The mission of the Ohio Sea Grant Communications Program is to create and deliver communications for all elements of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. To achieve this mission, our goals are to:

1. Increase awareness and educate a variety of audiences (general public, school children, officials, governmental resources managers, and scientific communities) about the efforts of Ohio Sea Grant researchers, educators, and extension specialists;

2. Interact and collaborate with communications efforts of the National Sea Grant College Program, the national and regional Sea Grant networks, and various outreach and research programs at The Ohio State University; and

3. Assist the director with managing the program, strategic planning, developing the core program proposal, and coordinating with investigators regarding the development of proposals and publications.

2006-2010 Communications Plan

Since 2006, Communications distributes its workload under eight major project headers:

• Stone Laboratory and Education Projects (20% of staff time)

• Extension-Related Projects (20% of staff time)

• Web-Related Projects (15% of staff time)

• Twine Line Newsletter (10% of staff time)

• Media Relations and Publicity (10% of staff time)

• Special/Regional Projects (10% of staff time)

• Communications Management and Administration Projects (5% of staff time)

• Other, Expanded or Unexpected Projects (20% of staff time)

Stone Laboratory Objectives (20% of staff time)

Communications will oversee the production of all Stone Lab promotional materials, FOSL fundraising materials, web site, educational displays, and overall education program materials. 

1. Promote educational opportunities to prospective Stone Lab students and general public through annual hardcopy and electronic promotional campaigns.
2. Continue to redesign accompanying Stone Lab summer course materials to incorporate new Stone Lab identity. This includes all Stone Lab materials from University Housing and Put-in-Bay office, program flyers, and displays.
3. Add new promotional publications to Stone Lab summer campaign in order to increase campaign longevity.
4. Utilize existing University departments' (Communications, Student Affairs, First-Year Experience) communications capabilities and special programs to market Stone Lab opportunities to public and potential students.
5. Provide leadership to former Stone Lab students for student recruiting purposes. This includes scheduling students in on campus science courses to promote Stone Lab summer program.
6. Coordinate with Stone Lab staff to better track promotional materials (hardcopy and electronic) in order to find most effective means of marketing. This will involve expansion of database to catalog target audience.
7. Coordinate with Stone Lab staff to create new and improve existing teaching publications for science workshop program.
8. Add mass electronic news announcements and flash ads into Stone Lab campaign by 2007. OSU students will receive three electronic Stone Lab ads (one per quarter) via email to promote the program's summer courses.
9. Increase electronic distribution of promotional flyers and materials by 10 percent every year starting in 2006.
10. Coordinate with FOSL members to create annual fundraising and general promotional materials for special FOSL and Stone Lab events.
11. Continue to organize FOSL fundraising events (Silent Auction) and creation of fundraising and marketing items (hats, shirts, pens, license plate)

Twine Line Objectives (10% of staff time)

Twine Line will continue to be a two-color, quarterly newsletter for the Ohio Sea Grant Program. Quantities will stay at 5,000-6,000 but with more emphasis on the online viewing.

1. Highlight Sea Grant research, education, and outreach efforts in every issue, providing readers with up-to-date information about Lake Erie and the Great Lakes. Each program focus (research, education, outreach) will be equally publicized (two-pages per) in each issue.
2. Develop a readership survey in 2006 to determine general topics/subjects public wants to read and whether public wants more emphasis on online publication option.
3. Create searchable (by topic) on line Twine Line option.
4. Highlight current research in each issue, with at least six projects highlighted each year. Topics will focus on the Plans' high priority areas.
5. Explore new avenues to increase subscriptions and visibility. This will include offering complementary copies to conference and workshop participants, Legislature Day participants, and Stone Lab students.
6. Emphasize more Ohio Sea Grant impacts in terms of research, education, and outreach outcomes within each issue.
7. Use feedback from reader survey and PAT assessment to improve overall effectiveness of newsletter's message.
8. Continue to increase enrollment of online Twine Line subscription through email promotion.
9. Explore two possible new funding sources for Twine Line printing.

Web-Related Objectives (15% of staff time)
Communications will work to incorporate more content management within existing sites in order to increase accuracy. More database-driven web sites will allow Sea grant staff to update information more efficiently.

1. Revise all program web sites (Ohio Sea Grant, Stone Laboratory, and GLAERC) and sub sites by 2006 for easier navigation, organization, and accessibility (Section 508 compliance).
2. Establish all sites 100 percent standard compliant and with NOAA and University web identity standards.
3. Increase content management practices with all timely information driven by databases (i.e. news, calendar of events)
4. Create a web site advisory committee in 2006 to determine sites remain user-friendly. Members will include Sea Grant staff members, Extension advisory committee members, and other university staff, and the general public.
5. Create new databases for Sea Grant projects and publications by end of 2006. Databases will generate better searches for projects and publications, along with help researchers better update their funded projects.
6. Add on line store in 2006 for publication, shirt, and other promotional item retail.
7. Add on line auction by 2008 to Friends of Stone Lab site for fundraising promotion.
8. Create flash presentations for Stone Lab. FOSL, and Biocomplexity Project. By 2007, FOSL members will receive one flash ad per year linking them directly to the on line donation page.

Media Relations Objectives (10% of staff time)
Communications will continue to increase awareness of Sea Grant programs and projects through strong interaction with local and state media, and University Relations personnel.

