{"id":50291,"date":"2024-01-08T15:00:37","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T20:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/?page_id=50291"},"modified":"2025-07-28T09:51:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T13:51:40","slug":"communications","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/administrators\/portal\/communications\/","title":{"rendered":"Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Office of Research provides guidance and support to centers and institutes in building their marketing and communications programs. Reach out to the office&#8217;s Director of Communications, Meridith St. Jean, at <a href=\"mailto:stjean28@bu.edu\"><span>stjean28@bu.edu<\/span><\/a>, with questions or to discuss a new project.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"onboarding\">Onboarding<\/h2>\n<p>New communications staff should take the following steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Connect with the Director of Communications in the Office of Research to discuss a timeline for communications orientation and a regular meeting schedule. Typically meetings with the Director of Communications will be scheduled for bi-weekly for the first two months and monthly going forward.\n<ul>\n<li>Meridith will get you added to relevant Teams channels and professional development for BU communicators<\/li>\n<li>Meridith will connect you with contacts at BU PR and The Brink<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Sign up for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/brand\/connect\/brand-101-workshop\/\">Brand 101 workshop<\/a>, and review the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/brand\/\">brand hub<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Email <a href=\"mailto:pr@bu.edu\">pr@bu.edu<\/a> to get yourself listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/prsocial\/about-and-services\/communicators-across-campuses\/\">Communicators Across Campuses<\/a> list.<\/li>\n<li>Confirm that you have the center&#8217;s sub-brand logo package. If not, reach out to the Director of Communications in the Office of Research, who may have it on file, or visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/brand\/asset-library\/logos\/request-a-logo\/\">logo request form<\/a> to request a new logo package from Creative Services.<\/li>\n<li>Review useful communications for research communicators at BU:\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/communication-dissemination\/promote\/\">An Introduction to Promoting Your Research<\/a>: A list of steps to take to broadcast research findings at BU and beyond.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/category\/research-how-to\/promote-your-work\/\">Strategic Communications Series<\/a>:&nbsp;These workshop recordings focus on building communications skills to help promote research and scholarship. They continue to be offered twice a semester for faculty, students, and staff, and upcoming events are included on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/events-updates-trainings\/research-how-tos\/\">Research How-to listing<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/communication-dissemination\/research-pr-case-studies\/\">Research PR Case Studies<\/a>:&nbsp;C<span class=\"edit-link\"><\/span>ase studies about successful research promotion at BU.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/communication-dissemination\/faculty-research-websites\/\">Create a Website<\/a>: BU has templates available to both faculty and research initiatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"templates-support\">Templates &amp; Support<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following templates are available through the Office of Research. Read on for details or reach out to the director of communications to learn more.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Research Companion Theme: <\/b>Website theme a<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vailable for research centers or research initiatives. Requires approval from the director of communications in the Office of Research. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/ioc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">View example.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><b>Faculty Websites: <\/b><span>This new template is available to BU faculty to showcase their research and scholarship. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/facultymodel\/\"><span>View example<\/span><\/a><span> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/researchsupport\/project-lifecycle\/promote-your-work\/faculty-research-websites\/\"><span>learn more about using this template<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Email Templates<\/b><b>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is a newsletter template that was created for University-wide research centers. It\u2019s available in Mailchimp or Constant Contact. Reach out to the director of communications in the Office of Research for access.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Annual Report Template (updated for FY25): <\/b>This <a href=\"https:\/\/bushare.sharepoint.com\/:f:\/s\/GRP-BU-Research-Communicators\/EtqrJzDdW-hFuKU2gcu7S3kBHVnb0jU2wiPNkvfbeLluXg?e=zDt6Op\">InDesign template<\/a> offers a basic structure to lay out a designed annual report for marketing purposes. Please note that the template is in InDesign, and will require that you have someone in-house with basic InDesign experience.