The Conversation

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The Conversation is an independent source for informed commentary and analysis. Written exclusively by academic and research scholars and edited in partnership with Conversation professional editors for the general public, the site promotes a better understanding of current affairs and complex issues.
Every day, Conversation editors connect with University Relations (and other universities across the country), soliciting expert commentary across all fields of study, including new discoveries, research and commentary and expert explanations on the news of the day. 
Faculty work one-on-one with an editor and published articles appear on theconversation.com, are distributed on the Associated Press wire and can be published by U.S. and international media organizations, greatly enhancing an op-ed’s potential reach. 
Contact University Relations Media Team if you have research or an opinion on the news of the day that you think might be a fit for The Conversation.

A Comprehensive Overview

Word slide from the Conversation presentation
In October 2018, Ari Fertig, The Conversation’s manager of editorial services, visited UMass Lowell and gave a presentation on The Conversation, who it reaches, how the editing process works and the benefits reaped by faculty authors. (The presentation takes about 30 minutes and ends with about 13 minutes of Q & A.)

A Testimonial

Meg Bond is Professor in the Psychology Department an, Director of the Center for Women & Work at UMass Lowell. Image by Meg Moore

Psychology Prof. Meg Bond, a national expert on issues of diversity, empowerment and underrepresented groups in communities and organizations, wrote a piece about the dynamics of sexual harassment and the Supreme Court nomination fight in Congress that was picked up by news organizations around the country. The 2018 Distinguished University Professor had this to say about the process of developing a piece with The Conversation:

“The focus on how research can inform national dialogues is exactly where I think faculty should be putting their energy – if our research isn’t out in the public domain, we have missed a huge opportunity to make a contribution. 

“Overall, the experience was very positive, and working with your office to get the pitch to The Conversation went very smoothly. It’s great that the university is developing this relationship. 

“Developing the pitch was surprisingly fun – basically I quickly sketched out a few thoughts; it was OK that it was rough, and it did not require obsessing over details. Mainly it required stepping back and thinking about the big picture: What would my knowledge of scholarship in this area add to the national conversation? 

“The process of working with the editor at The Conversation was intense but deeply satisfying. You need to be ready to invest energy in this – it was intense back and forth over just a handful of days. She engaged in a highly respectful and collaborative process – asking questions that sharpened my writing, and providing links and pictures to make it more effective. It was truly a dialogue – she pushed for clarity and evidence while also respecting that I as the author had the last say on what would be included in the final article.”