Communications Breakdown: What Works (and Doesn't) in Health and Science Communication

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re sharing a recording of a conference talk where Tracy tells the story behind a firearm safer storage campaign. Her message: subject matter expertise is not the same as audience expertise, and effective health messaging needs both.  You’ll hear how bringing in a reviewer who understood the audience context changed the campaign materials, strengthened trust, an...

Send us Fan Mail Anyone working in health and science communication faces a familiar challenge: how to deliver presentations that actually land. Whether you are giving a webinar, a conference talk, or a TED-style lightning talk, strong presentation skills start long before you open PowerPoint.  Tracy walks through a TED-style lightning talk built around a failure story and a counterintuitive choic...

Send us Fan Mail Katrina talks with research writer Laura Dattner about how a health communication career grows from press releases into national injury prevention campaigns and hands-on training for future pediatricians. They break down how to tailor the same research for parents, clinicians, policymakers, and industry while staying clear, useful, and evidence-based.   • Her path into health comm...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with health communication researcher and podcaster Brian Southwell to explore why misinformation spreads, what trust really means, how to talk about uncertainty, and where AI helps without replacing humans. We share concrete steps to bridge research and practice and lessons from podcasting that make messages feel human and useful. Dr. Brian Southwell is Distinguished F...

Send us Fan Mail We break down how we plan six months of social content while staying nimble for real‑time events, and we debate a counterintuitive framing tactic that might raise engagement but risks exclusion in public health. We close with a nod to Miss Frizzle and Bill Nye as models for authentic, audience‑first science communication. • how a two‑level calendar keeps us on track • tailoring to...

Send us Fan Mail Some years ask for grit; this one demanded it. We’re closing out the year with a quick conversation about what felt heavy, what still matters, and how we plan to communicate with more heart and clarity in 2026. Our strategy: find the helpers, connect intentionally, and elevate the people doing work we admire. In this episode: • Reflections on burnout, fear, and uncertainty • Authe...

Send us Fan Mail We hit our 10th episode by tackling two big tensions in health communication: AI’s fingerprints on our writing and images, and the real work of turning data into stories that lead to decisions. We end with a thoughtful look at trauma‑informed storytelling and a few fun extras for our listeners. • em dashes and other AI tells • what storytelling means beyond personal anecdotes • ho...

Send us Fan Mail Building a public health campaign shouldn’t start with what we want to say—it should start with who needs to hear it and what decisions they’re making in the moment. In this episode, we break down some of the things we think about when we create or participate in national campaigns, from pinning down primary and secondary audiences to finding the messengers they trust. We also get...

Send us Fan Mail "The great enemy of communication...is the illusion of it." In this episode, we pull apart why your message might not be landing with your intended audience—or reaching them at all. From System 1 vs System 2 to creative risk, trade‑offs, and trusted messengers, we cover:    • getting your audience's attention in a crowded media climate  • from the Health Podcast Sum...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we highlight practical communication strategies that professionals can apply right away to extend their reach and impact. We start with insights from our CIRTC YouTube channel, where viewer trends reveal which skills are in highest demand. From there, we discuss why virtual conferences offer unique advantages that often go overlooked. We also spotlight compelling...

Send us Fan Mail Tracy and Katrina reflect on the podcast launch and explore the rapidly evolving social media landscape for scientists and researchers, plus share insights from experimenting with AI-generated music. Chapters: Podcast Launch Reflections Social Media Evolution Post-Twitter Platform Selection Strategy Music Selection with AI Tools Human Creativity vs AI Generation Closing Thoughts a...

Send us Fan Mail Remember when social media was just typing out a quick message and hitting “post”? Those days are long gone, replaced by the constant pressure to create eye-catching visuals that also have impact. This isn't just about aesthetics—it's about whether important health messages are being seen at all in today's crowded digital landscape.  In this candid conversation, we...

Send us Fan Mail What do emerging professionals in health communication wish they'd learned in school? In a long, revealing conversation, we dive into candid interviews with three recent interns who came to us from diverse educational backgrounds. Our discussion centers on a critical reality: students pursuing careers in public health communication receive minimal hands-on experience during t...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when academic language meets real-world health communication needs? In this episode—the second in a three-part series—we continue to explore some of the gaps between academic training and practical application in health communication. At the end of Part 1, our conversation turned toward accessibility, and Part 2 picks up there, expanding into language and word choice...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when classroom theory meets real-world health communication? Our three-part series concludes with a deep dive into the perspectives of emerging professionals as they navigate the transition from academic training to practical application in health communication. We explore how creativity, feedback, and real-world practice shape the future of health communication. From...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of public health messaging? How scientific research moves from dense academic journals to information that actually changes lives? Communications Breakdown is a new podcast that invites you into the world of strategic communication planning, message crafting, and research translation.  We're your hosts, Tracy Mehan and Kat...