“Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.”
-Szent-Györgyi
Properly marketing yourself as a researcher is essential because it helps increase visibility, attract funding, and open doors to collaborations and professional opportunities. By effectively showcasing your expertise, accomplishments, and impact, you can build a strong professional reputation and ensure your research reaches a wider audience.
Crafting a strong research reputation is a dynamic, multifaceted process—especially for researchers at a leading R1 institution like the University of Arizona. Your visibility, professional success, and collaborative opportunities hinge on how effectively you communicate and position your work.
Below is an in-depth, section-by-section guide that explores the core strategies and resources to help you establish, grow, and sustain your research reputation.
Resources:
This guide has been created with the aggregate wisdom of our RDS team, inquiries to many U of A experts in the various topics, and consulting the AAAS Communication Toolkit.
Effectively communicating your research begins with a compelling story. This guide helps you craft a clear, engaging narrative that highlights the significance of your work, connects with diverse audiences—from peers to funders to the public—and enhances its overall impact. Learn how to define your core message, structure your story, use accessible language, incorporate visuals, and adapt your message across platforms to elevate the reach and resonance of your research. Start to shape your research narrative and vision.
Showcase your expertise and achievements with a résumé and academic profile that truly stand out. This resource hub offers curated guides, templates, and courses to help you craft a compelling, professional narrative—whether you're applying for academic roles, seeking collaborators, or pursuing funding opportunities. Elevate your profile and make a lasting impression in a competitive landscape. Start optimizing your résumé and academic profile.
A polished headshot is a powerful tool for making a strong first impression in academic and professional settings. Whether for your website, LinkedIn, or conference materials, a high-quality photo conveys confidence, professionalism, and approachability. Explore easy, at-home resources to capture a standout headshot—even with just your smartphone. Discover how to capture your best professional headshot.
Building a strong professional network is essential for advancing your research, uncovering new opportunities, and staying connected within your field. This collection of resources—including books, courses, guides, and workshops—will help you develop meaningful connections, communicate effectively, and collaborate more strategically throughout your academic and professional journey. Dive into how to grow and sustain your professional network.
Harness the power of social media to boost the visibility and impact of your research. By developing a strategic online presence, researchers can reach broader audiences, foster collaboration, and enhance engagement with their work. Explore tools, platforms, and expert resources to effectively share your research and grow your digital footprint. Master social media strategies that will amplify your research.
Mastering public speaking is key to sharing your research with clarity, confidence, and impact. Whether you're presenting at conferences, teaching, or engaging broader audiences, strong communication skills help make your work more accessible and influential. Discover books, courses, and workshops designed to help researchers become compelling and confident speakers. Discover public speaking resources to be a successful researcher.
Engaging with industry transforms research into real-world impact by unlocking funding, resources, and commercialization opportunities. It fosters valuable collaborations, enhances student career pathways, and ensures your work addresses practical challenges. Explore our resources and let us help you connect with the right partners to maximize your research’s academic and societal value. Explore how to connect your research with industry.
Making your research accessible to non-specialists is key to expanding its impact and driving real-world change. Whether you're aiming to inform policy, engage the public, or build your personal brand, this collection of resources—including courses, books, and media platforms—will help you communicate your work clearly, confidently, and compellingly across a variety of audiences. Start to communicate your research to diverse audiences.