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
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.
Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science Workshop
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 an upcoming session, email leslie-revaux@uiowa.edu.
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.
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
Trump’s next HUD secretary would have a lot to do to address the history of racist housing policy – and Trump’s own comments and history suggest that’s unlikely
Student-athletes find more power in the changing legal landscape of college sports
Half of Black gay men will be diagnosed with HIV, despite highly effective preventive treatments − why?
Contact us
Kristy Nabhan-Warren
Leslie Revaux
