Science Communication
Scicomm is essential for making research welcoming and accessible, to the public and to all current and future researchers. Successful communication work should go beyond sharing cool discoveries. It should help people think critically and ask their own questions, understand what research is really like, and ultimately leave them empowered to learn more and see science as a trustworthy process that is open to everyone.
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Doing this well means constantly refining and improving my skills. I've participated in 1000+ person campus outreach events, individual classroom visits, podcast interviews, public lectures, blog management, and organizing science communication training conferences. More detailed examples are listed below.
Writing
Plain-language summaries of soft matter physics research, aimed at undergraduates and other aspiring researchers. [Style Manager, Writer, Editor, 2018-2020]
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Interviews
Half-hour podcast about my research at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST).
[Interviewee 2018]
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Illustration
1 Month Daily Challenge - SciArt: Physics+Biology
Daily illustration challenge: 31 days, 31 organisms, 31 papers, 31 intersections of physics and biology! Each day I read a paper and designed an illustration to convey its major discoveries. Select examples below.
[Pen, Pencil, Watercolor, Digital 2020]
Training Scientists
A 2-day scicomm training conference for ~50 graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences. [Organizing Committee Member 2019]
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Physcon 2019 - Workshop 301: ComSciCon
A 90-min scicomm training workshop for undergraduate physical science majors. [Co-instructor 2019]
Public Outreach
BioClub Tokyo
Hands-on workshop on the basic principles of microfluidic device design. [Instructor 2019]
NerdNite Okinawa
Public talk about my research, 20-min talk, 30-min Q&A. [Speaker 2018]
OIST Science Festival
STEAM activities for families to learn about honey bee health [Bilingual Activities Assistant 2018]
K-12
What Is a Scientist?
Middle school classroom visits alongside the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) 2019 Annual Meeting, talking about my research and leading hands-on activities about the scientific method. [Teacher 2019]
5th Grade Classroom Visits
Talking about my research, helping with math and science class, answering questions, and working with the teacher to co-design and run hands-on activities about silk materials fabrication. [Visiting Scientist 2018]
Policy
United Nations - Sustainable Development Policy
Attending meetings and writing briefs, statements, and summaries on sustainable development issues for the Republic of Maldives at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. [Policy Advisor Intern 2011]
City of Saratoga Springs' Mayor's Office - Climate Change
Building community support for the City of Saratoga Springs to join the Cool Cities Network and enact climate change mitigation policy in accordance with (or beyond) international climate agreements. Working with the Mayor's Office to design a city-wide emissions audit. [Member 2009 and Co-Chair 2010]