Communications workshop for population and public health researchers

Learn how to get your research into the media spotlight

If you are a researcher with an interest in communications and population and public health you are encouraged to apply to this full-day workshop.

Application deadline	Friday, March 15, 2013 at 5:00pm PST
Notice of decision	April 2013
Workshop	Thursday, June 6, 2013
Location	Montreal, QC

Population and public health trainees and researchers are doing important work that has the potential to shape policies, programs, and practices and to improve population health and health equity. This workshop is an opportunity to work with experts to improve your skills for getting this into the media and reaching decision makers.

The workshop will be led by media experts from the Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG). These experts will work with participants to help them develop skills they need to more effectively pitch their research findings to news editors and journalists whose news stories have the power to reach decision makers and affect their thinking and plans around public health policy.

This workshop will provide you with:

• communications skills for pitching your research to editors and journalists
• expert feedback on how you currently frame your messages and how to do it better
• networking opportunities with like-minded researchers from across Canada

You are also invited to participate in a social networking event with science journalists being held the evening of the workshop in conjunction with the Canadian Science Writers' Association Annual Meeting.

Registration fee

There is no registration fee associated with the workshop. Eligible travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed by the sponsors.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this workshop, applicants must:

• be working in the field of population and public health research and have an interest in communications
• hold a Master's degree or higher
• be Canadians studying within Canada and abroad or non-Canadians affiliated with a Canadian Institution

Application details

Please fill out the application form [ PDF (75 KB) ] and submit by email to ipph-ispp@uottawa.ca by Friday, March 15, 2013 at 5:00pm PST.

Space is limited to a maximum of 30 participants.

Assessment criteria

Applications will be reviewed by staff from the sponsoring organizations. Applicants with a background in population and public health and with an interest in communications will be given priority. Successful applicants will be contacted in April 2013.

Sponsors

The workshop is sponsored by CIHR’s Institutes of:

• Population and Public Health
• Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
• Health Services and Policy Research
• Aboriginal Peoples' Health

The workshop is being planned with input from the Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada (PHIRIC) Communications Working Group.