Optimizing Twitter for science communication

Optimizing Twitter for science communication

Many of us tweet daily and have accumulated lots of followers on Twitter. Others remain Twitter skeptics. But what are the best ways to use this powerful social media platform to promote, explain and share science research news? Who are the Twitter Science Writing Rock Stars, and what are they doing to maximize their reach?

We'll gather a panel of Twitter hot shots from the professional science communications community to find out how they've made Twitter into a powerful part of their workflow. We will ask them to share their favorite Twitter tips and tricks.

Participants should leave having learned at least one new skill or idea and several new people to follow. This is NOT a basic Twitter how-to session but a discussion on how to use it in a crafty, innovative way. Those who attend should ideally already be familiar with Twitter and other social media platforms, even if they aren't enthusiastic or daily users. We want to encourage robust conversations on this subject that go beyond justifications for using social media.

Join us as we gather together three people — a journalist from a major mass media publication, a public information officer, and a freelancer — talk about this sometimes aggravating sometimes glorious platform.

Social media hashtag: #optimizetwitterforscience

Files for this session:
Drahl, Twitter lists for more sanity FINAL.pdf
Lesley, Using Twitter as a freelancer.pdf
Lipuma NASW talk.pdf
Time:
Saturday, October 13th, 10:15 am to 11:45 am
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Location:
Jack Morton Auditorium
Speaker(s):
Carmen Drahl
  Senior editor, Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), Washington, D.C.
Lauren Lipuma
  Senior specialist/writer, public information, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.
Lesley Evans Ogden
  Freelance science journalist, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Moderator(s):
Alison Gillespie
  Science writer and public affairs officer, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md.
Organizer(s):
Chad Boutin
  Science writer, public affairs officer, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md.
Alison Gillespie
  Science writer and public affairs officer, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md.

Meeting schedule

Friday, Oct. 12

12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Check-in
Marvin Center, Great Hall (street level)

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

$ Getting Real: Science Writing in AR and VR
Marvin Center, Room 307
W SciWriUnited: A regional SciWri groups congress
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

F Butterfly CRISPR workshop at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 3:15.
F Tour of the Harlan Greenhouse at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH infodesk at 3:15.

4:30 pm to 5:15 pm

F Butterfly CRISPR workshop at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 4:15.
F Tour of the Harlan Greenhouse at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 4:15.

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

F Welcome reception
Science and Engineering Hall

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Diversity mixer
Stoney’s on L, 2101 L St. NW #103
Saturday, Oct. 13

7:30 am to 8:15 am

NASW membership meeting + light breakfast
Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Check-in
Marvin Center, Great Hall (street level)

8:30 am to 9:45 am

10:15 am to 11:45 am

W Congratulations, you're a manager! Now what?
Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom

11:45 am to 2:00 pm

W Lunch break
Visit your choice of multiple local establishments for good eats + good company

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

12:45 pm to 1:45 pm

W #SciWriMentoring
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

2:00 pm to 3:15 pm

3:15 pm to 3:45 pm

W Afternoon Break
Marvin Center: Grand and Continental Ballrooms

3:45 pm to 5:00 pm

W So you think you want to edit?
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

5:15 pm to 6:30 pm

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

F ScienceWriters Annual Awards Night
Washington Marriott Georgetown
Sunday, Oct. 14

7:45 am to 8:45 am

F Continental breakfast
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

7:45 am to 7:00 pm

F Exhibit Hall open
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

8:00 am to 11:00 am

F Check-in
Marvin Center Third Floor

8:45 am to 10:00 am

10:05 am to 11:05 am

11:05 am to 11:30 am

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

12:30 pm to 2:30 pm

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm

3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

F ScienceWriters reception
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom
Monday, Oct. 15

7:45 am to 8:30 am

F Continental breakfast
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

7:45 am to 5:00 pm

F Exhibit Hall open
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

8:30 am to 9:30 am

9:00 am to 10:40 am

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on biomedical microscopy
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

9:35 am to 10:35 am

10:35 am to 10:50 am

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

10:50 am to 11:50 am

11:50 am to 1:00 pm

Lunch break
Visit your choice of multiple local establishments for good eats + good company

12:00 pm to 12:45 pm

F Lunchtime yoga
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

12:15 pm to 2:00 pm

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on nanofabrication techniques
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

3:00 pm to 3:15 pm

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

3:00 pm to 4:45 pm

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on biomedical microscopy
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

3:15 pm to 4:05 pm

F Climate science on trial
Lisner Auditorium

4:05 pm to 4:55 pm

Tuesday, Oct. 16

8:00 am to 12:30 pm

F USP field trip: The science of quality standards
Rockville, MD. Van will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott GeorgetownD

8:00 am to 5:00 pm

$ National Association of Science Writers Information Access Summit
Marvin Center (800 21st Street NW) Room 309

8:30 am to 12:30 pm

F MedImmune field trip: Beyond biotech
Gaithersburg, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

F Georgetown University Medical Center field trip: Just because we can, should we?
Washington, DC. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Next-generation engineering
College Park, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Quantum computing
College Park, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Virtual and augmented reality
College Park, Md. Bus will depart/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm

F National Institute of Standards and Technology field trip: Not your standard tour
Gaithersburg, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

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