Instagram has just launched IGTV: a new platform for long-form vertical video. Will it be of any use to research communicators? And how can we avoid becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of video platforms available these days?

Lucy Vernall’s ‘Academic Ideas Lab’ brings together researchers and TV & Radio producers to get exciting research stories onto our screens and airwaves. In this episode of Research Comms Lucy talks about the challenges of getting ideas commissioned and the ingredients needed to turn a piece of research into an engaging story that’s suitable for TV or radio.

This month’s book of the month is ‘The Righteous Mind’ by social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt. It’s a riveting work that explores why people hold such wildly differing moral beliefs and looks at how we can work to overcome the cultural boundaries that divide us.

Oxford Sparks is Oxford University’s multi-faceted digital engagement platform which communicates the university’s latest scientific research with the public. In charge of the programme is Michaela Livingstone Banks who is this week’s podcast guest.

The British Science Association has laid out a bold new plan to transform the relationship that 4 million, currently disengaged, people have with science over the next 3 years and spearheading that ambition is the BSA’s CEO, Katherine Mathieson. In this episode of Research Comms Katherine talks about that campaign, plus plenty more!

What exactly is public engagement with research? How does it work? And how can we do it better? Queen Mary University of London’s resident public engagement guru, Kimberley Freeman, explains all in this episode of the Research Comms podcast.

In this episode J.B. Bird, Director of Media Relations at University of Texas, Austin, and Christine Sinatra, Head of Comms at the College of Natural Sciences, talk about the amazing work they’re doing to engage the public with the incredible research happening at the university.

I've decided to do a monthly review of books that give valuable insights to research communicators. First up is Content Inc. which is all about how to craft a content marketing strategy to build a large, engaged audience online.

Professor Sir Doug Turnbull, is one of the world's leading neurologists, specialising in mitochondrial disease. A few weeks ago I sat down with Doug to hear the incredible story of how he and his team joined forces with mitochondrial disease patients to persuade the UK Parliament to change the law to allow a pioneering but controversial fertility treatment.

In episode 3 of the Research Comms podcast I speak with Michael Eades, organiser of the Being Human festival, the UK's only festival dedicated to the humanities.

If you're happy to brave the cold weather here are some of the most intriguing events happening this March that shine a light on cutting edge research in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.

Episode 2 of the Research Comms Podcast is all about podcasts and how they can be used to communicate research. My guest this week is podcast producer and presenter, Emily Elias.

Today I'm launching a brand new podcast all about digital research communications. This first episode is an interview with science communication expert Sam Illingworth who explains how to make the most out of the digital tools available to research communicators. As well as reading one of his fantastic science poems!

Monthly round-up of this month's most intriguing events across the UK that showcase research from the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.

Everything you need to know about Facebook's latest news feed changes and what they mean for research communicators.

Animated films are a powerful tool for communication of ideas and public engagement but only if done right. So here is my Beginner's Guide to Animation with top tips for anybody thinking of creating an animated film.