Raptor's Nest (He/Him)One thing I’ve just come to realise about bsky and why I don’t feel I fit in is that the science and academic crowd there want to use it as a professional sci comms tool rather than just academics moaning and randomly posting. Maybe I’m too old or maybe I’m just not professional enough but I don’t use social media that way… I like it to be random, showcase the scientist as a real person rather than an an online persona…
Adam S. Smith@drmambobob sci comms suggests outreach, but to whom are they outreaching? Isn't it a walled community? Mastodon and the Fediverse seems such a better fit for that kind of thing.
Andrew Marx@AdamStuartSmith @drmambobob The intimidation factor of Mastodon gives me almost zero hope for it as a public outreach platform; the concepts behind Mastodon are confusing for a lot of people, and if they have to read articles to understand things like picking an instance, many aren't even going to try it. Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Threads don't have that problem; just sign up, follow people, and post in blissful ignorance of the machinery behind the scenes.
@andrewmarx @AdamStuartSmith I actually think online sci comms through social media as a means of outreach for the average academic is a myth and unrealistic expectation. It only works for influencers that actively build up a very big online presence. I’ve had far wider reach through radio appearances organised by the university press office. A nurse at the local GP randomly asked me if I was on the radio recently as she recognised my voice!
@drmambobob @andrewmarx Yeah, there's something in that, even on Twitter in the good days it felt like most people had their dials set to broadcast but not to receive.
@drmambobob @AdamStuartSmith I think it depends on the type of outreach. Developing a big following like an influencer probably doesn't make sense for the esoteric research of most individual scientists. But interacting with comments on articles, interacting with special interest groups/NGOs and their communities, starting and/or participating in things like Fat Bear Week or Black Birders Week, etc, are all forms of outreach.
@andrewmarx @drmambobob You're probably right. 😩 It doesn't matter to me personally but it matters to my buddy @GeorgeTheGorilla The whole point of a #MuseumMascot like him is to communicate and interact with the public at large, not just peers. I'll plow on regardless as we won't know for sure unless we give it a try, and I'm a little more hopeful that Mastodon will gain traction as it evolves.