October 2022

Matthew Kraft is an associate professor of education and economics at Brown University and the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Public Communication of Education Research Award from AERA. You can follow him on Twitter at @MatthewAKraft and learn more about his research at www.matthewakraft.com.

For many of us in academia, public engagement is at once intimidating and poorly understood. We think of social media accounts and soundbites, but engaged scholarship is so much more. Public engagement is about stepping outside of our small and insular academic subfields to interact with the broader community. It is about learning from others with different lived experiences and perspectives as well as sharing our own stories and insights. Public engagement can amplify the impact of your research, connect you with new research partners, and bridge research with policy and practice.

Public engagement is not without its risks. It can expose you to criticism and on rare occasions even personal attacks. It need not be for everyone. But for those looking to wade further into the waters of public engagement, here are a few brief ideas about directions you might take.

1) Adopt a Healthy Mindset

My first piece of advice is to avoid public engagement burnout by deciding what amount of energy and time you want to invest. Don’t compare yourself to others by counting followers or bylines.  Do as much or as little as you want, and lean into the aspects that bring you joy. The last thing we need as academics is to add another major professional obligation on top of our research, teaching, and service commitments.

2) Understand What Makes Your Research Relevant

Public engagement is much more effective when you can articulate how your research relates to and informs questions that are of interest to families, communities, and the general public. Think purposefully about what this connection is before undertaking your research and practice articulating it in concise and understandable terms. Research-practice partnerships are one effective way to develop research questions that speak to pressing issues and community interests.

3) Write in an Accessible Way

Even the most technical and specialized research can be described in terms that can be understood by the broader public. Do your best to write titles, abstracts, introductions, and conclusions in a way that is accessible to an informed but non-academic audience.

4) Make It Easy to Find Your Research

Have a personal website where you list your research (no, not that awful faculty page on your university website with the outdated headshot). It can be very simple. Post pre-published versions of your papers so your work does not languish behind paywalls. Join websites that share research with various communities.

5) Translate Your Research to Reach Your Audience

Summarize your research in a policy memo, blog post, or op-ed. Don’t stress about landing your pieces in the most prestigious or widely read platforms. Just having a public-facing piece that you can pair with a formal academic article can make all the difference when you are sharing your work with policymakers and practitioners.

6) Ask Your University and Networks to Amplify Your Work

Many departments, schools, and universities have communication teams that are eager to publicize the work of their faculty. Find out who these folks are and share your public-facing pieces with them. The same goes for many of the professional organizations and networks you are part of. They are often eager to amplify their members’ research and accomplishments, but they rarely find out about them. Tell them!

7) Engage in the Public Conversation

Social media such as Twitter or LinkedIn can be powerful platforms for sharing your research and professional expertise. These are also arenas where you can learn about new research, resources, and crowdsource advice. Make a plan for how you want to engage, and stick to it to avoid the tempting habit of scrolling throughout the day.

8) Pitch Your Research to Journalists

Go for it! Most won’t respond, but every so often your research will resonate and you’ll benefit immensely from having a professional writer help translate your ideas for you. And be sure to always respond promptly if a journalist reaches out.

9) Time It Right

The research process often takes years while hot topics in the media can come and go in a matter of days. You can’t control when an issue you study will become front-page news, but you can be ready to respond when it does. That is the time to share your (even old) research with journalists and pen that op-ed. If you are juggling multiple research projects, as many of us do, be open to shifting your effort toward those that can inform emerging debates.

10) Track Your Engagement and Get Credit

Many universities value the public engagement of their faculty, but they rarely know about it. Track your efforts and share them in your annual reviews. Frame this as part of your service and get credit for the time you invest.

As academics, we have the rare privilege of following our intellectual curiosity and pursuing ideas that we think matter. I encourage everyone to share your knowledge and passion with the world in the ways that work best for you. Policymakers and practitioners don’t have time to wait for the perfect polished idea or definitive answer. Believe in yourself and trust in your expertise. Your voice matters.