1. Supply media with tip sheets and access to Sea Grant staff and researchers.
2. Offer Twine Line subscriptions to media and promote reprints of articles and press releases.
3. Provide media with on line Sea Grant expert list.
4. Distribute at least 12 news releases per year via electronic mail to media. This will include all Research Review articles from Twine Line.
5. Circulate all news releases to the National communications office, the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), and other Lake Erie area listservs.
6. Track media coverage annually. Increase media hits by 10 percent each year.
7. Work with OSU University Relations to promote web sites on OSU homepage and pitch more stories to local and coastal county media about program's outreach and education opportunities.
   

Extension-Related Communications Objectives (20% of staff time)
Communications will continue to work with extension to create new publications, displays, and other outreach products. Because Communications and Extension both work closely on outreach efforts, Communications will continue to promote more opportunities for interaction. Objectives for the 2006-2010 include to:

1. Publicize efforts of extension through news releases and Twine Line articles. All will be posted on home web page along with individual extension sub sites.
2. Develop extension sub sites for each extension agent in order to increase individual promotion and program marketing. Each site will be tailored to individual agent's need and will be updated by that agent to ensure timely and accurate information.
3. Create extension impact factsheets and companion display posters. Each will highlight a specific extension educator's project(s) and be updated and posted on their web pages
4. Continue to take lead in Clean Marinas and Boater Programs promotion, which includes marketing, web site and database development, and publications.
5. Schedule quarterly meetings with agents to discuss development of new outreach materials.
6. Continue to work with Extension's Kelly Riesen in designing and maintaining the permanent Sea Grant Exhibit at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. New exhibits will be featured every six months. An evaluation form about the exhibit will be developed and made available to LENSC patrons in 2006. One new publication will also be developed with every new display.
7. Develop new factsheets in 2006. This includes a youth fishing factsheet series.
8. Continue to develop new display panels for Extension outreach programs for show and poster sessions. Two new panels will be developed each year.
9. Continue to oversee the maintenance of Lake Erie Discussion Board.
10. Review and design Extension's publications for outreach conferences, workshops, and poster sessions.

Communications Management and Administrative Objectives

(5% of staff time)

1. Coordinate and oversee publication distribution through workshops, shows, and web/mail requests.
2. Provide national archives with copies of all cataloged publications.
3. Continue and broaden an undergraduate internship program with graphic design and journalism students. Work with appropriate advisors to establish two interns by Fall 2006.
4. Collaborate with Great Lakes Sea Grant Network to support regional projects.
5. Manage Twine Line and publication mailing lists.

Note: 20% of staff time will be reserved for unexpected or expanded projects and opportunities.

Ohio Sea Grant Communications

1 Feb 2007-31 January 2008

Communications M/P-2, continuing 2006-2010 budget cycle

Project Focus Areas and Achievements

Ohio Sea Grant Communications created ambitious and very pointed objectives for the 2006-2010 budget cycle, focusing its workload in seven major project areas, each with their own set of objectives and percentage of staff time. The remainder of staff time (20%) was allocated to the expansion of existing or unexpected projects.

Stone Laboratory (20% staff time): In 2007, Communications continued its objectives to evaluate existing, as well as incorporate new marketing initiatives and partners within OSU departments in order to broaden its current campaign and increase program exposure. New Stone Lab initiatives included (1) facilitating Stone Lab student focus groups in Jan 08 to evaluate the effectiveness of current Stone Lab marketing campaign (2) adding more program presence at university-sponsored events and venues and through university services (internal media) (3) partnering with OSU Athletics and key university departments to promote programs/staff and/or house displays and distribute literature and (4) creating more merchandise and event planning for nonprofit organization's (FOSL) fundraising efforts.

Extension-Related Projects (20% staff time): Communications worked with Extension to increase program exposure by way of new project initiatives and more Extension news releases through Communications' outlets.

Media Relations (10-20% staff time): Communications put increased effort into media relations starting in 2006, increasing its news release distribution, partnering with university departments to get more stories to researchers' home departments, working one-on-one with reporters, and sending out news teasers with web links-all to draw viewers to the new web site and Twine Line.

Web-Related Projects (15% staff time): Communications continued to update all its web sites, incorporating NOAA and University web identity standards and adding components to content management system.

Twine Line Newsletter (10% staff time): Communications took a more targeted approach in 2006 with its newsletter, as it emphasized stories that were timely, NOAA-related, and included a broader, national appeal. The newsletter was expanded from 12 pages to 16 in 2006, with equal focus on achievements and impacts within program areas.

Regional Projects (10-20% staff time): Communications Jentes chairs the GLRRIN outreach committee and OSG created identity standards, web site, brochure, and poster. Communications is on the GLOS marketing committee, and also designed the COSEE Great Lakes brochure and poster in 2006.

Management Projects: (5% staff): Communications continued its internship program as well its efforts to submit publications for national awards, and continued measures to decrease costs

Awards: Communications won 4 awards in 2007:

• 2007 Epsilon Sigma Phi First Place for "Teaching & Media Contest for online discussion board
• 2007 APEX Award for research feature writing (Twine Line)
• 2007 ACE Gold Award for Stone Lab campaign
• 2007 OSU "University Student Employee of the Year", runner-up

M/P-2, continuing Feb 2006-Jan07

Project Focus Areas and Achievements

Ohio Sea Grant Communications created ambitious and very pointed objectives for the 2006-2010 budget cycle, focusing its workload in seven major project areas, each with their own set of objectives and percentage of staff time: The remainder of staff time (20%) was allocated to the expansion of existing or unexpected projects.

