June 2002 marked the end of the inaugural year for the APS Communications Office. The Communications Committee, comprised of six members, coordinates its efforts in conjunction with Donna Krupa, public relations consultant, and Stacy Brooks, APS communications specialist. An internal team of cross-departmental staff has also been formed to handle the day-to-day communications needs and to inform the Committee of pertinent issues. The Committee has established its main goal of providing the public with more information about physiology and the APS through public and media outreach. The Communications Office has initiated a number of programs with this goal in mind (detailed below).

Communications Symposium at EB 2003. The Communications Committee will have a Communications Symposium at EB 2003. It will take place from 2-4 pm on Friday, April 11. The first half of the symposium will feature a panel of three science journalists'one each from radio, television and print media-who will speak on what makes science news. The second part of the symposium will be a hands-on primer by a medical publicist on how scientists can work with the media. This will include a mini-workshop where participants will engage in practical exercises.

Timeline of Physiology. The APS Timeline of Physiology was created as a general marketing tool for the media. The Communications Committee helped identify defining events and discoveries in the history of physiology. A revised version of the timeline was on display at EB 2002 along with suggestion cards to provide the membership with an opportunity to contribute. The Communications Committee is currently reviewing timeline suggestions received at EB. 

Journal Release Program. The Communications Office publicizes the science published in APS journals through the "journal release program." Each month, abstracts are selected for promotion according to their newsworthiness.  Once selected, these abstracts are summarized and compiled into releases that are sent out to science journalists and media outlets. These research publicity efforts, led by Donna Krupa, rely on the participation of APS journal editors and in-house editorial staff for suggestions about research of public interest.   

Preliminary media tracking results indicate that reporters are interested in physiological findings. Media hits from the journals represent more than half of the total articles written about the APS. 

Meetings and Conferences.  The Communications Office also highlights research presented at APS-sponsored meetings and conferences. Donna Krupa works with the conference organizers to identify abstracts of media interest.  Press releases are developed for selected abstracts and are then distributed to local and national media. For some of the smaller conferences, related journal article releases are distributed along with the conference releases to underscore the connection with APS. 

APS Awards Program Publicity. Each year the APS provides fellowships to programs that benefit scientists, students (kindergarten through postdoctoral levels), teachers and the lay public. These programs have the potential to draw positive attention to APS. Since June, we have highlighted more than 10 APS programs geared to students, the educational community and the discipline of physiology. 

Web Site Revisions.  The APS Press Room has undergone numerous revisions. The goal of these changes was to create a user-friendly resource for the media through regular updates and organization of the contained information.  This page has grown to contain the most updated information about APS programs and research along with a "Physiology in the News" section that links to recent news stories about physiology.

APS Experts Database. The Communications Committee is in the process of developing an APS Experts list that can be used as a resource when the media is searching for an expert in a particular topic in physiology. Currently, it consists of scientists who have answered reporter press queries directed to the Communications Office. The Committee is investigating ways to expand this database.

AAAS Mass Media Fellowship. The Communications Committee has assumed oversight responsibility for the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship from the Public Affairs Committee. This fellowship encourages an exchange between science and journalism. This year, we evaluated the applications and recommended funding for Emily Singer, who will spend 10 weeks in the newsroom of the Los Angeles Times. 

Andrea Gwosdow, Chair

Council Actions

• Council accepted the report of the Communications Committee.

• Council endorsed the idea of a media-training program and asked the Committee to submit a formal proposal for Council to review at the fall Council meeting.