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Moving Beyond Journals & Monographs: The Value of Op-Eds – May 27, 2022
Session Description
May 27, 2022 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Scholars use a range of media to communicate and amplify their research and findings. Writing for the public is a powerful way to disseminate research findings to the broader world, have wider impact, and reconnect with why the work you do matters. Mainstream writing does not replace journal articles or monographs, but instead complements them by helping to reach different audiences and achieve different professional goals. An Op-Ed in a national paper or mainstream outlet can get your ideas in front of more people than will ever be seen in a scholarly publication, expanding your research and impact.
This session will provide an introduction to media work for researchers, with a focus on pitching, writing, and publishing Op-Eds. It will present strategies for translating research work into opinion pieces, as well as what editors are looking for when publishing Op-Eds. You will also hear from faculty on how they started to engage with this work, and be made aware of University’s resources to support your media work.
This session is relevant to faculty across all disciplines, and at all stages of their career who want to learn more about writing op-eds and working with journalists.
Target Audience:
- Faculty Researchers in all disciplines and from all career levels
- Sessional instructors, librarians, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and staff interested in writing op-eds are also welcome to attend
Moderator: Kent Moore, Vice Principal, Research at UTM; Professor, Dept. of Physics
Panelists:
- Shoshanna Saxe, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Mineral Engineering; Canada Research Chair Sustainable Infrastructure
- Fahad Razak, Scientific Director, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health; General Internist, St. Michael's Hospital
- Lisa Pires, Media Relations Officer, U of T Communications
- Adrian Lee, Content Editor, The Globe and Mail Opinion
Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, participants will:
- Feel empowered to seek out Op-Ed publishing opportunities in media outlets
- Have a better understanding of how to pitch, write, and publish Op-Eds
- Have a deeper knowledge of what journalists and editors are looking for in Op-Ed pitches
- Identify which media outlets to pitch to and when to approach editors
- Recognize the role of Op-Eds in public knowledge dissemination work
Additional Information
To view session recording (UTORid protected): Click here
Panelist slides (PDF):