Stone Laboratory (20% staff time): In 2006, Communications incorporated new marketing initiatives and new partners within OSU departments to broaden its current campaign. New initiatives included (1) creating and presenting a Stone Lab marketing presentation to OSU introductory science courses; (2) creating a new student tri-fold flyer for science intro courses and OSG researchers' courses and (3) partnering with Univ. Housing and the student rec center to house displays and distribute literature. More than 70 publications were created for the year's campaign. Communications also expanded its work with FOSL to add new merchandise for its endowment fundraising efforts, including a new Stone Lab backpack, water bottle, window decal, and t-shirt.

Extension-related Projects (20% staff time): Communications worked with Extension to create new projects during 2006. New projects included a shrink wrap brochure, promotional sticker, posters, and AIS sign for the Clean Marinas Program; new display panels and fact sheets for the Cleveland Boat and Sport Shows; an upgrade of the Lake Erie Discussion Board; and four new conference posters and fact sheets that incorporated new Sea Grant identity standards.

Web-related Projects (15% staff time): Communications revised all its web sites starting in late 2005, incorporating NOAA and University web identity standards and content management databases. Communications also finished the new projects reporting system which allowed researchers easier updates, publication and graphics uploading, and better reports. As a result, the web site increased 350%, pages viewed increased 140% and new visitors by 40%.

Twine Line Newsletter (10% staff time): Communications took a more targeted approach in 2006 with its newsletter, as it emphasized stories that were timely, NOAA-related and included a broader, national appeal. The newsletter was expanded from 12 pages to 16 in 2006, with equal focus on achievements and impacts within program areas. As a result, Twine Line researchers were featured in major media, and NOAA achievements and web sites, and the Research Review series won its second APEX Award.

Media Relations (10-20% staff time): Communications put increased effort into media relations in 2006, increasing its news release distribution, partnering with university departments to get more stories to researchers' home departments, and sending out news teasers with web links, all to draw viewers to the new web site and Twine Line. As a result, more OSU departments ran Sea Grant-funded projects in their magazines; Stone Lab was highlighted on the OSU splash page and on WOSU radio; and overall media coverage increased by 30%.

Regional Projects (10-20% staff time): Communications Jentes chairs the GLRRIN outreach committee and OSG created identity standards, web site, brochure, and poster. Communications is on the GLOS marketing committee, and also designed the COSEE Great Lakes brochure and poster in 2006.

Management Projects: (5% staff): Communications continued its internship program. With innovative projects like Stone Lab blogs, student intern won Runner-up for the university student employee of the year.

Awards: Communications won 4 award in 2007: 2006 Epsilon Sigma Phi First Place for "Teaching & Media Contest; APEX Award, ACE Gold Award, and OSU University Student Employee of the Year

(1) Stone Laboratory initiatives (20% of staff time): (2) Extension-related projects (20%); (3) Web-related projects (15%); (4) Twine Line newsletter (10%); (5) Media Relations projects (10%); (6) Special Regional projects (10% ); and (7) Communications Management projects (5%).

Effective public outreach and education are the keys to sparking awareness about a problem, teaching a solution, and possibly changing a behavior. Ohio Sea Grant Communications’ overall goal therefore, is to evaluate the best communication options and give the program’s Extension specialists, researchers, and educators the most effective tools to inform the public.

1 Feb 2008-31 January 2009

Communications M/P-2, continuing 2006-2010 budget cycle

Project Focus Areas and Achievements

Ohio Sea Grant Communications created ambitious and very pointed objectives for the 2006-2010 budget cycle, focusing its workload in seven major project areas, each with their own set of objectives and percentage of staff time. The remainder of staff time (20%) was allocated to the expansion of existing or unexpected projects.

Stone Laboratory (20% staff time): In 2008, Communications focused its attention on overhauling and redesigning its Stone Lab publication campaign and web site, incorporating feedback and recommendations from its 2008 OSU student focus groups, as well as creating new marketing initiatives and partner expansion to broaden its reach and increase program exposure. New integrated recommendations included (1) adding student testimonials that represent different high schools and universities from around the state; (2) increasing its marketing reach through cost-effective course and scholarship announcements to Ohio students, faculty members, and academic advisers via email blasts; (3) streamlining web site information to allow viewers to get to information faster, as well as incorporating the program brand to the site; and (4) redesigning its Stone Lab course applications to integrate its Stone Lab identity and streamlining text to increase readability. With its new Stone Lab marketing campaign and overhauled web site in place, Communications continued to find new and creative ways to add more OSU campus presence in 2008. This included new partners such as OSU Athletics and University Libraries, both of which gave free display and ad placement to Stone Lab within their well-populated facilities. Communications also broadened its merchandise for fundraising efforts to include a new t-shirt and backpack design. 

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Feedback received from its OSU undergrad marketing case study and 4 Stone Lab student focus groups were built into a new, overhauled publication campaign (70+ publications) and web site;
• New University partnership initiatives with OSU Athletics, University Relations, and individual academic departments added:
• 2 new free program displays in university buildings (Jennings and new library);
• free ad placement on the tickerboard within the Ohio Stadium during 2 highly publicized football games (increasing web activity by 350%);
• campus presence at new student events, which were attended by more than 5,000 freshmen and sophomores;
• Stone Lab student and faculty spotlights on OSU's splash page during first two weeks of fall quarter 08; an alumni e-magazine feature (reaching 215,000 OSU alumni); and a former Stone Lab REU student highlighted in OSU President Gee's commencement speech Spr 08;
• Redesigned FOSL fundraising publications added a merchandise insert to increase sales.

