Dissemination Tips and Strategies
Well-structured outreach efforts are essential for attracting
industry partners and prospective students, increasing
institutional presence, and sharing the innovative work of the ATE
program and its many hardworking projects and centers. In fact,
for members of the ATE community, it’s also a requirement; NSF
asks all ATE projects and centers to push out their work fully in
order to illustrate the likely broader impacts of research,
professional development, and classroom/lab successes. Yet,
figuring out the best way to share this information isn’t always
easy. Whether it’s a shortage of time, staff, or familiarity with
communications best practices, managing outreach activities can
be a difficult task.
When creating outreach and dissemination materials, here are a
few things to keep in mind:
Begin early.
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Dissemination should be considered from the beginning of your
project. Planning how the results of your efforts will be shared
can help guide your project or center’s work. Some information
may even be communicated before the entire project is completed
(e.g. blog posts, newsletters, and social media posts may be
sent out at various stages to generate interest and update the
public on what’s happening.)
Write clearly and concisely.
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Clear, concise writing and effective communication are essential
when attempting to convey the importance and significance of
your project or center’s work to the broader community. When
engaging with audiences beyond your direct peers or
project/center staff, use declarative sentences. An “obvious”
fact may not be clear or evident to those less familiar with
your work.
Assess the range of media available to you.
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There is a wide variety of ways to share knowledge and the
successes of your project or center’s work. Consider the media
available to you, and select the best-fitting option. For
instance, Facebook may be the easiest way to share out
information, but a well-conceived press release or institutional
interview may be much stronger tools for reaching the local
community.
