1. + Talking with the Media Dr. Adair Richards How to get your research noticed 29 th April 2009

2. + My story (or why should I be talking about this) PhD 2008 – “Taking the fight to the superbugs: Interactions of synthetic DNA-binding metallomolecules with biological systems” During PhD – research featured on national radio, newspapers, websites Now work as Science Communications Fellow at University of Warwick Resident Scientist at BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

3. + Key message in Public Relations What do journalists want? What is the one key thing that you want?

4. + What is it that journalists want? The answer is that it differs depending on what kind of journalist they are Characteristics can include: Under pressure/Lazy Investigative/Opportunistic Suspicious/Cynical The easier you can make their job, the happier they are – provided they don’t feel they’re being taken advantage of However, journalists are often intimidated by academia and don't know where to find credible academic stories and media friendly researchers (particularly scientists!)

5. + How to generate useful publicity Firstly, what is the point of publicity? Why bother? The public fund our work, so we have a duty to tell them about it Education and Dialogue with the public Institution and Funding Body will get to know and like you more Very useful when you want something later (e.g. a job, research funding, getting a paper in a conference)

6. + How to generate useful publicity What’s the newspeg? Target your audience and then contact them Use the advice and expertise of the Warwick Press Office (Peter Dunn) Write a good press release (topic too large to cover here) Try to speak to a real person! Make everything as easy for the journalist as possible Send it out early on Friday morning

7. + 10 Top Tips and Common Pitfalls Be bold – Never undersell (or oversell) yourself Style is no substitute for substance Know your target audience well Establish credibility Don’t overestimate their knowledge or underestimate their intelligence Don’t do anything you or Warwick might regret later Stay positive and take rejection lightly Don’t patronise or use too much jargon Start with the local media Be 100% reliable Make your own luck

8. + Resources – taking this further Shameless Plug – Science Communication Seminar 29/5/9 2- 4pm http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/sessions/gsp113 http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/sessions/gsp113 PGCert Transferable Skills Module – Science Communication (Contact Alison Rodger a.rodger@warwick.ac.uk ) a.rodger@warwick.ac.uk Royal Society Media Training Day http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?tip=1&id=2411 http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?tip=1&id=2411 Warwick Communications Office Search the Internet for relevant articles Experience is often the best training! Feel free to contact me Adair.Richards@warwick.ac.ukAdair.Richards@warwick.ac.uk