Extension-Related Projects (20% staff time): Communications worked with Extension to expand program's reach by way of new project initiatives, broaden its collaborative efforts through multi-agency partnerships, and increase Extension exposure through program promotion and marketing via university and media outlets.

  Key Achievements and Impacts

• New Legislature Day material was developed to celebrate the program's 30^th anniversary in July 08. Materials included a formal invitation; an 8-page program achievements brochure; newly branded nametags, agenda, and supplemental research handouts; and new shirts and hats sporting the new event logo;
• New Lake Erie Nature Science Center display and accompanying fact sheet were created in Mar 08 to educate kids on fishing;
• New Ohio Coastal Management panel display and full-page ad were developed for agent Elmer for co-sponsored stormwater management conference;
• Three new fact sheets (IAGLR Climate Change in June 08 and 2 clean boater fact sheets in Jan 09) were created, as well as 4 new displays (shipwrecks, 6 issues facing Lake Erie, LEWS, and tourism panels) for boat and sport shows and 3 new panels for the Stone Lab kiosk;
• Communications worked with tourism extension agent to produce a new partnered (ODH) Lake Erie beach brochure, as well as a new Leadership Academy brochure, a new tourism toolbox logo for new web site, and 2 new conference brochures promoting Gibraltar and Southbass Island Lighthouse as group conference options;
• A continued partnership with CFAES as well as increased news distribution brought more exposure to Extension projects, including 3 project features in college's alumni publication and 2 of its projects (shrinkwrap and Stone Lab) featured at the college's Ohio Legislature Lunch in Spring 08;
• Communications worked with Extension and partner Ohio Dept of Ag to produce VHS posters to be used state-wide to educate the public, as well as an accompanied web page to provide additional information on the disease.
• Communications' Twine Line article on Extension's shipwreck project won Extension agents 1^st Place in "Teaching & Media Contest" category from Epsilon Sigma Phi.

Media Relations (10-20% staff time): Communications put increased effort into media relations starting in 2006, increasing its news release distribution, partnering with university departments to get more stories to researchers' home departments, working one-on-one with reporters, and sending out news teasers with web links-all to draw viewers to the new web site and Twine Line.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• University exposure: Stone Lab staff Matt Thomas and Fred Snyder were featured on OSU's front web page for 2 weeks in Sept 08 (8,000 views per week) and the university's alumni e-magazine that reaches 215,000 OSU alumni. The Ohio Sea Grant/Stone Lab program was one of 5 university programs highlighted in the university president's speech and subsequent university video to more than 1,500 Ohio businessmen to illustrate the university's state-wide reach and accomplishments. Through Communications' promotion, the shrinkwrap and Stone Lab programs were spotlighted in the CFAES' Legislature luncheon as 2 of the college's top 12 high impact programs in 2007;
• Regional exposure: Sea Grant worked with WKVC-TV in Cleveland to produce a four-part Lake Erie documentary, Beyond the Surface, in Spring 07. Sea Grant helped facilitate researchers and program partners to be interviewed, reviewed scripts, and coordinated with Stone Lab and EPA to get filming crews onto research vessels. More than 250,000 watched each of the four segments that began airing in June 07 and ended in May 08.
• NOAA exposure: Sea Grant's Melinda Huntley and the program's tourism program was featured front cover in NOAA's Coastal Services magazine in Jan 09.
• As a result of a combination of initiatives, Ohio Sea Grant has seen an increase in its overall media coverage over the last several years, stabilizing in 2008 (281 articles) after a 20% jump in 2007 (267 media articles in 2006 to 317 in 2007and a 30% increase in 2006.  

Web-Related Projects (15% staff time): Communications redesigned its Stone Lab web site and continued to update its other program sites, complying with NOAA and University web identity standards and adding components to its content management system.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Stone Lab web site was completely overhauled and redesigned in late 2008 to increase user-ability; add marketing components for more youthful, visual appeal; and develop proper coding to increase visibility to the site and navigation. This was done after an extensive pre-redesign survey created by web designer Oommen in Dec 07 to poll OSU students (potential Stone Lab students) on their web navigation and visual preferences. Upgrades to the site include:
• Overhauled visuals to mimic current hardcopy promotional campaign;
• User-centered content, with upgraded information Architecture and Search Engine, following strict web compliance regulations;
• Best analytics tools to measure web performance, visitor trends, and goal conversion;
• Various interactive components that expand to make content new to viewer
• Continued university partnerships with OSU Recreational Sports and University Marketing Communications highlighted the Stone Lab web site, with the web site on the OSU splash page 2 times during 2008;
• Increased publicity initiatives, new downloadable publications, as well as popular project sites like the online Discussion Board contributed to Ohio Sea Grant's program web site nearly doubling in 2007 from 6.2 million hits in 2006 to 11 million hits and 1.2 million pages viewed. In 2008, the number of hits rose to more than 16.9 million and pages viewed nearly doubled with 2.3 million pages. This was after a 350% increase from 2005 (1.7 million hits). The program brought more visitors to the site as well, with unique visitor numbers doubling in 2007 and 2008 to 130,000 from the 60,000 visitor total in 2006.

