My newest academic article is now out in Media International Australia.
Based on the ‘extended-mixed methods’ model developed by Janet Fulton and others, my paper looks at the role podcasting can play in communicating palaeontology, and science more generally.
I completed the study mostly through actual podcast production (Fossils and Fiction) so in part I was trying to demonstrate production-as-method alongside personal interest in getting more acquainted with the field of palaeontology. The paper spends time evidencing the creative research approach, but ironically I’ve now had it confirmed that my podcast will not be counted as a creative research output because in the view of the Creative Works Assessment Panel:
Travis’s role in production is largely technical (audio mixing/production, creation and administration of social media, etc.), and therefore the podcast as a series could not be considered eligible for creative works
assessment
Still, I’m proud of the three years of production work, collaboration, and effort that I’ve put into this project, and pleased to see it published in Australia’s leading communication journal.
Thanks to reviewers, collaborators, guests, and many others who’ve offered advice and support in this project. A special thanks must go to my key fellow ‘palaeo podcasters’ who featured as interviewees and case studies, Garret Kruger of I Know Dino, Jimmy Waldron of Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome, Adele Pentland of Pals in Palaeo, Tom Jurassic from the Jurassic Park Podcast and more, Lucas Zellers of Making a Monster, and Michael Mills of Palaeo Jam. Along the way, the work was mentioned on Palaeocast, I Know Dino, and I appeared as a guest in a full episode of Common Descent‘s ‘Spotlight 2024‘ series.
The paper is available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1329878X241265824