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Presenter(s)

Bridget Alex, Ph.D., Harvard University and Tufts University

Dr. Bridget Alex is an archaeologist, science writer, and educator. Currently Bridget is a Lecturer at Harvard and Tufts Universities, and a science communication fellow with Boston Museum of Science. She has published more than 150 popular science stories for outlets including Discover, Science, Archaeology, Atlas Obscura, and Smithsonian. Previously she was the archaeology and biological anthropology editor for SAPIENS, a digital magazine produced by anthropologists for the public. She has also taught anthropology and science communication at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena City College, and the California State University Long Beach.

Dr. Alex earned her Ph.D. in archaeology and human evolutionary biology from Harvard. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Program, and other awards, her research focused on the spread of Homo sapiens and extinction of other humans, such as Neanderthals, over the past 200,000 years. More broadly, she used biogeochemical methods like radiocarbon dating to reconstruct the chronology and biogeography of past human groups. This methodological expertise allowed her to work and publish on diverse archaeological contexts including Paleolithic Eurasia, Stone Age Africa, Iron Age Near East, Moche South America, and Teotihuacan-era Mesoamerica.

Course Description

The public loves learning about archaeology through news stories, magazines, podcasts, and other mass media outlets. Many archaeologists are well positioned and motivated to create this content but may struggle to enter mass media or gain traction on social media. This session will provide guidance for anyone interested in pop-science—from those seeking to dip their toes to individuals who want to pivot careers to science journalism. The seminar will characterize the context for our sci-comm, presenting data on public perceptions of science and media portrayals of archaeology. It will present a framework that considers the risks and rewards of varying levels of engagement. Rolling back the curtain around pop-science media, we’ll discuss behind-the-scenes processes that transform stories from an author’s initial inklings to professional publications. These include how to “pitch” a story to popular outlets such as Discover or The New York Times and how to work with journalist editors. The seminar will also review different story types (such as op-eds, news, features), media (written, audio, visual, photo), and entryways including occasional contributions, internships, freelance work, and career paths.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe Context for public communication about archaeology.
2. Survey story types and media.
3. Outline the development of a story from pitch to publication.
4. Discuss opportunities and career paths in archaeology public communication.