As a self-proclaimed “data diva,” I’ve always loved finding stories with numbers. Data can shed light on exciting trends and hard truths that may otherwise go unseen. It can tell us where we’ve been and guide us where to go next. Numbers are only part of the story.

At Science Friday, storytelling has always been at the forefront of what we do—now, it’s time for data to speak. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce an upcoming collection of short articles called SciFri Findings, where we’ll share our learnings and questions about the impact of science news, media, and programming on our audience.

As the Manager of Impact Strategy at Science Friday, I use data and feedback to help our staff understand how our stories can shape audiences. I get to ask the big questions: What motivates and inspires our readers, watchers, listeners? Then, I reflect on the answers.

2020 was a year full of reflection: a global pandemic, Black Lives Matter, climate change, supreme court nominations, presidential elections. Many current events have made us think about how we define who we are.

Science Friday’s mission is to increase the public’s access to science and the researchers behind the latest studies. We’ve learned a lot over the past 30 years of Science Friday’s existence—and part of ensuring inclusive access to scientific information is sharing back what we have learned. That’s why we’re sharing these stories with all our communities, including SciFri staff, audiences, evaluators, journalists, science communication organizations, and educators. As journalists, producers, researchers, and STEM educators, Science Friday uses data to improve our practice and storytelling. This new initiative will help us follow through on that ambition.

Let’s get started!