Communications Breakdown: What Works (and Doesn't) in Health and Science Communication
Communications Breakdown is a new podcast that breaks down what works (and doesn't) in health and science communication. Hosted by Tracy Mehan and Katrina Boylan, this podcast brings you into their world of research translation, health promotion, public health communications strategy, website and social media management, graphic design, and much more.
Episodes
9 episodes
Building Smarter Public Health Campaigns
Building a public health campaign shouldn’t start with what we want to say—it should start with who needs to hear it and what decisions they’re making in the moment. In this episode, we break down some of the things we think about when we creat...
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Episode 9
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39:35
Attention First, Understanding Next: Overcoming the Illusion of Communication
"The great enemy of communication...is the illusion of it." In this episode, we pull apart why your message might not be landing with your intended audience—or reaching them at all. From System 1 vs System 2 to creative risk, trade‑offs, and tr...
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Episode 8
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32:13
Soft Skills, Real Impact: Practical Wins for Health Comm
In this episode, we highlight practical communication strategies that professionals can apply right away to extend their reach and impact. We start with insights from our CIRTC YouTube channel, where viewer trends reveal which skills are in hig...
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Episode 7
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31:05
Finding Your Voice: Navigating Social Media, Creative Choices, and Using AI to Create Music
Tracy and Katrina reflect on the podcast launch and explore the rapidly evolving social media landscape for scientists and researchers, plus share insights from experimenting with AI-generated music.Chapters:Podcast Launch Re...
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Episode 6
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29:01
Lessons from the Next Generation Part 3: Creativity and Dissemination Planning
What happens when classroom theory meets real-world health communication? Our three-part series concludes with a deep dive into the perspectives of emerging professionals as they navigate the transition from academic training to practical appli...
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Episode 5
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24:46
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Lessons from the Next Generation Part 2: Language, Storytelling, and Design Skills that Matter
What happens when academic language meets real-world health communication needs? In this episode—the second in a three-part series—we continue to explore some of the gaps between academic training and practical application in health communicati...
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Episode 4
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25:26
Lessons from the Next Generation Part 1: The Missing Pieces in Health Comm Education
What do emerging professionals in health communication wish they'd learned in school? In a long, revealing conversation, we dive into candid interviews with three recent interns who came to us from diverse educational backgrounds.Our dis...
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Episode 3
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29:11
When Public Health Meets the Instagram Era
Remember when social media was just typing out a quick message and hitting “post”? Those days are long gone, replaced by the constant pressure to create eye-catching visuals that also have impact. This isn't just about aesthetics—it's about whe...
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Episode 2
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32:56
Welcome to Communications Breakdown!
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of public health messaging? How scientific research moves from dense academic journals to information that actually changes lives? Communications Breakdown is a new podcast that invites you ...
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Episode 1
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12:27
