Featured Experts: Dr. Will Greaves, University of Victoria
Professor Will Greaves is a regular contributor to national and international media.
Fields of expertise: Security theory, Environmental politics, Climate change, Energy extraction, Indigenous peoples, Circumpolar Arctic.
Contact info: wgreaves@uvic.ca
EUCAnet invited Will Greaves to share some tips and advice about his outreach expertise:
“When conducting a media interview, I find it’s best to stay relaxed and conversational. Instead of reflecting on what is can be a stressful situation, I try to stay connected with the enthusiasm and excitement that I feel towards the subjects that I research, and to let that come through in the interview. Treating it like a conversation, rather than a lecture, also helps minimize the jargon that academics sometimes use and keep the interview at an appropriate level for a general audience. And, for better or worse, I always try to be honest and direct with the journalist, including sharing my own opinion when asked, even if that means saying something that won’t please every listener or will reveal something about my own political views or priorities.”
“As academics, we have a responsibility to engage publicly about our work and to reach as wide an audience as possible. As professional researchers and educators, we are uniquely positioned to share our expertise and to contribute to debates on important public issues. While this is a general responsibility that all academics share, I believe it’s especially important today for social scientists – especially political scientists – to help people better understand the complex, high stakes, and sometimes divisive issues that are currently front and centre within our political, economic, and social systems.”
For more information about the media appearances and contributions of our academic experts, please visit the following page.
