FACULTY OF SCIENCE |TMU
2018 - PRESENT
As the Digital Content Specialist for the Faculty of Science at Toronto Metropolitan University, I've contributed significantly to the growth of the faculty’s brand and its digital presence, from navigating the university’s name change to commemorating the faculty’s 10th anniversary.
The marketing and communications team for the Faculty of Science is small but mighty – and I wear many hats to ensure its success. My responsibilities include social media management, web content management and design, graphic design, podcast production, writing, as well as photography and videography.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Audience: Instagram 2.5k | Twitter 1.4k | LinkedIn 2.5k
In my role, I have elevated the Faculty of Science’s social media presence by curating a vibrant visual identity and developing consistent posts with an emphasis on highlighting the diverse faces and stories within the faculty. When I joined the team in 2018, our social presence was very young and underdeveloped. Since then, I have contributed to a net audience growth of 4.5k followers, with 175% more posts, a 336% increase in engagements, and a 405% increase in impressions across Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook channels compared to the previous five years. My expertise includes a wide range of social media responsibilities, from community engagement and conducting social scans to proactively planning and scheduling content using tools like Sprout Social and Later. I also write concise social copy in the brand’s voice and optimize our strategy with social metrics to stay relevant in the ever-changing social media sphere.
Snapshot of @torontometsci's Instagram grid. People-centric content resonates best with our audience of students and faculty. Vibrant colours match TMU's brand palettes, with an emphasis on Faculty of Science Blue (#00a9ef).
Our approach to content is a mix of pre-planned posts as well as amplifying relevant stories from other departments in the university. We refer to cultural and science-related days to help ideate content, while promoting upcoming events and recent publications, and developing social campaigns based on current trends and university, faculty, and research goals. Additionally, we actively encourage submissions from the science community, prioritizing opportunities to spotlight the diversity and innovation within our faculty.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
I provide graphic design support to the faculty, creating visually compelling and cohesive assets for print, social media, and web. Using a suite of icons previously developed for the faculty, I adapt them to create unique designs that fit the brand’s identity. I prioritize maintaining brand consistency, adhering to TMU brand guidelines regarding colour, typography, and layout. However, I also bring a creative touch to my designs, playing with font thickness, italics, and layered imagery to infuse them with the personality and vibrancy associated with the Faculty of Science’s visual identity.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
I specialize in professional photography, capturing portraits and events for use across social media, web, and print. Additionally, I direct and produce videos for the Faculty of Science YouTube channel and social media, telling the stories of students and faculty. From pre-production to production to the final edit, I oversee every aspect of video production to ensure a polished and engaging promotional piece for the faculty. Notable video series I've produced include features on science student athletes, women in STEM, physics alumni, and annual Dean’s message videos.
Anthony Morgan, co-host of the Nature of Things and molecular science PhD student shares his research on tackling polarizing science in the Faculty of Science 2022 Year in Review video.
PODCAST PRODUCTION
In 2020, I introduced the integration of a podcast into our media strategy, expanding our content to an audio-based medium. The podcast features interviews with students, faculty, and alumni, exploring relevant science topics in easily digestible episodes with a strong emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Additionally, after a short hiatus due to capacity restraints, I led a rebrand for the podcast in 2023 to align with the visual direction of other faculty assets.
“Put on your lab coat, grab your headphones, and tune in to On A Tangent, a podcast presented by the Faculty of Science at Toronto Metropolitan University where we discuss all things science and aren’t afraid to go off on a tangent. Join us as we dive into the minds of experts within the TMU scientific community to explore the world's most fascinating topics – from learning how to support underrepresented groups in STEM to unearthing the science behind your favourite foods – you are guaranteed to discover something new!”
WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN
Using Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) I maintain the Faculty of Science website, its four department websites (Chemistry & Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science), and provide web support to faculty and research group websites. This involves making content changes, uploading web articles, designing pages and ensuring the optimization of web pages for SEO, Level AA AODA-compliant accessibility, and seamless user experience.
In a recent project, I focused on enhancing the Giving page (previously Alumni & Donors) to maximize its impact. By analyzing web data and heatmaps from the previous year, I discovered that while the page previously targeted both alumni and donors, they represented distinct audience segments with minimal overlap, which was shown through the limited engagement with alumni resources on the page. In response, I optimized the page with an emphasis on highlighting the impact of donors and implementing calls-to-action to donate to the Faculty of Science, relocating alumni resources to a more relevant section of the site. I used Figma to develop a wireframe with recommendations to present to the team, and after understanding their goals and making adjustments to the draft, I implemented the changes in AEM.
Click map of the previous Alumni & Donors page reveals that many users left the page to view other areas of the site, as well as viewed the Alumni Success stories and clicked on the Give to the Faculty of Science button.
WRITING
I provide support with developing interview-based articles, yearly recaps, and copy-editing for web-based articles. Below are some samples of my writing in these areas: