projects
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
”
People fear what they don’t understand. I’m part of several programs created to:
help explain the scientific process
introduce the amazing range of research being carried out
share the joy scientists experience through discovery
demonstrate that science is fun
humanize the people doing the work
engage new audiences typically excluded from the conversation
In so doing, we hope to address people’s concerns around science.
These are the projects I am currently involved in:
nonprofit
Scientists Inc
Scientists Inc is outreach nonprofit “Bringing people together through science” since 2013. As CEO, I oversee the projects being carried out under the umbrella of our organization whose mission is to make science more inclusive and accessible.
My focus is on creating community, whether that means the volunteers creating content to fulfill our charitable purpose, or the people our efforts hope to serve.
Find out more about our work.
events
taste of science
Children often have more science-themed events available to them, so taste of science was created as a “science festival and event series for grown-ups”. Our local chapters organize events throughout the year, but we come together for a nationwide festival which takes place in the last two weeks of April in cities across the US.
In a bid to present science to people in their comfort zones, our volunteers have held events in parks, on beaches, at local bars and cafes. We’ve created Spanish-language events in-person and virtually with our friends Gusto a Ciencia, events with ASL, and in collaboration with other organizations with themes ranging from astrophysics to trans-health.
podcast
2Scientists
Together with my husband David Basanta, I host and co-produce this podcast. Each episode centers on researcher who shares their origin story, and the joys and challenges of their work. With these conversations we hope to highlight the diversity of the people and their experiences, and ultimately to discuss what it means to be a scientist.
Listen in here.
committee member
Science Outreach and Communication Committee
As a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I served for 6 years on the Science Outreach and Communication Committee to provide training and resources for fellow society members.
During this time I chaired the subcommittees on outreach and ASBMB’s annual meeting.
founding member
LiveSci Collective
The LiveSci Collective was created to swiftly pivot from live in-person to online events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This temporary community of practice helped STEM engagement professionals come together to explore connecting audiences with science everywhere and in every way.