The media was abuzz this year with the emergence of the Brood X periodical cicadas, and Mike Raupp and his “Cicada Crew” of graduate students were directly at the center of this historic insect event.
Raupp, affectionately known as “The Bug Guy,” has been preparing for this event since the last emergence 17 years ago in 2004, when he led another team of students through the media blitz of a periodical cicada emergence. “There are actually 15 broods of cicadas, this is just the largest 17-year brood,” said Raupp, who has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and even The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
“I’m kind of a cicada groupie, and I travel around the country to hang out with the bug boy band and tell more bug stories,” joked Raupp.
Recruiting eight graduate students for a one-credit class —Adventures in Extension and Outreach: Periodical Cicadas —Raupp, emeritus professor of entomology, and Paula Shrewsbury, associate professor of entomology, used this opportunity to teach students from varying disciplines how to communicate science effectively to the media and the public.“ To be able to build the bridge between the academic realm and the applied realm, I think that is very vital,” Raupp said.
Beginning with significant background research on cicada science, the students, who dubbed themselves the “Cicada Crew,” developed a website and several social media platforms (including Facebook and YouTube) to create a home base for cicada information, images, and frequently asked questions.
“We spent a lot of time reading scientific papers about periodical cicadas, coming up with FAQs and answers. Once we learned the science, we spent time translating that science into everyday language that The Cicada Crew did over fifty media interviews including this one about wrapping young trees to protect them from Brood X cicada damage. would appeal to a wide range of audiences. We also made sure to create content specifically for young kids, so they could feel less nervous about the Brood X emergence,” said Madeline Potter, a first year Master’s student in the Department of Entomology. “The ‘Cicada Crew’ website was a huge part of our preparation. Once the media blitz ensued, it helped to have a website to send people to in order to pass the knowledge along to as many people as possible in a timely and efficient manner.”
Raupp and Shrewsbury also performed mock inter- views and used their own experiences in the media to help students learn the different skills for addressing various news formats. “This was really about developing those skills in grad students who are coming from a fundamental background, by helping them to de-jargonize, talk to different audiences, and present information in an easily understandable way for the public,” Raupp said.
Potter also created cicada information and talks, including a 17-minute video entitled Cicadas for Kids, specifically designed for school-aged children.“ The lesson I will carry with me from these experiences is the importance of a child-like curiosity,” she said.
“This experience has made me realize how much I like Extension,” said Angela Saenz, a Master’s student in entomology.“ I love teaching and getting to change the perspective that people have about insects. Making them understand the importance and rarity of this phenomenon that only happens every 17 years has been truly enriching.”
Once the cicadas emerged from their underground resting spots, so did the journalists who came from near and far to record this unique natural event. “I think we’ve done between 50 and 60 interviews,” Raupp said. “It’s been a royal circus over here!”
The students were still giving interviews and answering questions well after the class ended in the second week of May to local, national, and international news outlets like The Washington Post, BBC, NPR, ABC, CBS, and NBC. Additionally, the class was involved in the filming of a NOVA special produced by PBS, and during filming, the students hosted cicada dinner, using recipes that include the bugs from the Cicadalicious Cookbook found at go.umd.edu/CicadaCookbook.
“It’s become their work now,” Raupp said of his students.“ They truly are experts.”
By Laura Wormuth