Fourteen profs talk about defining moments, outstanding mentors and special mementos in new podcast created and hosted by journalist in residence

Jeff Goodes knew early on that he had to both show and tell as the Faculty of Science’s journalist in residence.

Podcasting was the hot topic of conversation when Jeff met with students and faculty. Everyone either had a podcast or wanted to start one. With more than 25 years of award-winning experience in radio broadcasting and podcasting, it was a conversation Jeff was happy to have.

The good news is it’s never been easier for anyone to launch a podcast, says Jeff. The bad news? It’s never been easier to launch a podcast and that explains the glut of shows that never find an audience.

To help students and faculty avoid that fate, Jeff offered up practical and proven advice. Start with the audience – focus on what they want to hear rather than what you want to say. The onus is on you to connect with your audience in clear and compelling ways – no one’s going to listen out of a sense of obligation. The guests who are the most reluctant and least comfortable talking about themselves often have the most interesting and inspiring stories to tell – your job is to make them feel comfortable and then tease out their stories. Always do a pre-interview with your guests so they know what to expect before sitting down in front of a mic. If you’re the host, be curious and give your guests your undivided attention. Ask the questions that your audience is thinking and don’t shy away from gently getting your guests back on track. And invest the time upfront to build the best possible format for your podcast – while the unscripted conversations on your show should lead to unexpected places, audiences crave structure and familiarity.

Heading into the winter break, Jeff started working on a podcast for the Faculty of Science where he’d show what he’d been telling students and faculty throughout the fall term. “For someone who’s lived in Hamilton for many years, I was surprised at the breadth and depth of the research that was happening at McMaster.” He knew audiences would have the same reaction so that’s the story he decided to share with a podcast.

Jeff created a show in four parts. Faculty would first explain their research in a way that non-scientists could easily understand. And then they’d get personal, talking about a defining moment from their career, a mentor who had an outsized impact and a personal memento from their lab or office that has special meaning.

Jeff sat down with Dean Maureen MacDonald and 13 newer faculty who are still in the early days of getting their research groups up and running. The podcast aims to introduce them to their colleagues within the Faculty of Science and across the university, as well as prospective students, journalists and future collaborators.

The first seven episodes of Moment Mentor Momento will be released this summer beginning Tuesday, June 25th, with the second set of shows running in the fall.

The conversations were recorded in the podcast studio at the Lyons New Media Centre – “a great facility with fantastic people.” Jeff says the students working at the front desk and Alessandro Erami – the self-described “Concierge de Lyons” – went above and beyond in helping with the podcast.

Tom Craig, a student in Mohawk College’s Broadcasting – Radio & Creative Content program, also assisted with post-production work.

Jeff finished his tenure as journalist in residence knowing he’d found and shared only a fraction of the stories waiting to be told in the Faculty of Science. He also left with a sure-fire conversation starter when talking about his experience with family, friends, neighbours and strangers.“ I tell everyone about the amazing array of research that’s happening at McMaster and then going out into the world.”

Along with the Moment Mentor Memento podcast, Jeff’s working on two other McMaster shows. Jeff’s collaborating with Associate Dean Jim Dunn and Managing Director Cynthia Belaskie in the Faculty of Social Sciences on the Fixing Up Housing Policy podcast for the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative. Jeff is also executive producer of This Could Change Everything, a podcast from the McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching & Leadership Program abd hosted by Joe Kim, Associate Professor in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour and produced by Katie George, Program Manager and Research Coordinator.

With engagement through science communication and outreach as a strategic priority, the Faculty of Science launched a journalist in residence program in the fall of 2022 to help students and faculty gain the confidence and skills to communicate and champion science. Veteran television journalist and health reporter Avis Favaro served as the inaugural journalist in residence.