19. Prof Megan Munsie on “owning your research”
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Episode show notes
Today’s episode is a deep dive with Prof Megan Munsie on “owning your research” — taking control over the way your research is presented and discussed in public forums.
Megan is a renowned expert in stem cell research who has dedicated her career to exploring the ethical, legal, and social implications of this cutting-edge field. She currently works with the University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine. She’s also a board member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, the current president of the Australasian Society of Stem Cell Research, and her work has influenced policy reforms and the development of educational resources for over a decade.
In our conversation, we use the development of stem cell research as an example to explore why its so important to “own your research” and find the right balance between hype and hope.
Whether you’re a veteran working in a controversial research field, or an ECR just getting started with comms and engagement, if you’ve ever been frustrated by the significance of your work either being overhyped or underplayed, this episode is a must-listen!
Our conversation covers:
Proactively managing the narrative around your research
Tailoring your message for different audiences
Strategies for early career researchers to build confidence in public engagement
The role of mentorship and collaboration in shaping a research career
Managing the story of your career
Stakeholder mapping
Techniques for effective science communication and public engagement
Engaging with controversial research topics responsibly
Find Prof Megan Munsie online:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-munsie-27013136
University of Melbourne — https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/379400-megan-munsie
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute — https://www.mcri.edu.au/researcher-details/megan-munsie
Practical tips from this episode:
Communicating your research effectively
Know your audience — Tailor your message to the specific interests and knowledge level of your audience.
Utilise storytelling — Use stories to illustrate your points and highlight the human impact of your research to engage your audience emotionally.
Tailor your comms and engagement to different audiences, and learn from the process.
Encourage questions and interaction to make your presentation more dynamic.
Be open to feedback and willing to adapt your message based on audience response.
Listen to the concerns and questions of the public to better understand their perspectives.
Tailor your message to the specific interests and knowledge level of your audience.
Handling media interactions.
Key messages — Develop 3-5 key points you want to convey and ensure these points are clear, concise, and easily understandable.
Be prepared — Anticipate possible questions and prepare your responses in advance. Practice delivering your key messages succinctly and confidently.
Control the narrative — Politely correct any misunderstandings or misrepresentations of your research, and be ready to steer the conversation back to your key messages if necessary.
Follow up — After an interview or media engagement, review the coverage to ensure accuracy. If necessary, request corrections or clarifications to maintain the integrity of your research.
Building a support network.
Seek mentorship and peer support — Identify experienced researchers or communicators who can provide guidance and support. Participate in professional societies and networks to build connections and learn from peers.
Collaborate with colleagues — Work with interdisciplinary teams to gain different perspectives on your research.
Maintaining integrity in research communication.
Be honest and transparent — Clearly communicate the limitations and uncertainties of your research. Avoid overstating the potential impact or applications of your findings. Address any misinformation or misconceptions proactively and respectfully.
Balance hope and realism — Inspire hope by discussing the potential benefits of your research. Temper this with realistic timelines and an acknowledgment of the challenges involved.
Credits:
Host & Producer: Chris Pahlow
Guest: Prof Megan Munsie
Edited by: Laura Carolina Corrigan
Consulting Producers: Maia Tarrell, Michelle Joy
Music by: La Boucle and Blue Steel, courtesy of Epidemic Sound
- Public engagement
- Career development
- Team alignment
- Storytelling
- Your pitch
- Listening
- Mentorship
- Collaborating with professional staff
- Communicating in different formats/mediums
- Comedy
- Failure
- Stakeholder/audience mapping
- Philanthropic funding
- Relationship management
- Community engagement
- Making your work relatable
- Feedback
- Playfulness
- Talks and presentations
- Representing your discipline
Quotes:
“So I was working in an area that was really exciting, but extremely misrepresented. And I could see this huge gap between what we did in the lab and how it was being presented in the paper. So even right back from when I was so young, I was really struck by this.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“That's the crux of my science communication, I've always approached it as conversation. Sure, I have a particular view I want to impart. But I'm really curious to know about why you might think something different to me, or why you might not even agree with what I want to do or say. It's only through conversation that we get a more nuanced picture.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“What I think is important, at least from my work, is that when I'm thinking about trying to communicate to the people who perhaps have a loved one or they themselves have a condition where there's no intervention, of course they're following every development in the field with great detail. I really respect that and I actually encourage it. I think it's fantastic if people are interested in medical research. But we also have to make sure people understand kind of the context of medical research and that it's not five years.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“So I often think how important it is we don't devalue knowledge. Making an observation, learning, publishing, and sharing that is a great achievement. It doesn't have to be accompanied by some slick headline. Let's celebrate that.” — Prof Megan Munsie
“Talking about owning your own research, one of the things that's been really powerful for me is making sure I'm pretty comfy with how anything I'm doing is presented.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“You may not want to talk to journalists, but you might be really interested in high school education, for example, or you might be really interested in policy and be curious and thinking that, ‘when I finished my PhD, I actually wouldn't mind working in government, how do you do that?’ So I think kind of seeking out champions, the people who you have heard speak or you've listened to on a podcast, for example, and who have struck you. Just talk to them. I think most people are very comfortable having a coffee.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“Our careers in research are not going to be this linear pathway. You know, it's not going to be the classic diagram we all see, and maybe we thought when we first came to university, that's what our career was going to be. I think we should be open to taking our research and the training and the learning and the knowledge we have in different directions.
You can come back. You should be able to come back into academia from industry. It's enriching. It shouldn't be a deterrent. It might be a bit harder. I think you have to also manage, the story of your career and own that. I think it's really hard in science and in research with all this training, you would think we have a guaranteed career path, but we don't.
I sometimes think it's a little bit like the gig economy in that you are moving often, particularly when you're young from place to place to place. And it may feel a bit clunky and awkward, but I bet you can find a really compelling story of your passion or your interest or your contribution that can thread through that. So don't lose sight of that.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“So there's a lot of emphasis these days around bench to bedside. You hear that phrase all the time. And I was at a conference a couple of years ago and I heard someone speak about the sofa. And I thought, wow, that's what I'm really interested in. I'm just one of the people that sit on the sofa, because they are the people who may donate a blood sample for research. They are the people who might be sitting there next to their loved one, desperately watching and waiting for the next breakthrough. But they may also be the politician who's about to vote on a contentious bill, or they might be the politician or the policymaker who's about to release a new medical research futures fund and set the parameters for that. Or they might be philanthropist or a venture capitalist who's contemplating putting in some money into this area.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“Although I still speak directly to people who are living with, challenging conditions, I'm working really closely with these incredible support, like umbrella groups that then help other people in the community. And they have been a way of amplifying my message. So even though obviously you want to keep talking at a grassroots level, speaking to the people who are providing help for their community across all sorts of areas around disability services, they're also being asked about stem cells. So I want to make sure they are comfortable having that conversation or they can direct people into a source of information that isn't what they will necessarily find on Dr. Google.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
“Listening to people and their perspectives shapes what we do. It shapes and it might challenge what we do. So we might discover something and think we've got this absolutely amazing thing that's going to help a particular patient population, but what if they don't want it? Has anybody talked to them? Have they asked did they understand that? Have they ever met somebody who has that condition? So I think there's some even just fundamental points that we might misunderstand that can be corrected.“ — Prof Megan Munsie
