SciComm Hotline

Reyhaneh Maktoufi and Stephanie Castillo
  • 4.0 (4)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Best friends and SciComm researchers, Reyhaneh Maktoufi and Stephanie Castillo, gossip about all the cringeworthy and exciting ways science is communicated in real life.

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    Is it A fact or MY fact?

    The world is chaotic; there is grief and heartbreak. And in the midst of it all, we’re dealing with misinformation and conflicting perceptions. Listen to Steph and Rey trying to make sense of the world based on their identities as immigrants, science communicators, and weirdos. Learn about confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, motivated reasoning, and tools that can help you understand your audience better. Learn more about Rey and Steph here:https://scicommhotline.comSubmit your gossip or questions to drama@scicommhotline.comMentioned in the episode: For Hamid, the brave firefighterhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DQl9DAFDno6/Ethan Zuckerman on Truthinesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8AiWoJLJj0Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Communityhttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bowling-Alone-Revised-and-Updated/Robert-D-Putnam/9781508230595Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism―Understanding the Social Science of Cult Influencehttps://www.amazon.com/Cultish-Language-Fanaticism-Amanda-Montell/dp/0062993151Irony of satire: Political ideology and the motivation to see what you want to see in The Colbert Reporthttps://www.instagram.com/p/DUbNhYziXWH/https://journalistsresource.org/politics-and-government/irony-satire-political-ideology-colbert-report/Festinger, End of the world, and cognitive dissonancehttps://www.instagram.com/p/DUWFHOLCQ4M/SNL Sketch: Mom Confessionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wQhY5CMMl4Harmony Lab’s Narrative Observatory:https://narrativeobservatory.org/

    52 min

  2. 12/19/2025

    Rey & Steph are getting vulnerable...again.

    Another episode of Rey and Steph oversharing. You’re welcome. Listen to the two catch up after a mini-hiatus, chatting about all things from TMI health updates and science communication of taboo topics, to relieving grad school trauma and lessons learned. *Correction: it wasn’t an award, it was Sagan’s nomination rejection to the National Academy of Sciences. Check out these resources they mentioned in the episode: Naomi Koh Belic: Hot Girls Have IBShttps://www.instagram.com/reel/CgOZxNVjfd3/The Hello PhD podcast with Josh Hall and Daniel Arneman, interview with Mónica feliu Mójerhttps://hellophd.com/2018/05/092-making-time-science-communication-monica-feliu-mojer/The Carl Sagan Effecthttps://www.jneurosci.org/content/jneuro/36/7/2077.full.pdfThank you for joining us for this experiment of a podcast and for tuning in to our creative outlet. Just two friends talking crap about all things science and how it's communicated. Hope you join us next year as we try to explore more areas of SciComm with professionals.

    50 min

  3. 11/12/2025

    What Does it Mean to be Authentic?

    In this conversation, Reyhaneh and Stephanie discuss the importance of authenticity and self-awareness for personal and branded science content. We emphasize the need to recognize and embrace one's true values rather than projecting a false image. The discussion highlights how individuals can leverage their unique traits, such as humor and vulnerability, to create a genuine connection with others. And how the rules change when you're representing a large science organization. Learn more about Rey and Steph at: http://scicommhotline.com Submit your creep story to drama@scicommhotline.com Studies mentioned:Assessing the Credibility and Authenticity of Social Media Content for Applications in Health Communication: Scoping Review https://www.jmir.org/2020/7/e17296/ Constructing and influencing perceived authenticity in science communication: Experimenting with narrative https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226711Link in Bio Substack: https://www.milkkarten.net/

    47 min

  4. 10/17/2025

    Two Bros Talking About AI

    AI: Rey and Steph are a bit embarrassed to admit they use it, but they do. Listen to them talking about all the ways AI comes in handy in media production, research, and job search. They also talk about the dark side of AI, some of the pitfalls and philosophical thoughts around it!  Learn more about Rey and Steph at: http://scicommhotline.com Message your hot takes to drama@scicommhotline.com  More about the Jackson Summit here; https://www.jacksonwild.org/ Follow Rey’s 30-day ChatGPT “Going Viral” plan https://www.instagram.com/p/DPTuSgIADFN/ Measuring AI Ability to Complete Long Tasks https://metr.org/blog/2025-03-19-measuring-ai-ability-to-complete-long-tasks/  Palisade Research (AI whistleblower org) https://palisaderesearch.org/  More Perfect Union: On AI and energy consumption https://www.instagram.com/p/DPTv9Mkjrgu/?img_index=1 The Oatmeal: Let’s Talk About AI https://theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_art Instagram Reel on the ChatGPT exchange https://www.instagram.com/p/DPeshTAgdNm/ The white paper for The National Academies of Sciences “Sustained Public Engagement in Science and Engineering via Digital Spaces and Communities” here: https://overdeck.org/portfolios/spotlight/nasem-sustained-public-engagement-in-science-and-engineering-via-digital-spaces-and-communities/ NotebookLM https://notebooklm.google/

