Demystifying Science Communications with Linda Huynh, PhD

Linda Huynh, PhD, is a science writer in the NICHD Office of Communications. For almost seven years, Dr. Huynh has helped NICHD scientists get the word out about their research. Perhaps most notably, in 2019, she spearheaded the NICHD Women in Science series with the Women Scientists Advisors (WSA) to communicate the important work of female researchers in the institute. During this year’s Three-minute Talk (TmT) competition on June 30, 2022, Dr. Huynh gave a guest presentation about the importance of working with science communicators and what happens behind the scenes in the press office when a scientific manuscript is published.

We followed up with Dr. Huynh to capture her science communication knowledge for any fellows who missed out on her TmT competition presentation.

Why is it important to promote our research among non-scientific audiences?

NIH research is funded by the taxpayer, so it’s important that the public understands the value of their investment. Non-scientists also influence research funding. For example, Congress reviews the proposed NIH budget every year, so it’s critical that everyone understand the significance of research—clinical and basic science—and how scientific advancements can help improve their day-to-day lives.

What is an embargo, and why are accepted manuscripts put under embargo?

An embargo is an agreement between the news media (i.e., reporters) and a source (i.e., a science journal or research organization) that a story won’t be released until a set date and time. It’s a chance to alert journalists of an upcoming scientific finding and give them an opportunity to write an article. This notification is sent via a news release, which provides a summary of the findings, explains why it’s significant, and may include quotes from the paper’s authors.

Reporters and scientists have similar needs—they want to be the first to break a story, and they can be scooped by others. The embargo period gives everyone a fair chance to pursue a story, and it gives the journal or research organization a chance to promote a scientific finding. All of this happens behind-the-scenes, and you don’t see the outcome until an article is published in a newspaper, or you hear it on the radio. If you see extensive media coverage on the same day and time that a scientific paper is published, it was likely facilitated by a news release issued under embargo.

What should fellows do when a manuscript has been accepted for publication?

You should have a conversation with your principal investigator about contacting your institute’s press office. It never hurts to notify the press office, especially when you are giving them advance notice before the paper is online. The press team will review the paper and provide options for how to promote the findings. The internet and social media have truly changed the landscape in reaching audiences directly. There are many effective methods outside of a news release. For NICHD, you can reach our team at nichdpress@mail.nih.gov.

What makes a publication newsworthy?

The answer depends on the audience and what’s going on locally and around the world. Newsworthiness will differ between outlets, publications, and columns. For instance, the health section of a newspaper will tend to cover clinical findings, whereas the science section may feature basic science or topics like evolution, paleontology, and astrophysics. Newsworthiness is also influenced by real world events. Anytime there’s an outbreak, like Ebola or Zika, or a pandemic, like COVID-19, research or expertise in this area will be newsworthy. Often, research findings that are generalizable to a large audience have the best chance to receive media coverage.

What should fellows know about sharing their publications on social media? Are there any restrictions?

NIH offers social media guidance for private accounts, https://www.nih.gov/guidance-private-account-social-media-use-individuals-nih. NICHD also offers general guidelines, https://www.nichd.nih.gov/disclaimer#disclaimers. If the paper is a preprint, you should make that clear in your post. We encourage you to tag our official Twitter account, https://twitter.com/nichd_nih, when you promote new papers or job opportunities at NICHD. There’s a chance we can re-tweet the message.

For fellows who are interested in a science communications career, what skills should they acquire?

My advice is two-part: read and write. There are plenty of journalists who cover health and science. Read their work. Examine the structure of their pieces and the reading level. If what you’re writing can’t be understood by a high schooler, you need to make your reading level more accessible.

Look for opportunities in non-scientific publications, like the NIH Catalyst or an alumni magazine, to practice non-technical writing. Try drafting a news article or blog post on a scientific paper that is outside of your field. Let someone who is not a scientist read it and offer feedback. Don’t be dismissive of their feedback; they’re your intended audience. Even if you don’t publish your work, having non-technical writing samples will help you if you’re looking for additional opportunities.