Twine Line Newsletter (10% staff time): Communications took a more targeted approach in 2006 with its newsletter, as it emphasized stories that were timely, NOAA-related, and included a broader, national appeal. The newsletter was expanded from 12 pages to 16 in 2006, with equal focus on achievements and impacts within program areas.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Communications continued to highlight more key Sea Grant program achievements in Twine Line in 08, expanding its research coverage to two research projects featured per issue;
• Communications added more media exposure to its program achievements by accompanying at least 2 press releases about Twine Line features from every issue in 2008.
• The combination of those efforts, along with more news releases on each issue's contents, brought media attention to 5 of Sea Grant's researchers in major newspaper and magazine features in 08, as well as recognition for Sea Grant programs in OSU CFAES features, OSU staff publications, and WOSU radio.
• Twine Line and its research series won two 2008 APEX Awards, best newsletter and best feature writing series.

Regional Projects (10-20% staff time): Communications Jentes chairs the GLRRIN outreach committee and OSG created identity standards, web site, brochure, and poster. Communications is on the GLOS marketing committee, and also designed the COSEE Great Lakes brochure and poster in 2006.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Communications worked as part of 4 state agency partnership to increase collaborative outreach and education projects via a combined Lake Erie Partnership. The partnership has produced a 4 program outreach and education project inventory to streamline collaborative efforts and decrease duplication, with Sea Grant Communications providing design for the new partnership brand, fact sheet series, and powerpoint presentation template;
• COSEE Great Lakes continued to use Communications as its design source for brochure and workshop flyers in 2008, producing an updated program brochure and two workshop flyers;
• IAGLR: Communications created a Climate Change fact sheet for the IAGLR outreach committee in June 08.

Management Projects: (5% staff): Communications continued its internship program as well its efforts to submit publications and individuals for national awards, and continued measures to decrease costs.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Communications continued its Communications student internship program in 08. Student drastically increased Stone Lab's university presence by representing program in on-campus events, creating Stone Lab ads, distributing to more than 8,500 OSU students at events and classes, and overseeing publicity distribution to on-campus partners;
• Communications continued to decrease its operating costs by (among others), using freelance vendors (versus in-house staff); increasing service donations, consolidating multiple print jobs into one large print run; promoting in-house printing; utilizing long-term contracts to freeze costs; and switching pubs to more cost-effective paper. These actions continue to decrease program costs by $60,000 per year.

Awards: Communications won 3 awards in 2008:

• 2008 Epsilon Sigma Phi 1^st Place in "Teaching & Media Contest" for Shipwrecks feature in Twine Line
• 2008 APEX Award for research feature writing, Twine Line
• 2008 APEX Award for best Newsletter, Twine Line

Program Impacts

Sea Grant increases regional exposure of program via media partnerships

Ohio Sea Grant partnered with WKYE-TV in Cleveland to produce a four-part Lake Erie documentary, Beyond the Surface, in Spring 2007. Originally proposed as a one-time segment, Sea Grant suggested broadening it to four segments, providing expert lists, storyline suggestions and later reviewing scripts. Broadcasting one new segment every quarter, the documentary series featured Sea Grant researchers, program director, Extension agents, as well as industry and agency partners and Sea Grant projects. More than 250,000 watched each of the four segments that began airing in June 2007 and ending in May 2008. The series is now nominated for an Emmy and plans are in the works to repackage the segments to be used as an educational classroom tool for regional teachers.

Sea Grant partners with University's college to increase program exposure and showcase program successes

Ohio Sea Grant collaborated with OSU's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Communications department to increase its departmental presence by way of college publications, displays, and events. Thanks to the partnership, the college's alumni publication (circulation 50,000 nation-wide) featured three Sea Grant Extension and Education projects and represented nearly 20% of the college's high impact projects featured at its annual Ohio Legislature luncheon.

Sea Grant program publicity and projects drive increased web site activity in 2008

Increased publicity initiatives, new downloadable publications, as well as popular project sites like the online Discussion Board and the newly redesigned Stone Lab site contributed to Ohio Sea Grant's program web site increasing in 2008 from 11 million hits and 1.7 million pages viewed in 2007 to 16.9 million and 2.3 pages viewed. This was after doubling in 2006 and a 350% increase from 2005 (1.7 million hits). The program brought more visitors to the site as well, with unique visitor numbers doubling in 2007 and 2008 to 130,000 from the 60,000 visitor total in 2006.

Sea Grant implements innovative Communications strategies to save thousands

In efforts to better streamline communications projects and initiatives, Ohio Sea Grant Communications continues cost-saving measures that were initiated in 2005. These measures included consolidating multiple print jobs into one large print run (to eliminate costs per print job); converting from an in-house designer to a by-the-product freelance designer; utilizing long-term contracts to freeze costs; switching the program newsletter to more cost-effective paper and with less frequency; using an in-house copier for copy jobs rather than outsourcing; and promoting vendors donate services to decrease printing costs. With these combined efforts. Communications consistently saves more than $80,000 in administrative and related publication costs every year.

Sea Grant partners with University marketing groups to get word out about education programs

Sea Grant Communications teamed up with OSU Marketing Communications, to increase program exposure to the more than 30,000 students within the university and Ohio businesses. Thanks to such an effective partnership, Ohio Sea Grant's Stone Lab education program is featured in an OSU promotional video shown to all incoming freshmen, showcasing the university's top assets. Extension and Stone Lab staff Fred Snyder and Matt Thomas were also featured on the OSU splash page at the start of Autumn quarter 2008 for two weeks and downloaded by more than 20,000 visitors. University Marketing featured the program again in February 2008 in a promotional video used by University President Gee. One of only four programs featured, the video was viewed by more than 1,500 Central Ohio business owners and potential donors.

