Portfolio
Why Science Communication?
I come from a family of artists. My childhood was spent on movie sets, in the backstages of theaters, or watching oil paint strike a canvas. But all these trades connect through storytelling, which is at the root of my passion for journalism. On a personal and global...
Science is a roadmap for better policy
I entered the University of Minnesota as a microbiology major with a passion for advocacy. I originally believed that these interests would remain separate, but I quickly reconsidered. Now more than ever, science needs advocates. The relationship between science and...
Conveying the stories of science
Growing up, I loved sitting next to my dad every Sunday to watch the news program “60 Minutes.” My favorite stories focused on science and research. Even though I was only a kid, I understood the science in the stories, and felt captivated by its impact and...
Bat track: Mid process review
In May, we met with Christine Salomon, a University of Minnesota scientist working on white nose syndrome, a fungal infection that affects little brown bats. The draft you are reading now is the result of three months of hard work–writing, editing, collaborating, and revising. Here is an overview of how we got here and some insight into the decisions we made…
A designer’s thoughts–Mikaela
By Mikaela Armstrong I’m a senior, graduating in May and have worked in the Science Communications Lab (SCL) at the BioTechnology Institute for the past three semesters. When I began my major in design, I quickly learned that there is a lot of pressure to find...
An alumni’s perspective – MaiLei
Lessons from the Lab: One Year with the SciCom Writing Team By MaiLei Meyers After returning from a semester off in the fall of 2017, I was eager to jump into work more related to my double majors in Strategic Communications and Film. Little did I know, I would...
An alumni’s perspective – Jacob
An Alumni's Perspective Jacob Pechacek Working as an intern at the Biotechnology Institute’s Science Communications Lab was a great experience. My work focused on developing an animation describing how diet and eating habits impact microbiota in the colon. At the...
An introduction
Designing Science By Megan Smith As a designer, you’re often asked to use your skills on just about anything. Design is everywhere - it’s in the Instagram posts from your favorite clothing store, the packaging design of your favorite frozen aisle item, the signage...