This article is part of the network’s archive of useful research information. This article is closed to new comments due to inactivity. We welcome new content which can be done by submitting an article for review or take part in discussions in an open topic or submit a blog post to take your discussions online.
ZIKAlliance’s WP8 supports all the consortium’s work packages with the communication and dissemination of research outputs and policy development, internal communication, and the establishment of the Working groups for Advancement, Validation and Exchange (WAVEs); which provide cross-working group platforms.
As a core strategic function within ZIKAlliance, communication activities manage and sustain ZIKAlliance relationships with key audiences, help strengthen ZIKAlliance’s scientific reputation, and thereby support ZIKAlliance Work Package (WP) leaders and its management team to achieve the consortium’s strategic and operational goals. To do so, WP8 uses and manages a broad range of tools – such as the ZIKAlliance digital platform (website and social media), teleconference facilities, the cross-consortia newsletter, mailing lists, and intranet platform. These are all crucial to the dissemination to target audiences and public distribution of press releases, scientific publications, interviews with ZIKAlliance members, information about upcoming meeting and events, and Zika-related news and updates. As of 11 September 2017, the ZIKAlliance website has received more than 3500 visits from 1834 unique users in 95 countries worldwide (with a total number of 12000 page views). The ZIKAlliance Twitter account is currently being followed by 232 users, and its updates receive an average of more than 600 impressions per day.
In addition, the WP8 team – who delivers its functions through the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC‘s Coordinating Centre) – is committed to facilitating and improving internal ZIKAlliance scientific communication through the Working groups for Advancement, Validation and Exchange (WAVEs). WAVEs is a specific feature that aims to facilitate internal scientific communication within the consortium and across work packages. WP8 has coordinated the organisation of the Diagnostic WAVE through regular teleconferences. The Diagnostic WAVE brought together teams from WP1 (Clinical Science, Epidemiology & Modelling) and WP2 (which studies the natural history of Zika using standardized protocols for patient sampling and testing).
The WP8 team would like to invite all WP leaders to consider taking up the opportunity for cross-WP WAVEs in the event that they have, or expect to, identify topics of scientific relevance within their own working groups that would benefit from further discussion with other WPs. For any queries or comments on the WP8 communication activities, or if you have any questions about the WAVEs, please contact either Dr Gail Carson (gail.carson@ndm.ox.ac.uk) or Giuseppe Paparella (giuseppe.paparella@ndm.ox.ac.uk).