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We know from readers responses to past blog posts that an increasing number of scientists (and academics in general) are using social media to communicate their work, network with peers, and come up with new research angles altogether. And as the number of people using these services grow, so do the number of tools and apps.

This has prompted Andy Miah, Professor in Ethics & Emerging Technologies and Director of the Creative Futures Institute at the University of the West of Scotland, to set up a new email list where academics (and others interested parties) can share social media platforms and apps that can serve as useful tools for their work. The list has been up and running for a few weeks now and has 250 members from over 90 universities in the UK.

In Miah’s own words:

The list was set up after I heard about Vyclone, a cool new iPhone app that allows you to create multi-angle films, by just pointing multiple iPhones at something and shooting. It automatically edits the different videos and spits out the results. When I saw this I thought, I really need something to keep abreast of all the new tools out there, so here it is. To kick things off, I’ve compiled a list of social media platforms that you may find helpful.

The list, an A to Z of social media tools for academics, can be found here. Check it out.

If you already use social media for your work, or are thinking about it, we highly recommend you join the list. Share the tools you use already and find out about more. If you don’t think social media and work mix, then we highly recommend you join the list. You might be surprised at what comes out of it.

Details of how to sign up here.

We hope you find it useful. Let us know how you get on, and do share with us your stories on how social media has helped to shape your work, in the comments section below.