TECHNE Student-led: History as News TECHNE PhD Workshop 

One-day workshop aimed at enriching PhD researchers’ ability to create meaningful engagement with the media and community partners, and to develop strategies for research dissemination. Although this event has a historical focus for many of the case studies, it is anticipated that this workshop would be of interest to anyone seeking to improve their media and community engagement skills.

(Please note: booking is currently only open to current PhD students from TECHNE member universities. If you are interested in attending and do not fit this criteria please e-mail the organizers at historyasnews@gmail.com to be added to a waiting list. Should spaces still be available once booking closes on March 18th you will be contacted and offered a place).

This workshop event will start with a keynote lecture by Professor Lucy Noakes, Rab Butler Chair in Modern History at the University of Essex, recounting her experience working on a range of media and public engagement projects, followed by a Q&A/discussion session after the presentations, providing an opportunity for questions, comments and debates around the issues raised. These discussions will continue through a networking lunch. The organisers are keen to encourage discussion around the challenges of engaging with the media, the debates around public history, and wider questions around dissemination and impact.

After lunch there will be an interactive session focusing on the practicalities of media engagement, such as: developing relationships with the local press, social media strategies, writing press releases, and getting key research messages across in a short interview. The workshop element will begin with a short presentation and will then allow time for participants to draw up a press release/media strategy for a project they are currently working on, with time to feedback to a partner and/or the group.

The day will conclude with a mixture of presentations by both students, academics and community partners, sharing examples of projects where they have either had success engaging with the media, or would like feedback from others on strategies for stimulating future media engagement. If you are interested in speaking at the event please contact historyasnews@gmail.com .

Confirmed Speakers (this will be regularly updated as more speakers are confirmed):

Professor Lucy Noakes: Rab Butler Chair in Modern History at the University of Essex

https://www1.essex.ac.uk/history/staff/profile.aspx?ID=5625

Dr Olu Jenzen: Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Brighton

http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/staff/olu-jenzen

The University of Brighton Media and Communications Department

https://www.brighton.ac.uk/about-us/contact-us/media-enquiries/index.aspx

Draft Agenda:

10.00-10.30: Registration/coffee/networking

10.30-11.30: Keynote from Professor Lucy Noakes on working with the media

11.30-12.00: Q&A/discussion

12.00-13.00: Lunch/networking

13.00-14.30: Workshop on strategies to engage with the media

14.30-14.45: Coffee break

14.45-16.30: Presentations with Q&A

If you are interested doing presenting a short 10-15 presentation in the afternoon please email historyasnews@gmail.com with 250 word abstract of what you would like to present. This can be about past experiences you've had with the media, community engagement, or ideas you'd like feedback on for the future. Submission deadline Wednesday February 28th.