    59 min

  5. 09/20/2025

    Is it the humor or the reaction to humor?

    Steph and Rey go down a rabbit hole of their comedy grievances. With lots of examples from social media, they dissect what it is that annoys and worries them about how we consume comedy, while also discussing what they hope for in comedy.

    49 min

  6. 08/29/2025

    Building Trust: How much transparency is too much transparency?

    How much does your audience know about you? How much should they know about you? In this episode, Rey and Steph discuss a listener’s experience of discovering a science influencer’s PR strategy and how that connects with a new paper on trust in science: "Lying Increases Trust in Science."   Learn more about Rey and Steph at: http://scicommhotline.com Message your hot takes to drama@scicommhotline.com  Find the paper we discuss, “Lying increases trust in science,” here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11186-025-09635-1

    44 min

  7. 08/15/2025

    Building Friendships & Communities

    Who are we, truly, without our friends and communities? This week, Steph and Rey share some stories from the heart: Rey reflects on her trip to Hiroshima and the forming of an unlikely friendship. Steph shares how a scene from Avatar: The Last Airbender broke her (in the most wholesome way possible). Listen to the podcast and learn more about Steph and Rey’s principles of SciComm community building and red flags to be aware of.   Learn more about Rey and Steph at: http://scicommhotline.com Message your hot takes to drama@scicommhotline.com  Here’s the Aspen Institute panel that sent Steph over the edge and led to us scrapping the episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/SJD1GOyInyA?si=j4Ol_XAaL4Ogo0Qp  Here are some communities we mentioned, and you should check out:  US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP) – A binational leadership initiative convened by the United States-Japan Foundation that brings together emerging American and Japanese changemakers for immersive conferences, building a lifelong network of Delegates and Fellows: us-jf.org/en/usjlpComSciCon – A series of science communication workshops organized by graduate students for graduate students: comscicon.orgSTEM Success Summit – An event providing skills training, workforce development, and internship/apprenticeship services: https://www.stemedia.com/experience/stem-success-summitNational Geographic Society – A leading nonprofit focused on exploration, education, storytelling, and environmental science: nationalgeographic.orgJackson Wild Media Lab – A competitive, fully funded, immersive nine-day filmmaking and science storytelling workshop by Jackson Wild: https://www.jacksonwild.org/media-lab?utm_source=chatgpt.com AAAS Mass Media Fellowship (also known as the AAAS Science & Engineering Mass Media Fellowship) – A 10-week summer program placing science, engineering, and mathematics students and postdocs at media organizations: massmedia.secure-platform.comCivic Science Fellowship – A program that embeds emerging leaders in organizations at the interface of science and society, under collaborations like the Rita Allen Foundation's Civic Science Fellows: civicsciencefellows.orgGilliam Fellowship (HHMI) – The Gilliam Fellows Program launches promising PhD students into impactful scientific research careers while fostering inclusive training environments: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/gilliam-fellows

    52 min

  8. 07/18/2025

    Vulnerability + 3 Principles of Storytelling for SciComm

    Yes, another episode of Rey and Steph nag about job-search miseries, but hey, that’s just life. However, they also delve into a discussion of vulnerability, its benefits and pitfalls, and conclude with the research-based principles of storytelling: recall, fluency, and framing.   Learn more about Rey and Steph here: https://www.phuturedoctors.com/scicomm/hotline   This is Dr. Nathan Walter’s Lab. We had a Story Craft session between researchers and National Geographic Explorers to talk about principles of science storytelling: https://com-psi.northwestern.edu/ Veritasium’s “How One Company Secretly Poisoned The Planet” https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY?si=H1wM7BZPztMm3m7h  More Perfect Union “How Corporations Are Secretly Poisoning Our Food Supply” https://youtu.be/Y0lsLnXX4U8?si=-WvYfElpMY3XICOo  Human Footprint, Season 2, Episode 1 https://www.pbs.org/video/shelf-life-3atwv4/

