Undergraduates working with children

The Importance of Science Outreach & Engagement 

 

Effective interaction between scientists and the public is central to many of today's societal challenges such as climate control, economic productivity, health, and sustainability. Students pursuing research and non-research positions in academia, industries, government or non-profit organizations, need to be able to effectively communicate about their work with audiences that don't have specialized knowledge. The Iowa Sciences Academy offers students coursework on critical thinking, communication and leadership skills aimed at developing engagement and science outreach capabilities. The Latham Science Engagement Fellowship, in particular, focuses primarily on developing project management and science communication skills, and provides selected students multiple pathways to actively participate in collaborative science outreach opportunities and engage our community in thinking about science.  Platforms like Stem-O-Sphere and the Synthesis journal further amplify student voices, showcasing their innovative approaches to science communication and ensuring that scientific knowledge reaches and resonates with a wide audience.

Stem-O-Sphere.org is a student-run science publication website that posts engaging and thought-provoking blogs, podcasts and other science-based content. 

Synthesis (ISSN 2643-8410 (online)) is a journal dedicated to publishing student science communication in various forms, including written, visual, and audio. Our mission is to showcase the innovative ways students communicate science to diverse audiences. The journal is published by the University of Iowa as a joint effort of the Latham Scientific Engagement Initiative, the Digital Scholarship and Publishing Studio. 

Coursework Focused on Engagement & Outreach Skill Development 

The ISA curriculum overall supports effective engagement and outreach,  with the following courses focused on the necessary skills development. 

  • ISA: 2040 - Professionalism in the Scientific Community
  • ISA: 3040 - Critical Analysis of Primary Literature
  • ISA: 4040 - Teaching Your Undergraduate Research
  • ISA: 4041 - Senior Capstone Project
  • LATH: 3000 - Science Communication Skill Building
  • LATH: 3001 - Latham Fellows:  Science Outreach Project 

Outreach and Engagement Opportunities 

The ISA offers students numerous opportunities to practice outreach in their community and further develop their engagement skills.  

ConferencesStudents are encouraged to present their research at local, regional or even national conferences. In many cases, the student will create and present posters based on their research or a project. Local conferences include SURF, FURF and SURC.  Depending on the program, students can also receive funding to support travel costs to regional and national conferences such as SACNAS. 
Science Outreach Projects Several of the ISA programs require students create projects that are then used as the foundation for practicing outreach. Project examples include comics, books, blogs, games, lesson plans, infomercials and presentations. Some projects are presented at ISA showcases the public is invited to attend. 
Other Opportunities ISA seminars, mentoring and social events offer students networking and collaboration opportunities. Synthesis,  a digital journal of science communication, is a student lead and authored online publication. Similarly Stem-o-sphere is a Latham Science Engagement and student led website publication that posts student created blogs, podcasts and other science-based content.