# Presentation: 814010

## Strategic Physics Communicationfor Our TimesFermilab Users’ MeetingJudy JacksonJune 11, 2002

**Notes:**
In my talk this morning, I will try to give you a picture of strategic physics communication for our times.

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- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## XL-erator

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## Gary’s message

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**         ****Gary’s Custom Customizing**
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- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## Hello? Hello?

- Unlike Gary’s message, the message from High Energy Physics is not getting through.
- How do we know?

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## $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**
This graph, one of many I could show, tells the tale of high-energy physics funding today. The horizontal red line shows what it takes just to stay even. It’s been several years now since high-energy physics dropped below that line. If this funding situation continues much longer, it will have very serious consequences for the science that is waiting to be done in high-energy physics.

## A new era

- The science of particle physics has embarked on an era of discovery that promises to revolutionize the way we understand the nature of the universe.
- To realize the promise of discovery in high-energy physics, we must also create a revolutionary new vision of strategic science communication for our field.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**

The next 30 years of particle physics are likely to reveal some of nature’s most deeply held and fascinating secrets. The science of particle physics...

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- We have chosen to devote ourselves to a field that requires very expensive tools.
- Every day, something happens in Washington that influences the U.S. ability to do high-energy physics in the coming year.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**
For better or worse, we particle physicists have chosen...

It is not much of an exaggeration to say that every day....

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- DC Staffer: “Can’t you do something for a billion? A billion I could do for you.”

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## A culture of communication

- To have the kind of future that all of us want for particle physics, we must change the way we communicate.
- Communication as usual will not do the job.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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## We’re no NASA.

- Particle physics does not come from aculture of communication.
- U.S. science funding agencies such as NASA have communication built into their missions—and into their funding. Not the Department of Energy, the “home” of most U.S. particle physics.
- We must create our own culture of communication.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

**Notes:**
Another factor to consider is that....
NASA began federally funded life with not only a space mission but a PR mission. Particle physics began ITS federally funded life as the Manhattan Project—surrounded of necessity by secrecy. The Manhattan Project is history, but the legacy of that culture remains, not only in DOE but in particle physics itself, which pays generous lip service to communication but does not often follow through in meaningful ways.

We didn’t inherit one, so it’s up to us to create...

## We can change.

- We can learn to communicate strategically in particle physics.
- We can begin now to think about communication in a different way.
- We can influence our future—but not by “business as usual.”

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## Strategic communication for HEP

- What are our objectives?
- Who are the key audiences?
- What is our message?
- How can we get our message across to the key audiences?

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

**Notes:**
But we believe we can do better. We in particle physics are beginning to learn that strategic communication involves  more than explaining the difference between the quarks and the leptons. We can learn to communicate strategically. This is a new way of thinking for particle physicists, and a new set of questions.

What is our message? Not the message that resonates with US, but the one that gets through to the people who make the decisions.

## Our message?

- “Messages are designed to achieve goals. A winning message takes into account what will work with the audience to build support.... It means making your case in a way that will be compelling to your target audiences.”
- From “Now Hear This: The Nine Laws of Successful Advocacy Communication”
- (Remember Gary.)

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## What’s OUR message?

- Understanding the universe?
- Contributions to nation’s health, prosperity, security?
- Technology?
- Interrelationship of all fields of science?

- International collaboration?
- Remaining a world leader in HEP?
- Keeping up with Europe?
- Training next generation?

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## Our message?

- Most of these messages are compelling—to us!
- But which ones—if any—resonate with our target audiences?
- It’s time to find out.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## Challenges

- The budget squeeze:  the worse the funding, the greater need for communication—and the fewer available resources
- A culture that still largely sees communication as an add-on, not a necessity
- A fragmented effort, with little coordination

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**
Like every other facet of operations, communication is caught in the particle physics budget squeeze: the worse the funding....

As  I’ve already discussed, we have work to do to persuade the HEP community to practice what it preaches in regard to communication.

## More challenges

- Perception of DOE, particle physics
- Perception of HEP by other fields of physics
- Legacy of SSC; LHC budget problems; Tevatron performance
- The long road to a future for particle physics

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**
There’s no need to belabor for this group the communication challenge posed by the perception of the Department of Energy in Congress, the media and elsewhere. And, as we’ve seen, particle physics Itself is in danger of exile to the hinterlands. Our message needs work.

We must also deal with the reality of the failed SSC, a painful legacy for our field. In the past few months, LHC cost and schedule problems have come to haunt us all. And all of high-energy physics watches as the Tevatron struggles to raise its luminosity to deliver on the promise of Run II.

We’re looking down a long road toward...

## Opportunities

- Revolutionary physics is just ahead.
- Particle physicists know they must do better.
- HEPAP has a plan for the future.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

**Notes:**
But there are many reasons for optimism, and also for action. We aren’t kidding when we say the physics just ahead will be extraordinary.

Fermilab’s director is a strong advocate of strategic communication and a key communicator himself.

They may be a little slow getting there, but particle physicists know that they have to do better. They aren’t sure how exactly. But they do know us. Maybe from FermiNews, maybe from physics conferences...and they do come to us for help.

HEPAP has a plan for the future of high-energy physics. (Show plan.) Also a newly formed communication group that actually includes communicators. Both Neil and I are members. Do you have any idea what a breakthrough that is?

## More opportunities

- New national and international communication partnerships and collaboration
- Young Physicists, HEPAP Communication Group, APS, lobbyists, users—all eager to help
- Unified message from US HEP. Next from US physics?

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

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**Notes:**
At this moment, there are more opportunities for national and international collaboration in physics communication than I have seen before. I’ll talk more about them this afternoon.

We have lots of help:

Our survey, which you’ll hear about this afternoon, did not confirm our fears about how the neighbors might see us. Although our neighbors don’t know us too well, what they do know they mostly like.

It seems likely that, with NIU’s help, we have an advisory group in our future, something we have wanted for a long time.

There are a lot of reasons why this is a great time to be a Public Affairs director at Fermilab.

## What can we do now?

- Build in communication at the collaboration level.
- Get to know your congressman.
- Pay a call.
- Extend an invitation.
- Grant renewed? Say thanks.

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002

## What can we do now?

- Try out a message. Experiment. What works? (Report back!)
- Take a condensed-matter physicist to lunch. (Let her do the talking!)

- FERMILAB USERS' ANNUAL MEETING

- June 11, 2002