6: Public Relations and Marketing, The Synthesis of Science Communication

All of these sections can be synthesized in a proper public relations (PR) campaign. This chapter introduces the reader to the ROPE method for research, objectives, programming, and evaluation. Research is understanding and targeting the proper audience. Objectives are clearly defining what informational, attitudinal, and/or behavior goals are to be accomplished. Programming is what will actually be done. Evaluation is determining whether the objectives were met. Often, this is a cyclical process with evaluation of one step becoming the research phase of the next. Any organization will have PR and marketing professionals. Scientists and researchers who understand what the PR professionals do can make for more effective PR. Research staff who can help to bridge the gap between those who develop new ideas and those who share them also have unique skills that are necessary for modern business. Finally, the concepts of PR employed by the individual scientist can give them more exposure potentially increasing the number of paper citations, community recognition, and likely even grant awards.