Lose the Lingo to Spark Engagement - First Published on EurekAlert!
EurekAlert!, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) scientific newswire interview with Jaxon Tan
This interview was first published on EurekAlert! #SciComm
In the field of scientific communication, translating often complex concepts into engaging and accessible narratives requires both skill and creativity. Jx (Jaxon) Tan, the founder of Momentum AI Communications, a boutique PR agency based in Singapore, has a track record of losing the lingo to spark engagement. His career began as a student writer and progressed to leading international PR at BGI Genomics, where he led several significant campaigns.
One of the most memorable campaigns during Tan's tenure at BGI Genomics involved perennial rice research, recognized as one of the top ten Science breakthroughs in 2022. "This campaign covered the Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Uganda-BGI collaboration to conduct research trials on perennial rice strains developed by Yunnan University and the university’s research published on Nature Sustainability," Tan recalls. "We sent two rounds of media pitches and EurekAlert! press releases, highlighting how these African wild rice oryza longistaminata hybrid strains reproduce through rhizomes, similar to ginger, to avoid replanting for many years, winning top-tier media pickups from the South China Morning Post, Bangkok Post, and the International Rice Research Institute blog."
Despite EurekAlert! being best known as a scientific research amplifier, there’s scope for for-profit organizations like BGI Genomics and academic institutions to do more. "Many journalists who cover scientific research also cover industry news and updates," Tan notes.
An example was a BGI Genomics colorectal cancer awareness survey in 2023 that highlighted over 60 percent of Saudi Arabian respondents never took a screening test, despite two-thirds of cancer patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Nature Middle East ran an Arabic story based on this campaign’s Saudi-specific press release. This campaign highlighted that when communications demonstrate a real-world impact, it is more likely to win substantial media attention and public interest.
Tan's science communications principles emphasize enhancing observation and understanding. "Effective science communication should start with observation, build understanding, and look to the future," he asserts. These principles were put into practice through the strategic use of communication channels. "We were on the lookout for a scientific news release service and noticed that EurekAlert! releases related to peer-reviewed publications were often quoted by major industry and news publications," Tan explains.
One of the most common pitfalls in science communication is jargon that external audiences do not understand. Tan advises, "Suppress the urge to communicate to external audiences using corporate lingo and industry jargon. Since we tend to communicate mostly within our company and industry, we often write as if audiences can understand the relevant culture and context. They do not!"
To effectively bring a topic to an audience's eye level, Tan believes that communicators must understand their audience, provide clear introductions, and answer potential questions to build understanding. "There are no shortcuts when seeking to bring a topic to an audience’s eye level," he emphasizes.
Another significant challenge faced by scientific communicators is to promote scientific advancements and the associated impact, especially in a fast-paced news cycle and on social media. Tan stresses, "We need to understand the ‘why’ before tackling the ‘how’ and should truly engage our internal experts to learn the limits of their existing research and ask what’s next from a research perspective. It’s a prerequisite before we can transform sometimes dry technical data into narratives that engage and educate the public across various platforms."
When asked to reflect on his recent learning experience, Tan shares a personal anecdote that underscores his philosophy of continuous learning and adaptation. "I recently attended a EurekAlert! workshop where we drew questions to ask another participant. I got to ask another gentleman about a long-time dream that they didn’t pursue. He dreamt about playing the drums but admitted to lacking the passion as life got in the way. Fun fact: the original Latin meaning of passion is 'to suffer or to endure.'"
Tan’s journey in science communication started similarly. "I first got the chance 'to suffer' when I started as a news writer at The Ridge, the National University of Singapore’s largest student publication, and eventually became the chief editor," he reminisces. "Over the years, I discovered that passion—in the context of communications—often becomes sustainable after long hours are put in to learn from more established professionals, accompanied by relentless self-reflection and adaptation to new technologies and platforms."
In summary, Tan's experiences offer insights to make science communications more relatable and inspiring. By avoiding jargon, understanding audiences, and posing hard questions to experts, communicators can make complex scientific data accessible and engaging. As Tan states, "There are no shortcuts when seeking to bring a topic to an audience’s eye level."
About Jx Tan
JX (Jaxon) Tan founded Momentum AI Communications, a boutique PR consultancy based in Singapore. He has an MSc in Marketing Science from Nanyang Technological University, previously led international communications for BGI Genomics, and was the head of content (APAC) for PR Newswire. Reach him on LinkedIn to discuss ways to simplify science and spark engagement together.