Sea Grant partners with University Athletics and sports groups to increase program exposure to students

Starting in 2006, Sea Grant Communications partnered with University Recreational Sports department as yet another way to increase OSU student awareness of its education program, Stone Lab. More than 50,000 OSU students and faculty see promotional material at the university's state-of-the-art recreational facility. In fall 2008, thanks to a new partnership with OSU's Athletics department, Stone Lab received free ad placement on the tickerboard within the Ohio Stadium during 2 highly publicized football games. This increased web activity by nearly 350% after each game.

1 Feb 2007-31 January 2008

Communications M/P-2, continuing 2006-2010 budget cycle

Project Focus Areas and Achievements

Ohio Sea Grant Communications created ambitious and very pointed objectives for the 2006-2010 budget cycle, focusing its workload in seven major project areas, each with their own set of objectives and percentage of staff time. The remainder of staff time (20%) was allocated to the expansion of existing or unexpected projects.

Stone Laboratory (20% staff time): In 2007, Communications continued its objectives to evaluate existing, as well as incorporate new marketing initiatives and partners within OSU departments in order to broaden its current campaign and increase program exposure. New Stone Lab initiatives included (1) facilitating Stone Lab student focus groups in Jan 08 to evaluate the effectiveness of current Stone Lab marketing campaign (2) adding more program presence at university-sponsored events and venues and through university services (internal media) (3) partnering with OSU Athletics and key university departments to promote programs/staff and/or house displays and distribute literature and (4) creating more merchandise and event planning for nonprofit organization's (FOSL) fundraising efforts.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Information obtained from 4 Stone Lab student focus groups-including events to add campus presence, new marketing angles, and new cost-effective ways to relay course information-was incorporated into the new campaign;
• New University partnerships with OSU University Housing, Recreational Sports, and individual academic departments (CFAES, Engineering) increased (free) publication circulation, added 4 new program displays in univ buildings, and drastically increased program recognition within and outside the university by way of publications, student intern presentations, and university features;
• New water bottle, window decal, backpack, and t-shirt as well as new fund-raising events were developed for FOSL's tuition reduction endowment fund-raising efforts. 

Extension-Related Projects (20% staff time): Communications worked with Extension to increase program exposure by way of new project initiatives and more Extension news releases through Communications' outlets.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• New individual extension web pages for all 11 Extension agents in Feb 07 (with own case studies and favorite web sites highlighted) added more program web presence, as well allowed agents to start to customize their sites to fit their clientele needs;
• New Lake Erie Nature Science Center display and accompanying fact sheet were developed in Mar 07 to educate kids on fun facts of Lake Erie;
• Two new fact sheets (VHS in Mar 07 and IAGLR AIS in May 07) were developed, as well as new displays (VHS and license plate drive) for boat and sport shows;
• New partnership with CFAES as well as increased news distribution brought more exposure to Extension projects, including 5 project features in college's alumni publication and 1/6 of the college's annual report.

Media Relations (10-20% staff time): Communications put increased effort into media relations starting in 2006, increasing its news release distribution, partnering with university departments to get more stories to researchers' home departments, working one-on-one with reporters, and sending out news teasers with web links-all to draw viewers to the new web site and Twine Line.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• University and national exposure: Stone Lab and its REU Program were featured on OSU's front web page and in OSU's Do Something Great promotional campaign, a video campaign that showcases the University's top assets. This later became one of the first 3 OSU programs highlighted on the OSU TV magazine premiere for the Bit Ten Network in October 2007. More than 30 million potential viewers nation-wide watched the segment during one of four times it aired and more than 215,000 OSU alumni nation-wide viewed the program through the OSU e-magazine, Connect. 3 Sea Grant researchers were also featured on WOSU in Feb and July 07 and 3 Sea Grant staff members and researchers were highlighted in OSU staff publications;
• Regional exposure: Sea Grant worked with WKVC-TV in Cleveland to produce a four-part Lake Erie documentary, Beyond the Surface, in Spring 07. Sea Grant helped facilitate researchers and program partners to be interviewed, reviewed scripts, and coordinated with Stone Lab and EPA to get filming crews onto research vessels. More than 250,000 watched each of the four segments that began airing in June 07.
• NOAA exposure: Sea Grant's researchers Sayre and Irwin were featured in the NOAA In the Spotlight web page; Sayre's biotech research was a NOAA Sea Grant 3^rd quarter 07 achievement; and Irwin was featured in NOAA Coastal Services;
• As a result of a combination of initiatives, Ohio Sea Grant has seen an increase in its overall media coverage, with a 20% jump in 2007 (267 media articles in 2006 to 317 in 2007); this after a 30% increase in 2006.  

Web-Related Projects (15% staff time): Communications continued to update all its web sites, incorporating NOAA and University web identity standards and adding components to content management system.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Added content management system components in 07 increased staff participation to update and add events and news releases onto site, ultimately increasing program exposure;
• New university partnerships with OSU Recreational Sports and University Marketing Communications highlighted the Stone Lab web site, with the web site on the OSU splash page 3 times during 2007;
• Communications improved its search engine optimization in 07 by better indexing and organizing the root structure in order for search engines to find the program easier;  
• Increased publicity initiatives, new downloadable publications, as well as popular project sites like the online Discussion Board contributed to Ohio Sea Grant's program web site nearly doubling in 2007 from 6.2 million hits in 2006 to 11 million. This was after a 350% increase from 2005 (1.7 million hits). The program brought more visitors to the site as well, with unique visitor numbers doubling in 2007 to 130,000 from the 60,000 visitor total in 2006.

