Unlocking Genomics and PR with David McAlpine

David McAlpine is the Global Head of External Communications at Illumina, a biotech company that develops, manufactures, and markets integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and biological function. He has also worked as the Director of Broadcast Media Relations at General Motors and as a producer for CBS and Fox News. Here, David discusses the challenges of educating the public about genomics, what it was like hosting President Biden at a General Motors event, and the importance of DE&I in public relations. Key Takeaways: - Communicating genomics to the public - How to host the president at a press event - The importance of DE&I in PR Episode Timeline: 1:45 How has learning multiple languages helped David become an effective communicator? 3:00 What's the difference between a press conference in the U.S. and India? 4:45 What's the challenge in communicating Illumina's lofty goals? 7:00 AI and genomics 10:35 What's the most important thing the public doesn't understand about genomics? 12:40 Are people skittish about knowing about their genetics? 15:15 What was it like planning an event with President Biden at General Motors? 20:00 The joy of driving an EV 21:00 Where do people in the comms fields need to do more work for DE&I? This episode’s guests: • David McAlpine on LinkedIn and on X (formerly Twitter) Subscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646 Contact Us! • Join the conversation by leaving a comment! • Follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) Instagram, and LinkedIn! Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.