Faculty

Insightful Experience: Professor Steven L. Johnson on the UVA Research Communications Fellows Program

A UVA Research Communications Fellow for 2023-2024, Steven L. Johnson elevated his communication skills and his ability to engage audiences both in academia and beyond.

Steven L. Johnson

Being able to get ideas across to reach people is an essential skill for faculty members both in the classroom and outside of it. Learning how to become better communicators, discuss their academic research, talk to the media, and improve presentations is critically important.

Nominated by the McIntire School, Commerce Professor Steven L. Johnson was selected by the Office of the Vice President for Research as a Research Communications Fellow for 2023-2024. The certification program began in July 2023 and ran through June 2024, offering multiple workshops and training sessions to help participants strengthen the presentation of their own scholarship, learn how to present their research clearly and concisely, as well as learn about the University’s available resources.

Johnson says that the monthly sessions were as varied as they were helpful, but three in particular stood out.

“First, the program provided a screening with a public speaking coach,” he says. “After that first meeting, I signed up for multiple sessions, and working on a one-on-basis with Cady Garey from Speak! helped prepare me for successfully serving as a panel moderator for our 2023 Fall Forum on the AI Revolution. Second, the training session with the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science helped me learn how to more succinctly convey the relevance and impact of my research. Finally, the media training session, which included on-camera interview practice, provided valuable feedback that boosted my confidence for video interviews.”

Johnson admits he was pleasantly surprised by the connection between effective public speaking as a researcher and effective teaching. “The training and practice helped me think more deeply about effective communication. For example, how do you engage an audience? One answer is to ask questions and to provide concrete examples of abstract concepts,” he says, noting that preparation is key in both compelling research communication and successful teaching. “Knowing ahead of time what your key message is, so you can be intentional in how you convey that message, including repeating it multiple times in multiple ways.”

One aspect of the Research Communications Fellows Program he enjoyed was networking and connecting with other researchers engaged in a broad range of topic areas. “Hearing how other people discussed their research gave me ideas on how to present my own work to a broader audience. It’s also rewarding to meet so many amazing colleagues from across Grounds who are doing such impactful research,” he says.

Beyond elevating his public speaking and teaching skills, Johnson says he was able to successfully apply lessons learned from the program to draft grant proposals. “An important aspect of effective research communication is emphasizing the relevance of research in a compelling way. Applying this lesson helped me secure multiple grants to fund ongoing and new research projects,” he notes.

Expressing sincere gratitude to the UVA Office of the Vice President for Research for the valuable opportunity it provided, Johnson wholeheartedly encourages his peers to explore the Research Communications Fellows Program.

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