Featured Experts: Dr. Amelia Hadfield, University of Surrey
Professor Amelia Hadfield is a regular contributor to national and international media.
Fields of expertise: Common Security and Defence Policy, EU-Russia Energy Relations, EU Neighbourhood Policy, EU Development policy (with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa), EU relations with the US and Canada, Arctic & northern governance issues, European energy governance.
Contact info: a.hadfield@surrey.ac.uk
EUCAnet invited Amelia Hadfield to share some tips and advice about her outreach expertise:
“ Most important is to start with basic training. Speaking on radio and appearing on TV are two very different things. It’s key that academics understand how to construct and stick to ‘toplines’, how to balance a 30 second interview with a more extensive 5 minute one, the difference between speaking solo and on a panel, and more. Beyond this, academics need to think about the social media palette on offer and how they want to use each of these tools to best advantage: Twitter works for one thing, Instagram another, your own blog page separate again. Beyond the tools themselves is the message. Whatever your area of specialty, consider two things: what is significant about what I’m doing, and why is it important that people know about it? Thinking carefully, and consistently about these two points will give you real ‘media clout’ as an academic.”
“In many countries, the media remains beset by systemically poor research, misinformation and even fake news. This provides a poor source for the general public on key issues, including vital political dilemmas. Academics remain a credible source of evidence-based information and insight, and have a clear and important duty of care to make known their analysis of a given issue or situation. The media benefits from improved contact with both leading and junior academics. Equally, academics benefit from high profile and hopefully sustained coverage of their own area.”
For more information about the media appearances and contributions of our academic experts, please visit the following page.
