Johns Hopkins University announced today the launch of a new effort to strengthen the institution's capacity to bring the benefits of discovery to the world and empower outstanding faculty to share their research and expert insights with broader audiences.
Responding to the Ten for One goal to develop new pathways to translate cutting-edge research into meaningful policy ideas and become a preeminent source of academic expertise in service to society, the Provost's Fellows for Public Engagement is an investment in the university's capacity to communicate knowledge, foster dialogue, and increase the reach and societal impact of our frontline researchers, Provost Ray Jayawardhana wrote in a message to Hopkins faculty today.
"Hopkins is already a trusted voice. Just over the past few years, our researchers have enlightened the world with facts and figures related to the pandemic; we've unraveled cosmic mysteries near and far; we've helped policymakers and reporters make sense of artificial intelligence, gun violence, national and global politics," Jayawardhana wrote. "Still, our mission demands we reach further, to make connections between our scholarly experts and matters that both inspire and affect humanity."
A select faculty cohort will take part in a yearlong training and development program to build their public engagement skills across a range of media platforms and audiences, with support from colleagues in University Communications, the Hopkins Bloomberg Center, the Office of Federal Strategy, and other entities.
The fellowship will begin in January 2025 with a retreat, with additional training opportunities and activities throughout the year. Key elements of the program will include:
- Specialized coaching from communications experts on public speaking, media interaction, and storytelling to make their research accessible and engaging for diverse audiences
- Opportunities to connect and cultivate relationships with journalists, policymakers, community partners, and the public to share their insights on global issues and new discoveries
- Funding support to pilot innovative public engagement efforts to increase the reach and impact of their work
Professorial faculty of all ranks from across all disciplines at Johns Hopkins University are encouraged to apply. Full program details, including a link to apply through Nov. 1, can be found on the Provost's Office website.
Posted in University News