<\/li>\n<li><b>PowerPoint, Word, and Email Signature Templates: <\/b>Basic PowerPoint and Word Templates, branded with your center logo, are available through the Office of Research. We can also create a template email signature for you to ensure consistent branding among center staff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"event-promotion\">Event Promotion<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some resources available at BU for event promotion:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>WordPress calendar sharing:<\/strong> If you are using the calendar app in WordPress to list your events, you can share your events with other BU groups (including the Office of Research!). You can find instructions on IS&amp;T&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/tech\/services\/cccs\/websites\/www\/wordpress\/how-to\/use-bu-calendar\/#bucal-sharing\">TechWeb<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>BU Calendar:<\/strong> In addition to sharing with other centers, schools, and departments, you can manually share your events with the central <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/calendar\/\">BU events calendar<\/a> by submitting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/phpbin\/calendar\/app\/create.php?cid=17\">this form<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Digital signage:<\/strong> The <span><span class=\"ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\"><a aria-label=\"Link BU Digital Signage Community | General | Microsoft Teams\" href=\"https:\/\/teams.microsoft.com\/l\/team\/19%3Ae8384940851c4f30b1de4fe275719fa5%40thread.skype\/conversations?groupId=a7f04ea8-99ba-430d-9c5b-a81f9d204f7d&amp;tenantId=d57d32cc-c121-488f-b07b-dfe705680c71\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"fui-Link ___1rxvrpe f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1hu3pq6 f11qmguv f19f4twv f1tyq0we f1g0x7ka fhxju0i f1qch9an f1cnd47f fqv5qza f1vmzxwi f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn\" title=\"https:\/\/teams.microsoft.com\/l\/team\/19%3ae8384940851c4f30b1de4fe275719fa5%40thread.skype\/conversations?groupid=a7f04ea8-99ba-430d-9c5b-a81f9d204f7d&amp;tenantid=d57d32cc-c121-488f-b07b-dfe705680c71\">BU Digital Signage Community<\/a><\/span><\/span> <span><span class=\"ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\">is a place to share upcoming events with graphics for digital screens across campuses. <\/span><\/span>Images can be submitted as JPEG or PNG are as follows:\n<ul>\n<li>Portrait (vertical): 3840px tall by 2160px wide (we do not recommend anything smaller than 1920px x 1080px).<\/li>\n<li>Landscape (horizontal): 2160px tall by 3840px wide (we do not recommend anything smaller than 1080px x 1920px).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Warren Towers digital posters:<\/strong> <span><span class=\"ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\">There are large, vertical digital screens at the bottom of Warren Towers that see a lot of foot traffic. Learn more on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/marcom\/work-with-us\/warren-towers-display\/\">MarCom website<\/a>. Specs are the same as above but images must be submitted as JPEGs&nbsp; (72dpi).&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Cross-promotion:<\/strong> The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/prsocial\/about-and-services\/communicators-across-campuses\/\">Communicators Across Campuses<\/a> list can be a resource as you reach out to schools, colleges, and centers with newsletters and other promotional channels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"photos-imagery\">Photos &amp; Imagery<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some ideas for sourcing images for use on the website and in marketing\/communications:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Center photoshoots:<\/strong> You can coordinate a paid shoot with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/marcom\/work-with-us\/start-project\/\">BU Photography<\/a>, hire an outsourced photographer, or roam your building with a camera if you have experience taking photos. We typically recommend centers refresh their photography once every year to allow for fresh imagery in your annual report.<\/li>\n<li><strong>BU photography:<\/strong> BU offers a vast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/marcom\/our-expertise\/photo-video\/photo\/image-library\/\">library of pre-existing BU photos<\/a> available for purchase. Only BU employees who are also registered users can access the library. If you are not on campus, you must be logged into BU\u2019s VPN to access the image library.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Other stock photos:<\/strong> There are many stock photo catalogues available online. <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/\">Unsplash<\/a> is one site that provides free, high-quality photos. Be sure to credit photographers and stock photography websites appropriately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"common-contacts\">Common Contacts<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Logos \/ branding:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/brand\/connect\/were-here-to-help\/\">Central Marketing &amp; Communications<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>PR \/ social media:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/prsocial\/\">BU PR | Social Media<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Brink:<\/strong> Andrew Thurston,&nbsp;<a class=\"icon-email\" href=\"mailto:thurston@bu.edu\">thurston@bu.edu<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>BU Today:&nbsp;<\/strong>John O&#8217;Rourke, <a class=\"icon-email\" href=\"mailto:orourkej@bu.edu\">orourkej@bu.edu<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Technical support for WordPress \/ other BU-supported programs:<\/strong>&nbsp;IS&amp;T at <a href=\"mailto:ithelp@bu.edu\">ithelp@bu.edu<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>General questions \/ anything else:<\/strong> Meridith St. Jean, Office of Research, <a href=\"mailto:stjean28@bu.edu\"><span>stjean28@bu.edu<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Office of Research provides guidance and support to centers and institutes in building their marketing and communications programs. Reach out to the office&#8217;s Director of Communications, Meridith St. Jean, at stjean28@bu.edu, with questions or to discuss a new project. Onboarding New communications staff should take the following steps: Connect with the Director of Communications [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15731,"featured_media":0,"parent":11824,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/chapter-navigation.php","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/50291"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15731"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50291"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/50291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58053,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/50291\/revisions\/58053"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}