GIFs used in Slides 14 & 15, created by Global Health Strategies for #UHC2017 This presentation was given by Pamela Bongkiyung at the Science Communications International Society of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) festival held on Tuesday, 27th March 2018; at the Wellcome Trust in London.

1. THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF COMMUNICATING SCIENCE:
Tips & Tricks for dismantling big science concepts in NTDs
PAMELA BONGKIYUNG
Communications & Research Uptake

2. COUNTDOWN PROJECT
o COUNTDOWN is a 5-year implementational research programme DFID, from 2014
o A Neglected Tropical Disease-focused research in Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria
o Ambition: to scale-up actions on control and elimination of NTDs in the health system
2

3. MULTIDISCIPLINARY IMPLEMENTATIONAL RESEARCH
3
Theme 1:
Evidence Synthesis
Theme 2:
Social Science
Theme 3:
Health Economics
Strategy 1:
Onchocerciasis & Lymphatic Filariasis
Strategy 2:
Schistosomiasis & STH
Capacity Research
Research Uptake
Marginalisation
Disability
Vulnerability
Access &
Equity

4. 4
The Research Evidence to Impact Gap
PEER-REVIEWED
PUBLICATIONS
&
DATA
APPROPRIATE
PUBLIC HEALTH
POLICIES
&
PRACTICES

5. 5
SESSION OBJECTIVES
1. Introduction & historical context to science communications
2. Why do we communicate science: inform, educate & empower
3. Tools COUNTDOWN & LSTM use to bridge evidence-impact gap
4. Outlook on evolving technologies and take home messages

6. 6
WHAT IS SCIENCE COMMUNICATION?
An umbrella term covering a wide variety of activities including:
•Professional communication by scientists
•Interactions between scientists and members of the public
•The media representation of science &
•The ways people use scientific knowledge in their own lives

7. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
•Michael Faraday begun his
Christmas Lectures in 1825
•Faraday wrote "a flame"a flame
should be lighted at theshould be lighted at the
commencement and keptcommencement and kept
alive with unremittingalive with unremitting
splendour to the end".splendour to the end".
7

8. WHY COMMUNICATE IT, REALLY?
o Utilitarian imperative—sharing useful knowledge for benefit of all
o Economic imperative—advancing skills to align with changing technology
o Cultural imperative— a shared heritage for innovation
o Democratic imperative—empowerment of populace with knowledge
8
A lens of perception: inform, educate & empower

9. TOOLS TO DISMANTLE BIG SCIENTIFIC
CONCEPTS
9
Social media has ushered in a great
platform and associated valuable tools
for science engagement adaptable to a
varied audience.
These include:
•Twitter
•Facebook
•Instagram
•YouTube
•WhatsApp
•LinkedIn

10. COUNTDOWN’S SOCIAL MEDIA ECOSYSTEM
10
TOP REFERRER
-Search engine
-Twitter
BLOGS
ARTICLES
NETWORKS
INTERVIEWS
REALTIME CONNECTIONS
ACROSS PARTNERS
NTDs are
complex issues
BMGF communications

11. STRATEGIC USE OF VIDEOS
11

12. 12

13. 13
SESSION OBJECTIVES
1. Introduction & historical context to science communications
2. Why do we communicate science: inform, educate & empower
3. Tools COUNTDOWN & LSTM use to bridge evidence-impact gap
4. Outlook on evolving technologies and take home messages

14. GIFS – ANIMATED PICTURE INTERACTIONS
14GIFS courtesy of Global Health Strategies

15. 15
1. Story telling in basic form
2. Visually more appealing
3. File size is small/convenient
4. Simple to use
GIFS courtesy of Global Health Strategies

16. TOOLS FOR COMMUNITIES
16
Using trusted voices within
communities in Liberia

17. GHANA
17
Ghana’s NTD Ambassador Dr Joyce Aryee leads primary school
Mass Drug Administration

18. TRAINING OF JOURNALISTS
Cameroon Journalists Training in July 2016 led by COUNTDOWN’s Country Director – Prof Louis
Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté
18

19. 19
o The first point of call is always to engage with the elders of the community.
o They remain gatekeepers of communities.

20. BLOGGING
o Importance of using blogs to explain
a technical paper;
o making knowledge accessible to
non-technical practitioners/policy
makers.
o Impact blogs can have – invitation
to speak at conferences
o Training DTMH students to blog at
LSTM – extending specialist
knowledge into pedagogical content
20

21. 21
DISMANTLING DIAGNOSTICS
- HOW TO COMMUNICATE TOOLS &
SEE LINKS
VISUAL MINUTES SUMMARY

22. BLOGGING TO GIVE RESEARCH PAPERS CONTEXT
22

23. 23
PARTICIPATION
& INCLUSION

24. - Use your organisation’s press office
- Reach out to collaborators on social
media
- Chat to people within your institution
- Events & festivals
- Use pictures to draw your audience into
your message
24
BALANCING OUR ACT

25. USING PRESS OFFICE
25

26. WHAT WORKED FOR US
Tips & Tricks
-Using the trusted voices within communities: creating more conversations
with the key people to reach wider community
-Developing the capacity of media to report on issues affecting their
communities
-Engaging with multiple stakeholders on social media, advocacy meetings
and events/conferences (face to face discussion)
-Regular reflection on COMMUNICATING our work & ways to improve
26

27. 27

28. 28
Call to ActionCall to Action
What are you going to do when you return to your organisations?What are you going to do when you return to your organisations?
THANK YOU!
Website:Website: COUNTDOWN.LSTMED.AC.UKCOUNTDOWN.LSTMED.AC.UK
Twitter:Twitter: @NTDCOUNTDOWN@NTDCOUNTDOWN

29. Thank you #ISNTDFestival
COUNTDOWN Team
Russell Stothard
Mark Taylor
Julie Irving
Rachael Thomson
Joan Fahy
LSTM Team
Clare Bebb – Senior Media Officer
Elli Wright – Public Engagement Manager
Supporting the
COUNTDOWN Consortium
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS