I entered the research workforce after receiving my bachelor’s degree just in time to see the world transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As political leaders spread misinformation and masks became politicized, distrust in government messaging pivoted into distrust of science itself. Even years after the end of widespread lockdowns, public trust in science is still lower than it was before the pandemic.
In the face of a government that seeks to dismantle American research, scientists must learn how to communicate outside of their research bubble and restore that trust.
“It’s part of our responsibility as scientists,” said Kiersten Bell, a graduate student in the department of pharmacology and toxicology. “If (taxpayers) are paying for our jobs, it’s important that we can disseminate (research) back out.”
Despite its clear importance, most graduate programs fail to invest adequate time and resources in training scientists to communicate effectively. Students are encouraged to develop presentation skills, but outreach is treated as extracurricular and not essential.
“I wish that a lot of grad programs actually emphasized (science communication),” Bell said. “Even science writers are not trained for science communication. You’re trained to write your science article or your manuscript, and that’s kind of it.”
In spite of limited structural support from the graduate school, students have stepped up to fill the science communication gap. UT student-led initiatives like Science Under the Stars, which brings ecology research to families at the Brackenridge field lab, show how a small group of motivated trainees can make a community-wide impact. In the pharmacology and toxicology department, Bell is the student outreach chair and spearheaded an initiative to take graduate students to an elementary school and present to fifth graders.
“We show the students how diverse science can be,” Bell said. “We have people talking about cancer, the different shapes of DNA and what alcohol can do.”
Most science communication in STEM happens through student-led initiatives like these. Maddie Brightbill is a graduate student studying the epigenetics, or natural changes in gene expression, of plant biology and is the president of Present Your PhD to a 12-Year-Old, PYP for short. PYP takes a range of STEM graduate students to present their research to middle schools and homeschool groups.
“Science communication is as important for the PhD students as it is for the middle schoolers, if not more,” Brightbill said. “Teaching is one of the best ways to learn, and it’s a great way to stay grounded in what you’re doing.”
Getting into science communication is the start of a positive feedback loop. When you can get someone outside your field excited about your research, you also remind yourself why it’s exciting, which in turn makes it easier to share your work with others.
“If you’re getting down in the weeds of your own work, you forget how cool it is,” Bell said. “Being able to explain that to these 10 and 11-year-olds reinvigorates you for science.”
The benefits of science communication training are well-documented. Graduate students who participate in programs like PYP report improvement in their comfort level talking about their research, and grade school students report greater interest in science.
By equipping trainees to speak with clarity and confidence, we can cultivate a new generation of scientists capable of rebuilding public trust and reaffirming science’s role in shaping policy and progress.
Kate Windsor is a PhD student in molecular biology from Austin, Texas.
