I recently spoke with Dr. Darren Lipomi, chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Rochester and YouTuber whose channel is full of honest, practical advice for researchers. One thing he said in our conversation that really stuck with me was:
“You can make up a lot of ground in the information environment just by posting just the facts.”
And then: “Tell a story…a little bit of an origin story.”
This message was for scientists and researchers thinking of sharing their work or ideas online.
But I think this applies to anyone trying to build trust or clarity in the digital space. You don’t need to go viral. You just need to show up with truth and context. And when you can, take the extra step to let people in on why you do what you do.
That’s how people connect. That’s how science builds trust. And that’s how your creative work gets seen and remembered.
How do you tell an origin story for your work, when your work isn’t flashy?
So much of what we do, especially in research, academia, or behind-the-scenes creative work, doesn’t feel like “a story” in the traditional sense. But if you trace it back, there’s usually a spark:
- A question you couldn’t stop thinking about.
- A moment you realized this mattered.
- An experience that made you want to fix something.
Those are the moments people connect with.
If you want to hear Darren talk more about facts, stories, and science online, watch the full conversation.