Maria Carmen Punzi on communicating science through social media
Maria Carmen Punzi is a Menstrual Health Researcher at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. Last November she won the Fame Athena Award for her academic work and activism around menstrual health. She has over 3.000 followers on both LinkedIn and Instagram, where she shares content related to her research. In this interview, Maria Carmen shares her experiences on social media and gives tips for researchers who want to boost their online presence.
Can you explain what your research is about?
“In my research, I look at gender equality issues through the lens of menstrual health. I study how institutions ignore and dismiss the menstrual cycle and I also look at the experiences of women and people with menstrual cycles in the workplace. The topic is still taboo and some say that it should remain a private matter. While we should of course respect people’s privacy, I believe that by ignoring the effects of menstrual and hormonal health, we systematically underserve women, and this is a political issue. My research is also about imagining an alternative lens: That as women we are not hampered by our menstrual cycle but that we can use it as a resource.”
Do remember how you started your social media journey?
“I started my Instagram account in the Foodplaza here on campus. In the beginning, I thought that I was too late and that there must be a lot of people posting about this topic, but that wasn’t the case. I really saw a gap between researchers who had scientific knowledge about menstrual health and influencers or coaches who would talk about the topic to a huge following on Instagram. I have nothing against coaches, actually, I follow quite a few, but a bridge between the two was missing and that’s where I positioned myself.”
“Think of the one message you want your followers to remember.”
Your Instagram profile you say ‘Helping you find the flow with your cycle’. Can you explain what that means?
“I don’t want to be prescriptive and tell people how they should feel during each phase of their cycle. Instead, I want to encourage women to embark on their journey. Your cycle is very personal. As much as I can share about the science of menstrual health, the individual experience is always important. That’s why on my Instagram, I share personal insights, also about my own cycle. This way I hope to help women understand how their cycle can affect them and discover what works for them.”
What do you post about on LinkedIn and what do you hope to achieve?
“The things I share on there are less personal. On LinkedIn, I share evidence from research and make it accessible and understandable to a non-expert audience. Also, I comment on news or policies, think of the bill on menstrual leave in Spain. I see a lot of people who say ‘I was part of this event’ or ‘I published this paper’, but a good question to ask ourselves when posting on LinkedIn is: what is my audience gaining from this? Honestly, I think the chances are pretty low that people click on the link. That’s why I make my posts in such a way that my followers learn something, even if they don’t click. The good thing about LinkedIn is that, unlike Instagram, content stays on the feed longer and it can even lead to interactions weeks later.”
“Assume that people don’t click on the link. Make sure they still learn something from your post.”
And what does it bring you?
“So many people have reached out to me, sometimes even with very personal stories. This brought me a sense of connection, as well as tangible impact, something I would not have experienced by only publishing papers. Sometimes it even leads to nice conversations in real life with people who have been following me online for a long time. It is a bit strange but they do feel like they know me. Also, a journalist from a Dutch newspaper and one from an international news channel found my profile and interviewed me. It gives you more authority if you have an audience. And I definitely feel that I reached many more people with my research through social media.”
Do you have advice for researchers who want to be more active on social media?
“Have patience and try to be original. It takes time to grow an audience and to find out what works is also a matter of trial and error. Sometimes you put a lot of effort into a post, but there is almost no interaction. Don’t get too discouraged by this. In the beginning, I had unkind thoughts about what I posted. Now I feel less pressure and only post something when I have inspiration.
“Get inspired by others. Follow profiles that you like and learn from them.”
I get a lot of inspiration by following others and by listening to podcasts, like Unlocking Us with Brené Brown. This is a fantastic example of how to turn scientific studies into interesting, useful conversations for the general public. In my posts, I try to include stories and personal thoughts to make it more interesting and relatable. It is good to know that social media algorithms favor opinions, but of course, it’s not a must to always share your opinion. Your content needs to stand out, so originality is important. I started making ‘period memes’ similar to Loesje. Some of them got shared and viewed a lot. But maybe the most important advice: don’t use social media for validation because doing that will drain you. Connection with people in your audience and community should always come before many likes or followers!”
What makes a good post?
“On social media, my brain just refuses to process big bulks of text. That is why on LinkedIn I use short sentences and a lot of white space. Also, it is very important to have a good hook in the first sentence. This can be a statement that triggers or is counter-intuitive to your followers and requires explanation. I try not to be sensationalist or go for clickbait. At the same time, you must be willing to simplify concepts and ideas a lot, and as a researcher that is not always easy. Think of the one message you want people to remember. I feel that once you get them to interact with your content, there is more room for nuanced conversations.”
“Think of a nice hook for your post and avoid using big bulks of text.”
Maria Carmen receiving the Fame Athena Award during the Dies Natalis in 2023 - Photo by Alexander Santos Lima
“Connection over numbers: Having valuable interaction is more important than the amount of followers or likes.”