Twine Line Newsletter (10% staff time): Communications took a more targeted approach in 2006 with its newsletter, as it emphasized stories that were timely, NOAA-related, and included a broader, national appeal. The newsletter was expanded from 12 pages to 16 in 2006, with equal focus on achievements and impacts within program areas.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Communications highlighted more key Sea Grant program achievements in Twine Line in 07 with equal emphasis on each of the major areas (education, research, outreach);
• Communications added more media exposure to its research by sending out short email media teasers, emphasizing the research's importance, with a link to a research summary;
• The combination of those efforts, along with more news releases on each issue's contents, brought media attention to 6 of Sea Grant's researchers in major newspaper and magazine features in 07, as well as recognition for Sea Grant programs in OSU CFAES and Engineering features, OSU staff publications, and WOSU radio.

Regional Projects (10-20% staff time): Communications Jentes chairs the GLRRIN outreach committee and OSG created identity standards, web site, brochure, and poster. Communications is on the GLOS marketing committee, and also designed the COSEE Great Lakes brochure and poster in 2006.

Key Achievements and Impacts

• GLRRIN: Communications led efforts as part of the regional GLRRIN Outreach committee (Jentes co-chair) to create a GLRRIN poster for the IAGLR conference, powerpoint template, program brochure, and web site. Jentes also led the development of the committee's Outreach Plan in Feb 07;
• GLOS: Communications was on the GLOS education and outreach committee, which created a new GLOS brochure and marketing plan;
• IAGLR: Communications created an AIS fact sheet for IAGLR in June 07.

Management Projects: (5% staff): Communications continued its internship program as well its efforts to submit publications for national awards, and continued measures to decrease costs

Key Achievements and Impacts

• Communications continued its Communications student internship program in 07. Student drastically increased Stone Lab's university presence by leading presentations in general science classes, creating Stone Lab ads, distributing to more than 8,500 OSU students at events and classes, and overseeing Stone Lab blogs;
• Communications continued to decrease its operating costs by (among others), increasing service donations, consolidating multiple print jobs into one large print run; utilizing long-term contracts to freeze costs; and switching pubs to more cost-effective paper.

Awards: Communications won 4 awards in 2007:

• 2007 Epsilon Sigma Phi First Place for "Teaching & Media Contest for online discussion board
• 2007 APEX Award for research feature writing (Twine Line)
• 2007 ACE Gold Award for Stone Lab campaign
• 2007 OSU "University Student Employee of the Year", runner-up

Program Impacts

Sea Grant's work with media brings program achievements to public's attention

Ohio Sea Grant has worked to develop relationships with the media, understanding the media's importance to efficiently disseminate Sea Grant's research, education, and outreach information to the general public. Over the years, Sea Grant has involved media representatives in program workshops and events, created environmental journalism retreats to assist in story ideas, and invited media members to serve on Sea Grant advisory boards. Sea Grant Communications in recent years increased its efforts to distribute more media releases, work one-on-one with media on story development, and provide media with expert lists and graphics. As a result of these combined initiatives, Ohio Sea Grant has seen an increase in its overall media coverage, with a 20% jump in 2007 (267 media articles in 2006 to 317 in 2007); this after a 30% increase in 2006.

Sea Grant increases national exposure of program via media partnerships

Ohio Sea Grant partnered with OSU University Marketing Communications department and the Big Ten Network to feature Ohio Sea Grant's summer college course and REU programs on the Big Ten Network TV channel in October 2007. More than 30 million potential viewers nation-wide watched the segment during one of four times it aired and more than 215,000 OSU alumni nation-wide viewed the program through the OSU e-magazine, Connect. Stone Lab researcher, Kristin Stanford, was featured on Discovery Channel's #1 TV show, Dirty Jobs in Oct 2006. Since its initial broadcast and two follow-up shows in Jan 2007 and August 2008, more than 20 million people have seen Stone Lab research and education program.

Sea Grant increases regional exposure of program via media partnerships

Ohio Sea Grant partnered with WKYE-TV in Cleveland to produce a four-part Lake Erie documentary, Beyond the Surface, in Spring 2007. Originally proposed as a one-time segment, Sea Grant suggested broadening it to four segments, providing expert lists, storyline suggestions and later reviewing scripts. Broadcasting one new segment every quarter, the documentary series featured Sea Grant researchers, program director, Extension agents, as well as industry and agency partners and Sea Grant projects. More than 250,000 watched each of the four segments that began airing in June 2007. The series is now nominated for an Emmy and plans are in the works to repackage the segments to be used as an educational classroom tool for regional teachers.

Sea Grant partners with University's college to increase program exposure and showcase program successes

Ohio Sea Grant collaborated with OSU's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Communications department to increase its departmental presence by way of college publications, displays, and events. Thanks to the partnership, the college's alumni publication (circulation 50,000 nation-wide) featured five Sea Grant Extension and Education projects and nearly 20% of the college's 2007 annual report and displays spotlighted Sea Grant projects and achievements.

