1. Public Engagement 101: Goal Setting, Network Mapping, and Message Development
Amy Schalet
Associate Professor of Sociology
Former Director, Public Engagement Project
Ezra Markowitz
Assistant Professor of Environmental Conservation
Co-Director, Public Engagement Project
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

2. Today’s workshop Planning Relationships Communication
Exercise Part I
Relationships
Exercise
Communication
Exercise x2
Closing Reflections
Planning exercise Part II (time permitting)
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

3. Public engagement requires
Strategic planning and investments
New Relationships/Networks
Clear Communication/Message
Knowledge of New Culture/Rules of the Game
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

4. Come up with a plan Public engagement work takes time and effort
Not all approaches are equally suited for you
Developing an over-arching plan makes it easier to say “yes” and “no” when opportunities arise
Important to re-assess engagement plan from time to time
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

5. Engagement planning exercise
As you work through the goal-setting worksheet, keep the following in mind:
Goals work well when they are aspirational but realistic
Specificity promotes follow-through—think about what you want to accomplish, what needs to happen to get there, what are the key steps along the way
Consider sharing your plan with someone else to build in accountability
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

6. Effective public engagement is relational
Public engagement requires building relationships and networks outside the academy
Many different groups/actors to partner with: media, policy makers, practitioners, community groups, advocates, foundations, etc.
Through partnering with groups outside of the academy, we can amplify the reach and use of our research.
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

7. Effective public engagement is relational
Think of relationships as two way channels of communications.
Publics are experts in their own domains; They can help us think of how to apply research.
It is through these relationships that we, as scholars learn how to translate our research for broader publics.
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

8. Build relationships and get to know your publics
What about your research is of interest to them?
How can publics use your research to do their jobs?
What formats must your research take to be useable?
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

9. Exercise: Growing your network*
What change do you want to effect ?
What actors/entities have a stake in/influence?
* Exercise adapted from Lee Badgett The Public Professor: How to Use Your Research to Change the World (New York: NYU Press)
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

10. Exercise: Growing your network*
What actors/entities have an influence/ a stake?
Media
Professional organizations
Community Organizations
Legislatures and legislative bodies (local, state, national)
Executive branch agencies
Courts
Businesses
Unions
Political parties
Advocacy/activist groups
Think tanks
Foundations
Social Media Contacts
* Exercise adapted from Lee Badgett The Public Professor: How to Use Your Research to Change the World (New York: NYU Press)
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

11. From Lee Badgett The Public Professor: How to Use Your Research to Change the World (New York: NYU Press)
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

12. Communication Forms of Public Communication
Opinion Editorials
Explanatory Journalism (The Conversation)
TV, Radio, Print Media Interviews
Presentations for non-academic audiences
Practitioners
Community Groups
Foundations
Expert testimonies
Blogs, Social Media
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

13. Communication should (typically)
Be very clear about what you want to communicate
Frontload the conclusions (don’t make them wait)
Be motivated by real-life problems your public faces
Include positive solutions or directions
Include practical or policy implications (call to action)
Use the format that has currency in that world
Power point, one page white paper, executive summary etc.
Conform to right length
Practice answering interview questions, writing op-eds etc.
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

14. Communication should (typically) NOT
Start with background/context
Be motivated by your unique contribution to the field
Include methods, theory, or jargon terms
Be focused solely on analysis and or critique
Necessarily cover all your findings/arguments
Necessarily focus on what interests you most
Necessarily be confined to your own research findings
*You can draw on prevailing knowledge in the field(s)*
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

15. Communication exercise
What main point(s) do you want to communicate?
(Keep in mind: what might this public find most interesting/useful about your research?)
What one to three statistics/stories illustrate this finding/argument/conclusion?
What is the significance of your findings/argument?
What should/will this audience do (differently) because of your research?
What can you learn from this audience about application of research?
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

16. Prepare and practice main message
What are your main findings/arguments?
How do these relate to human problems?
What is the significance of your research?
What should your audience do?
What are your 3- 5 talking points (max)?
No reason to tell it all; may leave out A LOT
Prepare reframing/bridging
Answering and acknowledging the question
Redirect the conversation to where you want to go
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

17. Turning your “message” into a story
A clear, intentional message is critically important but not sufficient
Effective communication tells a story
One easy technique: And, But, Therefore (ABT)
For more, check out
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

18. ABT examples
Meaningful public engagement is rewarding and critically important. But sometimes it falls by the wayside. Therefore, it is important to make concrete plans to promote follow through when things get tough.
Climate change is happening and is going to cause a lot of suffering if we don’t act, but there is still time to do something about it. Therefore, we need to take bold action starting today.
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

19. Expanding beyond a single sentence
Replace “ANDs” with “BUTs” or “THEREFOREs” when you can
Can be done any time you communicate:
newsletters, blog posts, op-eds, copy for radio/video
preparing slides or remarks for a presentation
Goal is to move towards treating every
communication act as
an opportunity to tell a story
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

20. ABT exercise
On the back of your “main message” worksheet are three boxes
First, take 5-7 minutes to turn your message into a succinct, single paragraph that uses the ABT format (explicitly or implicitly)
Second, hand your worksheet to the person next to you—they will try to “translate” your paragraph into a single ABT sentence
Tip: You may want to try speaking the sentence out loud a few times or use some scrap paper before you write something in the box
Third, get your worksheet back and try to do the same—condense your message into a single sentence that follows the ABT format
You won’t be able to include everything, that’s ok
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

21. Wrap-up Public engagement takes practice, time and effort
You don’t need to do everything
Easier to keep going if you find the things you really enjoy
You can take your time, build up over time
Truly, not a race
Seek out community to provide feedback and support
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

22. Resources UMass Public Engagement Project UMass offices/programs
UMass offices/programs
University Relations
Office of Professional Development (grads and post-docs)
Civic Engagement and Service Learning
Resources off campus (check out PEP site for more)
Scholars Strategy Network
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC

23. Questions?
Contact info:
Amy Schalet
Ezra Markowitz
Public Engagement 101 by Amy Schalet and Ezra Markowitz is licensed under a CC-BY-NC