For Faculty
Our Faculty Media Relations team works with faculty members and other UBC scholars to draw public attention to newsworthy research findings, projects and people. We also serve journalists who contact the university in search of subject-matter experts.
How we help
We assess the potential for media interest in your research paper, project or story idea, and identify the best outreach strategy to help you get coverage.
We leverage traditional and emerging news media to bring your research to the attention of the general public, government, funding agencies and the business community.
We prepare you for interviews through media training, and help you manage any sensitive issues that may arise from coverage.
The stories we tell
- Peer-reviewed research that is breakthrough in its field or has the potential for significant public good
- Research published in journals or presented at conferences that has the potential for media interest
- Expert commentary on current events that are of ongoing public interest
- Government announcements for on-campus events that are of media interest
- Donor or award announcements that align with UBC’s strategic priorities and are of potential media interest
- Strategically important announcements for the university or significant faculty recruitment successes
- Significant student-related news or initiatives
- Got a story idea? Use our tool that guides you through our story selection process and some of the options for sharing your news
How we distribute the news
- News releases: timed to a journal publication, conference presentation, live event
- Expert advisories: experts available to comment on news of the day
- Media advisories: invitation to an event that media can attend
- Q&As: topics or findings not tied to a journal publication
- Feature stories: significant human-interest angle
- Op-eds: help with editing and placement in newspapers and The Conversation
- Pitches: direct email or phone pitches to select reporters
- News wires: distribution of news via EurekAlert!
- Further amplification through social media, internal communications and brand websites
How to get your story in the news
- Alert UBC media relations or your faculty communications staff about upcoming papers or story ideas. Ideally, please let us know at least two weeks in advance of publication so we have time to prepare media materials. Please send us an email answering:
- What did you do? What have you found?
- Why will this matter to the general public?
- What are the next steps in this research? What impact will your findings have?
- Alert UBC media relations about breaking or upcoming news in your area that you could like to comment on
- Sign up for the UBC Experts Guide
resources
More
- Seek news coverage about your academic conference
- How to plan a media event for your faculty
- Suggest story ideas for UBC News
- Triple C professional development workshops and networking events for UBC communications staff
- UBC Communications website: other resources to support your work
- Publicize your event in community calendar listings