Researchers in the making:
Broadcasting science to the public
Last summer, Peter Kublik and Ryan Roszko became CBC radio reporters thanks to the Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions Media Fellowship Program.
Story by Jonathan Davies/Photos by Laughing Dog Photography and Trudie Lee
How do science ideas and events become news? That was the question on the minds of Peter Kublik and Ryan Roszko when they took time out of their biomedical studies last summer to become science journalists at CBC Radio. As part of their 12-week placement in the Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions 2010 Media Fellowship Program, they learned how a strong relationship between scientists and the media can help shake off stereotypes and better inform the public about science.
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| Peter Kublik |
Both students came to the program with a strong interest in communications: Kublik coordinates the Calgary chapter of Let’s Talk Science, and Roszko has written for local newspapers. The students saw the program as a great opportunity to deepen their understanding of how to make science more accessible to the public, but they agree it was initially a steep learning curve. “The challenge was being able to simplify research so the public could understand it,” says Roszko. “I found that explaining the science was one thing, but justifying why it was important to the public was another issue,” adds Kublik. Despite these challenges, Roszko and Kublik produced well-received weekly radio series showcasing the human faces behind science.
Kublik, a Ph.D. student in evolutionary biology at the University of Calgary, developed a weekly series called A Look Behind the White Coat while posted at CBC Calgary. The motivation for his series was to dispel the stereotype that all scientists are nerds in lab coats. “While listening to my series, I wanted people to realize that science is accessible to everybody,” explains Kublik. He interviewed a different University of Calgary researcher in each episode and looked behind the science to see what personally motivates them. In the process, he discovered a wide range of personas outside the lab, including front man for a heavy metal band, award-winning beer crafter, and model train enthusiast. Kublik believes the series achieved its goal. “What makes a scientist is simply a natural curiosity and a willingness to learn,” he says.
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| Ryan Roszko |
Roszko, a fourth-year kinesiology student at the University of Alberta, worked at CBC Edmonton to develop his weekly series, Big Brains. This series also put a human face on some of the interesting researchers at the University of Alberta by telling the stories of how they got to where they are now. The pilot episode told the story of a Japanese teenager who moved to Drumheller to pursue a career in palaeontology—he’s now training with the scientist who authored the dinosaur books he read as a child. The series also recognized Edmonton researchers and their pioneering surgical techniques for pancreatic islet and paediatric heart transplants. Roszko says he has come to appreciate how effective a tool mass media can be in communicating and demystifying science. “It made me smile when people from my hometown would come up to me and talk about my stories,” he says. “These stories get people interested and engaged, and that’s what science is about.”
Kublik and Roszko agree that their experiences at CBC will make them better scientists. Kublik is already finding ways to incorporate what he has learned into his work. “Having spent the summer finding creative ways to tell the public about science from a mass media perspective, I’ve definitely learned some new techniques to engage the kids at Let’s Talk Science,” says Kublik. He also understands the potential of a strong relationship between scientists and the media. “I’ve noticed some researchers are very skilled at using the media to help communicate what they’re doing and advance their work, and that’s an important aspect of what we all do as researchers,” he adds. Roszko, who is currently applying for medical school, says the communication skills he developed this summer will prove invaluable in his career. “Being able to communicate effectively with patients is a critical skill in medicine, and what I’ve learned here will be very useful in the future,” he says.
Two alumni of the Media Fellowship Program now write for Research News: Jonathan Davies, who wrote this story, and Tara Narwani.
Since 1991, the Media Fellowship Program has helped 37 students enhance the coverage of science and technology in Alberta. Are you interested in applying for a 2011 Media Fellowship? Visit http://www.ahfmr.ab.ca/communications/fellowship.php for more information.