Loyola University Chicago

Gannon Center for Women and Leadership

Writing for "The Conversation"

Presented by
Jenna Drenten, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing

Tuesday October 1, 2019 and Monday, February 10, 2020

Academic research is of interest to the public, yet valuable research in a broad spectrum of academic journals rarely gets the press coverage it deserves. How can academic scholars take control of how their research is disseminated to the public and be proactive in promoting their research for wider impact beyond academia? The purpose of this presentation will be to discuss one possible solution for disseminating original research and expertise to the mainstream press. Specifically, this presentation will discuss pitching to and publishing in The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit educational website that helps academics and researchers share their expertise with a broad, global audience. Disseminating research beyond traditional journal publications creates opportunities to educate a broad audience beyond the classroom and academic journals.

Drawing upon her experiences in publishing with The Conversation, Jenna’s presentation will offer a ‘crash course’ for fellow academics.  She will address the unique goals of The Conversation; discuss the pitching, writing, and publishing process; and highlight challenges in disseminating research more broadly and engaging in public discourse (e.g., popular press).