OSU Story Lab is a research storytelling studio and experiential program in the College of Liberal Arts where students, faculty and professional media producers come together to advance research impact through narrative. We partner with researchers at OSU and beyond, as well as nonprofits, Tribal partners and government agencies, creating powerful communications that achieve outreach goals while training the next generation of science communicators. We work in video, prose, photography, podcasts and formats yet to be imagined pushing the boundaries of narrative, getting our content out into the world and measuring the results, all while tapping the storytelling impulse hardwired into the human experience.
Science Needs Help
Science, research and technology have transformed society, lifted the world’s standard of living, lengthened our lives and helped us avert crises. As we face mounting global challenges from public health to overconsumption of resources, climate change and the loss of biodiversity, research is still pointing us toward solutions.
But after decades of faith in the scientific enterprise, we’re suddenly experiencing a decline in trust. Misinformation, political polarization and lack of scientific literacy—all fueled by digital transformation and media disruption—have shattered perceptions and created doubts just as we need data-driven solutions more than ever.
Stories are the Answer
But research also shows us solutions to this next challenge. By telling stories that are grounded in fact and that demystify the processes that drive scientific exploration and research, we can make emotional connections and reach audiences in new ways, all while training a new generation of science literate storytellers.
