Supporting Groundbreaking research through the Nurture Science Program
When the Nurture Science Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center was presented with the challenges of sharing their groundbreaking, but sometimes controversial work with audiences ranging from researchers, to funders, to critics, they turned to Nusura.
Our team of experts in strategic communication, public health, and creative services worked collaboratively with NSP staff to gain a complete understanding of the program’s work and then develop communication strategy and products that would meet NSP’s goal of prompting a paradigm shift of beliefs about how nurture effects child development. Nusura developed a suite of public-facing materials, including the program’s website, presentations for scientific conferences, written materials and speeches as well as photo, video and multimedia products to share with potential collaborators and funders. Nusura also advised program leadership, staff, and key collaborators on outreach techniques, and provided spokesperson training.
Through Nusura’s support, the NSP has developed strong collaborative relationships with researchers, clinicians and also funding partners. These partnerships have made important research and training work possible and furthered the program’s efforts to develop and test nurture-based therapies that support emotional connection to help children and families address, and even avoid, emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges.
The Challenge
The Nurture Science Program (NSP) at Columbia University Medical Center is leading groundbreaking work, combining basic science and clinical research to understand the powerful biological mechanisms of nurture and their effect on child development. NSP’s findings present a paradigm shift and effectively sharing these new ideas that contradict strongly established ways of thinking is complex, sometimes meeting challenges and criticism.
NSP needed a partner to help frame their work into an effective narrative to meet the needs of various audiences - from researchers to clinicians, funders, and families, and also critics.
The Approach
The NSP leveraged our team of experts in strategic communications, public health, science communications, and creative services in the collaborative development of public-facing materials, such as the program’s website, presentations for scientific conferences, and materials to share with potential collaborators and funders, including video, photo, and graphic design multimedia.
Nusura has provided counsel to program leadership, staff, and key collaborators to maintain a complete understanding of the program’s work and evolving project needs and to identify and mitigate challenges in communication. This included spokesperson training, media relations support, and crisis communications support.
The Results
Nusura helped the Nurture Science Program begin to share their research in an actionable way. Through Nusura’s support, the NSP has developed strong collaborative relationships with researchers, clinicians and also funding partners, which have made important research and training work possible. Nusura guided the process for sharing Nurture Science Program’s work through nationally broadcast media stories on the PBS NewsHour and NPR’s Here and Now.
We continue to provide strategic planning and communications support to the NSP on a routine basis, allowing for further dissemination of NSPs theories and findings. The Nurture Science Program and Nusura team continue to coordinate multiple projects, developing a clear and consistent approach to explaining their work, and identify opportunities to improve team communication as the work continues to grow and change.
With Nusura’s support, the NSP developed strong collaborative relationships with researchers, clinicians, and funding partners.
ABOUT THE NSP
TESTIMONIAL
“Nusura brings comprehensive and wide-ranging experience in communications that has greatly elevated the professionalism of our organization. In addition to this, the Nusura team has brought objective, creative solutions to our communication needs."
Robert Ludwig, Associate Director
Columbia Nurture Science Program
