Are you ready to share your research with the world?
Building on the University of Iowa’s (UI) national reputation as the Writing University, the Writing for the Public Good initiative seeks to support and expand the strengths of faculty writers across all disciplines and departments to share UI research and scholarship with Iowa, the nation, and the world.
Writing for the Public Good offers a variety of skills-based workshops to position faculty researchers and scholars to write essays, op-eds, and research-informed journalistic essays for broad, public audiences.
Recommend a faculty member for Writing for the Public Good
If you know a faculty member who would be a good fit for a Writing for the Public Good program, please let us know. Self-nominations are welcome!
Workshops and Programs
Pitching Workshops for The Conversation
Kristy Nabhan-Warren, associate vice president for research, is available to lead one-hour workshops for small groups of researchers and scholars about how to publish with The Conversation and craft a successful pitch for their editors.
To invite Kristy to an upcoming departmental or center meeting, reach out to kristy-nabhan-warren@uiowa.edu.
Science Through Narrative
For more than a decade, the Alan Alda Center has been using applied improvisational exercises and communication strategies helped researchers and scholars share their work and its impact with broad audiences. Participants will learn how to share their work and its significance in a way that helps others appreciate the wonder and value of science.
To register for the next session on February 7, 2025, email leslie-revaux@uiowa.edu.
Communicating Ideas Workshop
The Communicating Ideas workshop is held once annually for a small, interdisciplinary group of 9-10 faculty researchers and scholars. Throughout the half-day program, which includes short presentations, a panel of journalists, and one-on-one coaching, participants gather insights about communicating their research to individuals outside of their discipline.
End-of-Year Writing Retreat
This in-person writing retreat will be held May 12 - 16, 2025. The retreat will enable scholars to make progress on book manuscripts, articles, and grant applications. Daily catered lunches will provide an opportunity for exchange and discussion with other writers across campus. Fifteen participants will be accepted by competitive application, due March 14, 2025.
Editor-in-Residence
This new program connects UI faculty and graduate student researchers with university press editors. In Spring 2025, join the inaugural Editor-in-Residence, Mark Simpson-Vos, Senior Executive Editor at The University of North Carolina Press, for a faculty book proposal workshop, an interactive graduate student session, and a public lecture.
The Conversation
The Conversation is an independent news organization dedicated to unlocking the knowledge of academic experts for the public good. With a monthly readership of 20 million, The Conversation expertly shares a scholar’s expertise far beyond the borders of our state. Articles are geared toward the general public and republished by major news outlets, which can generate thousands of views across multiple platforms.
Through our institutional membership, faculty receive personalized assistance from an editor to translate their work for a general audience.
“In terms of eyeballs per hour of work, it was the highest ratio of anything I've done.”
“Working with the Conversation was a great opportunity to share my research with a nationwide audience and resulted in additional interest from news outlets across the country. The Conversation staff was incredibly helpful in preparing and publishing my piece and I would recommend working with them to anyone interested in promoting their work.”
View Conversation articles published by University of Iowa researchers
Iowa Researchers Featured in The Conversation
Why collect asteroid samples? 4 essential reads on what these tiny bits of space rock can tell scientists
Can learning cursive help kids read better? Some policymakers think it’s worth a try
How bird flu differs from seasonal flu − an infectious disease researcher explains
Contact us
Kristy Nabhan-Warren
Leslie Revaux
