A presentation given to the University of Michigan NCSP and WIDTH groups in summer 2020, about how early-career healthcare researchers can build their personal brands and leverage institutional communications help to amplify their work.

1. Creating
your personal
“brand”
Kara Gavin, M.S.
Lead Public Relations Representative,
Michigan Medicine Dept. of Communication
Policy & Research Media Relations, U-M IHPI
Communicating your work
as an early-career
healthcare researcher

2. Who am I?
• Michigan Medicine Department of
Communication & IHPI Communication team
• Trained in biology, science writing & journalism
• 20+ years’ experience communicating about
research at U-M & Brookhaven
National Lab

3. • Find & tell stories
• Handle news media inquiries
• Push stories & info out any way I can
(including IHPI & MichMed social channels)
• Help researchers understand/use
communication channels
What do I do?

4. Why does U-M* have staff like me?
• our institution’s work should reach people who care
• U-M expertise can have impact
• taxpayers & policymakers who fund research
need to know what they’re paying for
• most Americans need science/medicine translated
• it’s easier than ever
*and lots of other places too
Because…

5. IHPI has invested in even MORE!
• Staff: Communication manager, Government/external Policy Relations (2), Media
Relations, Writer, Designer, Event/membership manager, Communication specialist
• Channels: Website, member profiles, news & feature articles, issue briefs, Twitter,
LinkedIn, internal & external newsletters, videos, infographics, digital signs
• Training: Twitter, LinkedIn, Government Relations, opinion/commentary

6. What do you mean, “brand”?

7. Your personal brand…
• NOT a logo
• Must be built, over time
• Comes from the ways you present yourself to
the world…and what people can find about you
• Affects how people will interact with
you & your work

8. A new era of
communication
• Traditional news media’s gatekeeper role is
eroding
• Big institutions = trustworthy news sources
• Everyone’s a publisher

9. Who needs
reporters anyway?
• Social media & search
• Institutions & individuals create &
share directly
• Visuals are vital
• Fast response to
questions & controversy

10. www.michiganhealthlab.org
Facebook - Twitter - Email
Sister site for health stories:
www.michiganhealthblog.org

11. • 1-2 stories a day
• Easily shareable
• Custom graphics
• Paid social media promotion
• Open copyright
• Always looking for timely &
timeless ideas!

12. Engage directly:
Social media for academics
Facebook, Reddit, Wikipedia, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat…

13. Why do it?
• Connect with others in your field & beyond
• Raise the visibility of your work
• Share new findings, publications, news items, observations, timely links
• Engage with individuals & institutions around the world & next door
• Get the most out of conferences & events
• Raise awareness of YOU for career purposes

14. Why else? Altmetrics!
• Aggregating activity around journal articles:
• media coverage
• blog posts
• social media activity
• policy documents
• Traces links to papers & DOI mentions
• Assigns a score & percentile
• Not perfect! But getting better

16. Your essentials
• A robust, updated professional
web profile
•Basic LinkedIn profile
• Google yourself/set up alert
• Know your PR person &
when you should contact us

17. “Laying low”
• Start by “lurking” – follow individuals,
institutions, organizations, news media
• Monitor Twitter traffic at conferences via
hashtags (& use them!)
• Subscribe to lists of Twitter users compiled by
others in your field
• Join LinkedIn groups for professional societies

18. Take it to the next level
• Claim Twitter handle, add bio & link
• Share links & posts about your work,
talks, professional activities, etc.
• Tell your PR person about upcoming
papers & timely expertise
• Write “plain English” blurbs
on your research – then
share on web & social

19. Engage more fully
• Share links to interesting articles,
and salute the work/achievements of others
• Use LinkedIn’s “Write an Article” feature
• Post slide sets on your site or SlideShare
• Take part in tweet chats, Reddit AMAs,
online campaigns, virtual journal clubs, etc.
• On your personal social media,
educate friends by sharing news/observations

20. Join
• Platform to reach the public on timely topics
• Articles created by academics, aided by professional editors
• Open copyright for republishing
• Routinely republished by major media outlets, from the
Washington Post to IFL Science
• Easily shared via social media and the web
• Authors can see data on views & republishing

21. What could happen?
• Connect with others
• Spread knowledge
• Amplify your impact
• Keep up with new ideas &
opportunities
• Lend your voice
• Get more from
your work

22. Be careful of…
• Connecting with patients on social platforms
• Being too political/personal –
but DO cite published research
• Engaging in debates/advocacy without
understanding the platform you’re on

23. I challenge you…
• Venture onto social platforms
& web publishing
• Learn from others
• See it as part of your career
• Build your brand so
it doesn’t get built for you!

24. IHPI Communications Toolkit
https://ihpi.umich.edu/comm-guide
Social Media Integrity site - best practices
https://socialintegrity.umich.edu/
Navigating Social Media as a Scholar
http://michmed.org/Q2V81
U-M resources

25. More Resources
My handouts on social media, news media, etc.
https://www.slideshare.net/KaraGavin
Joyce Lee, M.D.’s Slideshares on social media:
http://www.slideshare.net/joyclee/presentations
Andrew Ibrahim, M.D.’s Visual Abstract Primer
https://www.surgeryredesign.com/resources
IHPI members who tweet – follow them & learn!
http://michmed.org/e0Zgg

26. Still More Resources!
NIH Checklist for Communicating Science
and Health Research to the Public:
http://michmed.org/EzD1O
AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science:
http://www.aaas.org/pes
Health News Review:
Toolkit for communicating about health research:
http://www.healthnewsreview.org/toolkit/

27. Send questions & ideas!
kegavin@umich.edu
@karag