Sea Grant program publicity and projects drive increased web site activity in 2007

Increased publicity initiatives, new downloadable publications, as well as popular project sites like the online Discussion Board contributed to Ohio Sea Grant's program web site nearly doubling in 2007 from 6.2 million hits in 2006 to 11 million. This was after a 350% increase from 2005 (1.7 million hits). The program brought more visitors to the site as well, with unique visitor numbers doubling in 2007 to 130,000 from the 60,000 visitor total in 2006.

Sea Grant implements innovative Communications strategies to save thousands

In efforts to better streamline communications projects and initiatives, Ohio Sea Grant Communications initiated cost-saving measures starting in 2005. These measures included consolidating multiple print jobs into one large print run (to eliminate costs per print job); converting from an in-house designer to a by-the-product freelance designer; utilizing long-term contracts to freeze costs; switching the program newsletter to more cost-effective paper and with less frequency; using an in-house copier for copy jobs rather than outsourcing; and promoting vendors donate services to decrease printing costs. With these combined efforts. Communications consistently saves more than $80,000 in administrative and related publication costs every year.

Sea Grant partners with University marketing groups to get word out about education programs

Sea Grant Communications teamed up with OSU Marketing Communications, to increase program exposure to the more than 50,000 students within the university. Thanks to such an effective partnership, Ohio Sea Grant's Stone Lab education and research program was featured in the OSU "Do Something Great" promotional campaign, a video campaign that showcases the university's top assets. The video was featured on the OSU splash page at the start of Autumn quarter 2007 for three weeks and downloaded by more than 30,000 visitors. University Marketing featured the program again in February 2007 in a promotional video used by University President Gee. One of only four programs featured, the video was viewed by more than 1,500 Central Ohio business owners and potential donors.

Accomplishments from 1999-2003

Newsletter: Twine Line is currently one of Ohio Sea Grant Communications' primary tools for disseminating information. The bimonthly eight-page newsletter--written for the public, media, agencies, and elected officials--provides coverage of Lake Erie and Great Lakes issues and research. Approximately 6,000 copies are printed and distributed for each issue. The newsletter "look" was redesigned in 1998 and is now a 2-color publication. Twine Line won the Blue Ribbon Award during the May 1999 Sea Grant week for best newsletter.

Media Coverage: Articles from Twine Line, and articles written about our program and projects are tracked annually. In 1997 we located 78 articles that appeared in the media; in 1998 we located 151 articles; in 1999 we located 273 articles; in 2000 we located 187 articles; in 2001 we located 183 articles, and in 2002 235 articles were located.

Publication Series: The Communications Program maintains a publication series that is divided into 11 different categories. Each series serves different purposes and audiences, including scientific communities, educators, the media, resource users, associations, industries, Sea Grant, all levels of government, and the general public. Every publication is distributed within the guidelines provided by the National Sea Grant Program. Some are also distributed to other clearinghouses. In 1999, 50 new publications were produced by Ohio Sea Grant and almost 80,000 publications were distributed. In 2000, 57 new publications were produced and over 113,000 were distributed. In 2001, 32 new publications were produced and almost 90,000 were distributed. . In 2001, the web versions of many of our fact sheets were accessed. Our aquatic nuisance species fact sheets were accessed approximately 24,500 times. This figure could explain why our distribution numbers for "paper" fact sheets declined. . In 2002, 95,031 publications were distributed.

Ohio Sea Grant Communications also produced the new National Sea Grant brochure Science Serving the 21st Century that is used by all 30 programs. The national brochure won the Blue Ribbon Award during the May 1999 Sea Grant week for best brochure.

Web site: The Ohio Sea Grant web site has grown immensely and contains over 1000 pages of information including fact sheets, newsletter issues, research projects, education and curriculum information, plus Stone Lab course and workshop information, and course syllabi. Web site use has been tracked and analyzed since 1999. Since this time, there was a total of 258,165 "hits" to our entire site in 1999; 571,756 "hits" in 2000; 988,631 for 2001 and 1,623,916 for 2002. Staff members' usage is excluded from the statistics. The site was also honored as the Web site of the Month in January 1999 by GLIN (the Great Lakes Information Network).

For web users, you can access all of our publications on-line at the following url: http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/publications/o-publications.html

Accomplishments in 1986:
1986: Support from various sources within The Ohio State University setting (Cooperative Extension, University Communication, and Biological Sciences) and the Sea Grant network, as well as sources within Ohio, have been identified and used. Ohio Sea Grant's efforts are now compiled. The benefits of Sea Grant efforts can be identified now and therefore can be used by the scientific community, user groups, the media, and the general public as a result of the project.

Results:
1986: The communications program, in the past two years, has been able to complete publications "in progress," establish procedures and policies, and identify existing support and media networks. communicator's efforts.

1990: Several publications in the various series were added including management-related, technical bulletins, technical summaries, theses/dissertations, reprints, books, fact sheets, guides, brochures and TWINE LINE. About 1100 requests were filled for 6600 publications during the year. An additional 150 requests for education publications were filled with about 450 publications mailed. Another 40,000 fact sheets, 11,000 guides and 3,500 brochures were distributed at shows, conferences and workshops by the three district specialists. In addition, 24,000 copies of one fact sheet on zebra mussels were distributed in the first two months of 1990.

1986: The publications completed include:
Management Reports including proposals
Technical Summaries - 16
Technical Bulletins - 23
Reprints - 46
Guide Series - 15
Fact Sheets 38 (with 32 active titles)
Book Series - 4
Twine Line - 6 issues per year (distributed to 11,000/issue)
Newsboard - 12 issues per year (internal newsletter)