News

Center for Research on Families to Host Workshop on Crafting Effective Media Messages

On Wednesday, October 3, 2007, the Center for Research on Families (CRF) presents “Taking Research on Families Outside of the Academy: How to Craft Effective Media Messages.” This is the first in a series of panels that CRF is organizing to bring together researchers with interest in taking their research outside of the academy and speaking about it to the media. The event takes place from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., in 803 Campus Center at UMass Amherst. It is free and open to all.

It is more important than ever that good research inform public policy and public discussion on the issues that are relevant to contemporary families (social class, the media, adoption, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, schools, the workplace, health, etc.). But for researchers it is often difficult to engage with those outside the academy, whether they be policymakers, practitioners, or the general public. One way for research to reach a public audience is by communicating with the media. However, academics often lack the skills to speak with journalists effectively and rarely have the opportunity to exchange strategies with each other.

This first panel will will talk about their experience engaging with the media, followed by opportunities to ask questions, share strategies, and plan future workshops around specific topics of interest. Panelists include: Edward F Blaguszewski, director of News & Information for the University of Massachusetts Amherst; M.V. Lee Badgett, associate professor of economics, director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at UMass Amherst, and research director of the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies; Kyle D. Pruett, M.D., clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and director of medical studies at Yale Child Study Center; and Marsha Kline Pruett, Maconda Brown Professor of Psychology and Social Work at Smith College. Moderater will be Amy Schalet, assistant professor of sociology and faculty affiliate at CRF.  

CRF actively supports and disseminates social and behavioral sciences research on issues relevant to families. This event  is part of CRF’s  Tay Gavin Erickson Lecture Series, a forum which brings nationally recognized speakers with expertise in family research to campus each year. The lecture series began in 1999 though an endowment established in memory of Tay Gavin Erickson. 

August 16, 2007