Stem cell research captures world attention

The rigor of scientific research requires stamina, but James Thomson suddenly needed to draw on his physical and mental reserves for a different task recently — handling the frenzy of media interest in his research team’s latest discovery.

The international spotlight focused on Thomson with the news Nov. 6 that his team had cultured human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory.

Terry Devitt, the science writer in the Office of News and Public Affairs, who handled the media onslaught for the university, said he’s never seen a UW–Madison scientific breakthrough generate such hoopla.

At that day’s UW System Board of Regents meeting, President San W. Orr Jr. of Wausau passed out copies of a front page story on the project from the morning New York Times, hailing the research as part of UW–Madison’s long-standing tradition of excellence in the biological sciences. Newsweek reported that Thomson had “snared the golden ring of developmental biology.” Broadcasters including ABC, NBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC jumped on the story as well. And the Associated Press and Reuters wire services carried the stem cell story to the pages of newspapers around the world.

But behind the scenes, campus public affairs personnel had been laying groundwork for the story for more than a month.

For example, staff at the Office of News and Public Affairs — with assistance from the Center for Health Sciences Public Affairs and The Graduate School — produced photography, graphics, animations, video and audio clips to help media tell the story simply and correctly.

To prepare Thomson for the media onslaught, he and his colleagues completed a media workshop to help level the mass media playing field. Media received the information in advance under an agreement, called an embargo, that gives media time to prepare stories and presentations ahead of an official announcement.

Reporters first received word of Thomson’s achievement a week before the Science article publication in SciPak – a weekly synopsis of an upcoming issue’s content that Science distributes to select reporters. On Nov. 2, UW- Madison posted an electronic press kit to EurekAlert, a secure Web site where science journalists can view embargoed news releases about upcoming research announcements.

Devitt says this advance notice generated more than 100 media phone inquiries the week before the rest of the world received the news. To cope with such a gush of interest, Thomson was housed in an office next door to Devitt’s in the basement of Bascom Hall. Thomson patiently completed interview after interview – some 80 total – as they were directed his way.

“This would have been impossible to do if Jamie hadn’t been as cooperative and indulgent as he was,” says Devitt. “An indication to me that we succeeded was that, for the most part, the stories were accurate and in context. This isn’t always a given when a story has a controversial dimension.”