Case Study: The Ohio State University achieves actionable insights on Lake Erie water-quality and community engagement with Sysomos MAP

The Ohio State University Using Sysomos Map to Monitor Agricultural Issues

The Ohio State University’s Department of Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership, led by Dr. Annie Specht, faced a major public-communication challenge when toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie made water undrinkable for thousands in northwest Ohio. The team needed to understand public perception of the crisis and develop a plan to educate communities and shape the conversation.

They used Sysomos MAP to monitor social conversations, identify peaks, surface related issues, and pinpoint key influencers and engagement opportunities. Those insights informed the department’s stance and community engagement plan, led to ongoing social monitoring and follow-up surveys/focus groups, and helped expand social research to other OSU topics like animal health and food waste.

The Ohio State University

Annie Specht

Agricultural Communication