Podcast Raises Public Awareness of Environmental Health Issues
The ask: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) needed an engaging way to raise awareness of environmental health issues and share stories of the research it funds with a wider audience.
The solution: MDB proposed a podcast series, called “Environmental Health Chat,” to help NIEHS reach a wider audience. The series shares the stories of NIEHS-funded researchers and partners working to address environmental health issues in their communities.
For each installment, MDB pitches topics and plans episodes, interviews guests, writes scripts and web content, records audio, and develops a distribution plan. Episodes cover a range of environmental health topics, from climate change, citizen science, and environmental justice to the microbiome, epigenetics, and kidney disease.
In 2020, MDB partnered with Ashley Ahearn, an award-winning National Public Radio science reporter and podcast host, to bring a new voice to the series. As the new host, Ahearn translates environmental health research into engaging narratives that draw in listeners. The host’s radio expertise, paired with MDB’s knowledge of NIEHS, results in a professional quality podcast that tells stories about environmental health issues in an accessible way.
Notable outcomes: Since 2013, when we pitched the podcast idea to NIEHS, we have produced more than 75 episodes of the Environmental Health Chat series. MDB consistently receives positive feedback from clients and stakeholders about the project. In addition, a February 2021 Environmental Factor article featured a pair of podcasts we developed that highlight an NIEHS environmental careers program and its impact on workers’ lives.
