For as long as I've been a scientist, I've wanted to share science with the public. 

My work as a public engagement specialist has allowed me to do exactly that. I strive to make sure that scientific issues relevant to society are adequately addressed, whether that's through improving already existing programs or creating initiatives from conception to deliverable.
 
Read below to learn more about my favorite public engagement initiatives. ​

Carnegie Institution for Science

March for Science

As scientists around the world found their work increasingly threatened by denialisms, skepticism, and, more directly, dangerous policies that reversed decades of environmental progress, we stepped up along with our allies to champion science, the scientific enterprise, and evidence-based thinking. Carnegie Science joined 300 other official March for Science partnering organizations to both celebrate and defend science. 
Carnegie Science's Coverage of March for Science Events:

MY ROLE:

I managed all aspects of Carnegie Institution for Science's March for Science partnership and sponsorship. This effort was a cross-institution, cross-country collaboration that involved a dozen individuals across three support departments and logistical organization with all six scientific departments.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

The suite of March for Science efforts that I managed included:
  • A Carnegie Science homepage redesign to highlight March involvement;
  • The production of institutional marketing materials associated with the March, including free promotional items like pins and stickers;
  • The creation of messaging prompts for Carnegie scientists and a draft opinion editorial for Carnegie's President (handled primarily by the Communication Staff);
  • A successful negotiation of sponsorship with March organizers, including a suite of Carnegie-branded social media opportunities that generated 1.5 million total impressions;
  • The organizational planning of a 200+ person breakfast and poster-making event the morning of the March (photo above); and
  • The event management of the official post-march Partner Forum, drawing over 75 representatives from across the nation to the Carnegie building.
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Wall Street Journal Coverage at Carnegie Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Committee on Science & Technology Engagement with the Public (CoSTEP)

CoSTEP is a board-appointed external committee that works to support AAAS strategic goals, such as enhancing communication among scientists, engineers, and the public; providing a voice for science on societal issues; and increasing public engagement with science and technology. The objective of the committee is to assist AAAS in its mission by “actively promoting efforts to enhance access to and understanding of scientific, mathematical, engineering and other technical knowledge, to empower citizens to use that knowledge for the betterment of themselves and society."

MY ROLE:

As the Liaison for the Committee, I planned bi-yearly committee meetings,  organized Committee-initiated engagement efforts, and synthesized committee outcomes in yearly Board reports. I co-facilitated the bi-yearly meetings with the Chair while also routinely presenting on AAAS public engagement, outreach, and diversity efforts. I prepared new member materials required by the AAAS Board for approval. In addition, I was responsible for all communication, travel, and  other scheduling and budgetary tasks associated with the committee. 

Within this role, I also managed the operational aspects of the Committee’s AAAS Public Engagement with Science Award. The award recognizes scientists and engineers who make outstanding contributions to the "popularization of science." I managed the Award's selection process which included the following duties: creating and executing all promotional materials/strategies, organizing nomination packets, facilitating the selection process within the committee, corresponding with award winners, designing and maintaining the website, writing the press release announcing the winner, and helping to organize award ceremony logistics at AAAS Annual Meetings.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Under my management, the AAAS Public Engagement with Science Award nominations quadrupled over a two-year period as a result of a successfully redesigned marketing campaign including the introduction of Award promotional material, branding, a new website, and advanced digital promotion. This campaign’s first tweet in 2015 had 11,723 impressions and 170 engagements. There was a heavy focus on increasing the nominations from women and underrepresented minorities in STEM.

Carnegie Institution for Science

 Science & Society Program

The Science & Society Program is the first time Carnegie has formally charged itself with transboundary collaboration, within and beyond the scientific enterprise, in order to tackle numerous complex societal problems. The Science & Society Program’s goal is to facilitate meaningful communication between Carnegie’s scientific community and the private and public sectors. The program engages both stakeholders and experts to better understand the causes of, and potential solutions to, complex science-related societal issues.

​“Handling Hazards" was the first topical theme organized under the Science & Society effort. Handing Hazards explored the relative roles and ethical responsibilities of the chain of people responsible for minimizing the impacts of natural disasters on people and property, with an emphasis on earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. Some of the attendees of our first working group meeting included the president of the National Academy of Sciences, the CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Executive Director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center.
 
The meeting also included a public lecture, provided below, by Dr. Chris Newhall & Dr. Renato Solidum entitled, "25 Years Ago at Pinatubo: The Forecast, Climax, and Aftermath of a Giant Eruption." 

MY ROLE:

I took over as lead Principal Investigator (PI) for the Science & Society as soon as I arrived at Carnegie Science. Following a successful grant that secured two years of funding, the project expanded and Carnegie hired an outside consultant to meet growing program administration and management requirements. Maintaining PI status, I worked closely with the consultant on the Program’s design, direction, and logistics, and continued to write interim progress reports for submission to the funding agency.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

As the program’s PI, I executed the initial project vision that was collaboratively proposed by Carnegie’s then President, Matthew Scott; US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit Court judge, the Honorable David Tatel; and education consultant, Dr. Edith Tatel. I synthesized the Program's significance, goals, anticipated outcomes, dissemination strategy, and budget in a $500,000 grant that was successfully awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York in June, 2016.