It was in high school that Steven Prescott first held a brain in his hands. It belonged to a fetal pig that he was dissecting in a biology course, and he remembers staring at it and marveling at how the human brain, though it functions similarly to a pig brain, is capable of so much more. As he continued his education, his fascination with the inner workings of the central nervous system only deepened.
"I remember realizing when I wanted to become a scientist, after watching Cosmos: A Personal Voyage,” says Ted Price, reflecting on his early-childhood watching of Carl Sagan’s award-winning PBS program. The show led Price to start reading popular-science books for kids and inspired his goal of becoming an astrophysicist. Although his parents were not scientists themselves, they supported his interests and were very engaged in his education during his childhood.
Pioneering civic science initiative announces 21 leaders from diverse demographic, cultural, and professional backgrounds who will join a community working to strengthen the role of science in public life. The 2021-23 Civic Science Fellows program—designed to create new partnerships, practices, and knowledge to advance meaningful, inclusive engagement on issues at…
During a recent episode of “The Pain Beat”—a monthly podcast hosted by the Pain Research Forum that provides a space for pain investigators to discuss important ideas in their field—a group of pain researchers, science communicators, and civic science advocates, including Rita Allen Foundation’s President and…
A two-day workshop supported by the Rita Allen Foundation brought together practitioners committed to civic science to discuss how scientists can work with local communities to address pressing environmental issues. The workshop highlighted challenges for community science initiatives such as funding prospects, establishing trust between professional and…
Stephanie Nguyen, 2020 Consumer Reports Civic Science Fellow, shares insights from the research initiative she led to help the public understand—and avoid—deceptive design tactics. Dark patterns are design tactics used in websites and apps to persuade you to do things you probably would not do otherwise. Over the past several…
During Research!America’s 2021 National Health Research Forum, John Siniff, former USA Today opinion editor, led a workshop designed to help early career scientists write, sharpen, pitch, and have longevity publishing op-eds. Siniff discussed the pivotal role compelling opinion pieces has in amplifying science communication. The Forum also…
With 12 funding partners and 23 host partners, the second cohort of the Civic Science Fellows program will explore civic science opportunities that promote social progress. As society faces rapidly developing challenges, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, global climate change, and the impact of technology on democracy, the need for…
In a perspective piece in the Fall 2021 issue of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, co-authors Elizabeth Good Christopherson, Emily L. Howell, Dietram A. Scheufele, Kasisomayajula Viswanath, and Norris P. West call for science philanthropy to collectively work toward equitable partnership with communities of color. The…
Aaron Gitler began his scientific career as an undergraduate at Pennsylvania State University, where he volunteered in a lab washing dishes. Despite the less-than-glamorous work, he loved being there. Eventually, he realized that if he finished his dishwashing early enough, he could observe students and postdocs doing their research experiments. In time, they let him do experiments of his own. “In retrospect, none of the experiments really worked out,” says Gitler, “but I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. It prepared me for my next research experiences.”