    58 min

  9. 07/02/2025

    Grief, SciComm, and Existing in the Digital Abyss

    Your SciComm friends, Steph and Rey, are tired. They are grieving the status quo, but they are also trying to find their place in the world of SciComm. Listen as they discuss their sadness, as well as digital media, its best practices, and how our algorithmic overlord makes it challenging to predict what content can be successful.  Learn more about Rey and Steph here: https://www.phuturedoctors.com/scicomm/hotline Find the white paper and panel on “Sustained Public Engagement in Science and Engineering via Digital Spaces and Communities” here: https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/44757_06-2025_convocation-on-the-status-of-informal-science-and-engineering-education Are Women a Missing Audience for Science on YouTube? An Exploratory Study https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4qINgpMyk SciComm Bites: Science Communication Digest https://scicommbites.org/ Civic Science Media https://civicsciencemedia.org/ “Cursing means you're honest, according to a study” https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.610920/full

    53 min

  10. 06/14/2025

    Plagiarism and Intellectual Humility

    Has anyone ever copied your SciComm content without crediting you? Has anyone ever been inspired by your content and created something new, and given you credit for it? In this episode, Rey and Steph discuss the challenges and nuances of content replication, intellectual humility, and existing in the SciComm world as a woman. Learn more about Rey and Steph here: https://www.phuturedoctors.com/scicomm/hotline Greater Good Science Center white paper on intellectual humility: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_does_intellectual_humility_look_like Humblebragging: A distinct—and ineffective—self-presentation strategy, https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-40996-001

    44 min

  11. 05/30/2025

    Competent or Incompetent?

    In this episode, hosts Stephanie Castillo and Reyhaneh Maktoufi explore the complexities of competence in science communication. They delve into the importance of credibility and trust in the scientific community, particularly in the context of social media influencers who may misrepresent their expertise. They discuss the ethical implications of using valid science communication principles for marketing purposes, the importance of credibility and trust in science, and the role of sponsorship in shaping public perception. Veritasium’s PFAS video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC2eSujzrUY Science Sam’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/science.sam/ Here are some of the studies they referenced: Study Black female scientists being preceives as less warm and competent “Race and gender biases persist in public perceptions of scientists’ credibility.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-87321-z Dual promotion strategies where you promote others alongside yourself Dual-promotion: Bragging better by promoting peers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37561455/ Love this quote from the paper “Should We Retire the Concept of Source Credibility? An Experimental Exploration of When Credibility Is (and Is Not) Useful.” The concept of competence and credibility “has lost some of its swag”  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10755470251334094 “Does the CSR Message Matter? Untangling the Relationship Between Corporate–Nonprofit Partnerships, Created Fit Messages, and Activist Evaluations”https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0893318919897059

    31 min

  12. 05/16/2025

    Welcome to SciComm Hotline!

    In their first episode, Rey and Steph talk about being a hater, but in a productive way! Listen to their hot takes, their vision for this podcast, and requests for their audience. If you’re curious about the resources they mentioned, here’s the list: Learn more about Rey and Steph here: https://scicommhotline.com ComSciCon is the conference where Steph and Rey found a lasting SciComm community: https://www.comscicon.org Rare is one of the great organizations that works with entertainment industries to inform their work through consulting, evaluation, and more: https://rare.org/program/climate-culture/entertainment-lab/ This is The Landscape Of Science Communication In The Video Content Creation Community: Connecting Research To Practice, where some participants mentioned they never heard of the science of SciComm: https://nnsi.northwestern.edu/landscape-science-communication/ This is the University of Wisconsin-Madison's PhD in SciComm program: https://lsc.wisc.edu/academic-programs/ph-d-in-science-communication/ Here's a study that discusses the elements of trust: "What are you assessing when you measure “trust” in scientists with a direct measure?” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09636625231161302

    31 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Best friends and SciComm researchers, Reyhaneh Maktoufi and Stephanie Castillo, gossip about all the cringeworthy and exciting ways science is communicated in real life.

Information

  • Creator
    Reyhaneh Maktoufi and Stephanie Castillo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Reyhaneh Maktoufi and Stephanie Castillo
  • Show Website
    SciComm Hotline