My invitation to speak to academics and researchers!
My blog is a resource but it is also a tool for conversation. Well here and the fast-flowing torrent of Facebook. If you are not following me there yet, please use the link to the right and send me a friend request. I digress!
As far as I was concerned 2016 was ” my year” for Caron Cares – winning two national awards and securing writing gigs with both Devon Life and the Huffington Post. I has little expectation of excitement for 2017 and that coupled with a demanding re-train in my day job suited me perfectly well. I am still, after all, a Finalist at the UK Blog Awards this year and plan to bow out gracefully this year, so I was quite content. Then ….. I received an email out of the blue from Exeter University. This is what it said.
Dear Caron – thank you for getting back to me, and congratulations on all the awards you have won for your blog!
I am contacting you to enquire if you would be interested in speaking about the CaronCares blog.
Myself and colleagues are putting together a series of seminars on Creative Communication to encourage researchers and other academics to find alternative and more engaging ways of sharing their research with their specific audiences and the wider world.
As part of this series we would like to cover a number of topics/tools/techniques that researchers can use themselves or at least be more prepared in approaching external professional for help where needed. One of the first topics we would like to cover is ‘Blogs’.
We have noticed your blog and the fact it has been shortlisted (again!) for the 2017 UK Blog awards and think it will be of great interest to many staff here especially coming from a different perspective from many of the blogs that we come across (or think of) as researchers. We wondered if you would be interested in coming to speak about the blog itself and what your experiences have been in setting up and maintaining the blog including the platform you use? We thought it might also be good to share some top tips for anyone who wants to start a blog and perhaps three other blogs or platforms that you like and would recommend taking a look at.
We wondered if you would be interested in coming to speak about the blog itself and what your experiences have been in setting up and maintaining the blog including the platform you use? We thought it might also be good to share some top tips for anyone who wants to start a blog and perhaps three other blogs or platforms that you like and would recommend taking a look at.
We would like to invite one or two other speakers to also speak about their experiences (so each speaker could talk for 20-30 minutes) and then perhaps hold a panel discussion for the audience to ask questions. Or if you think the topic lends itself (and you would be happy to stay on), there could be a more practical workshop that runs after the seminar for those who want to learn more.
We are looking to run this seminar in June (14, 15 or 28th – probably around 12-2pm) but can be flexible in order for all three speakers to be able to attend. The seminar will be recorded and hosted online as a future resource for staff and extended to other University sites in the southwest via video conference.
I would very much appreciate it if you could let me know if you would be interested in joining us in Exeter to share your experience and expertise.
Kind regards
Research Fellow in Health Services Research
University of Exeter”
WOWZER!!!!
Well, well, well… what a huge and fantastic opportunity to show case what a blog can achieve in raising awareness and helping others at the same time. It has gone from a stand alone blog to a national crusade with more and more people joining me all the time. I have never spoken in public to more than 20 people and my TV interview was pre-recorded but I will certainly give it my very best shot.
I will keep you posted. xx
