Being Heard
This month's Scientiae Carnival's theme is an interesting one "A voice in the crowd". Kylie over at PodBlack Blog asks "Are you heard? How are you heard? Are you one of a team that works as a choir or does discordance rule the roost?"
As I was thinking about what to write, a story came to mind—hey it's Carnival by now you gotta expect that means stories from me.
The first evaluation I ever did was quite well done (since I'm writing this I can get to say that and actually it was pretty good). I didn't recommend that the principal investigator (PI) be indicted; but I did come close. Not only did he get funded for the following year; he asked me to continue on as the evaluator. Yes indeed, this made me think that NO ONE had read the report.
The second year the PI did do a better job, not great or even good but better. In the second year report I wrote "If anyone is reading this report, please call 315 555 5555 (sorry I don't remember what my number was then) and claim a free drink." NO ONE EVER CALLED
That long ago event (it was so long ago that I told people they should call collect) made it very clear to me that I'm not willing to do the work unless someone, or hopefully many "someones", hear what I am saying. For me the implications of this have been great and include:
I won't do written reports without doing oral ones as well.
I drive journal editors crazy, until they give me permission to distribute my articles on line.
I write multiple versions of the work I do- one for participants, one for the general public, one for the interested public, one for academics and one for any other group someone tells me I should write for.
I keep track of the reporters who contact me and if I think I have something interesting for them I send it on.
I do radio, TV whatever if it will get the message out
I do FairerScience.