Communicating to Build Trust

Communicating to Build Trust - October 2025

AcademyHealth’s newest course, Communicating to Build Trust, was designed to meet this need, empowering researchers not to shy away from public communication, but to confidently step up to make a meaningful impact with their work.

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Course curriculum

1. Welcome and Introductory Instructions
2. How to Use this Course
3. Communicating to Build Trust Course Welcome Video
4. Communicating to Build Trust Course Syllabus
5. Homework Assignment: Abstract Submission due by October 29
1. Module Description and Learning Objectives
2. Addressing Misinformation Lecture Video
3. Module 1 Homework due by November 5
4. Misinformation Intervention Decision Aid Resource
5. Resource Readings
1. Module Description and Learning Objectives
2. Module Pre-Work Due by November 3
3. Building Relationships with the Media
4. Module 2 Homework Due by November 12
5. Building Relationships with the Media Resources
1. Module Description and Learning Objectives
2. Leveraging Social Media Lecture Video
3. Module 3 Pre-Work due by November 10
4. Leveraging Social Media Homework Assignment Due November 19
1. Module Description and Learning Objectives
2. Building Data Literacy & Visualization Skills Lecture Video
3. Module 4 Pre-Work Due by November 17
4. Preattentive Processing
5. Module 4 Homework Assignment Due by November 25
6. Additional Resources

About this course

25 lessons
2 hours of video content

This course will teach researchers how to:

Identify and overcome misinformation by building trust and connecting with audiences
Leverage social media to develop an engaged audience seeking evidence-based information and credible research
Create effective graphs, charts, and infographics that increase understanding among target audiences
Effectively develop and utilize media relations to become a trusted and reliable source of scientific information

Meet Your Instructors

Senior Director of Communications and Marketing Lauren Adams

A former journalist, Lauren has led communications efforts in government, science, higher education, and health care for more than 10 years. She regularly leads trainings for researchers on the development of effective communication strategies and co-taught a course on the application of marketing principles to influence behavior at American University. She is senior director of communications and marketing at AcademyHealth.

Vice President, Strategic Communications Kristin Rosengren

With 25 years in health communications and public relations, Kristin has deep expertise in identifying the right audiences to drive change, understanding their motivations and influences, establishing trust, and providing timely and relevant information to spur action. She regularly draws on her experience to provide virtual and in-person communications and messaging training for researchers, advocates, and scientists. She is vice president of strategic communications at AcademyHealth.