Aside from presentations, papers, awards, and grants, early stage scientists build meaningful careers through connections with their communities. Staying engaged beyond the lab, whether through participating in workshops, seeking mentors, or communicating with the public, is key. 

After speaking at BigBREW recently, where we shared our work with “Taking Our Best Shot” (TOBS), we began discussing clear examples of ways scientists can remain engaged with the communities their work serves or benefits. Through TOBS, we promote science engagement and the health of community members. The spark for forming TOBS was ignited when we realized that members of our community wanted to learn about health in places other than hospitals and clinics. Science is an engine behind society’s growth, and TOBS highlights how science and public health engagement are valuable in areas where the community comes together.

TOBS leads or participates in ongoing scientific engagement through activities such as:

  • Infographic Challenges: organizing students to create science- and health-themed infographics.
  • Community and Health Fairs: offering free and publicly available resources alongside multiple organizations at a site.
  • TOBS at Health Conversations: building rapport and dialogues in the community at public settings together with speakers in science and health fields.
  • TOBS at STEAM Paths: advising students on how to succeed academically and professionally.
  • TOBS Engages: participating in events such as ComicPalooza Houston, Fort Bend Fandom, League of Innovators, and BigBREW: Humanizing STEM.

In TOBS, we emphasize the power of collaboration and partnership in science and public health. At an individual level, when we are experiencing good health, we rarely take note. On the other hand, we wish for better health when feeling ill. Similarly, society will often take science and public health for granted when there are no obvious major issues. When problems emerge, public health systems come to the forefront. To this end, our team has partnered with schools, libraries, and local organizations to promote health literacy, host community events, and encourage academic success. 

Researchers can practice public communication in forums such as “T1-T4 in 3 (Minutes),” a lightning-style talk on science topics. Presenters have three minutes to concisely explain research to the public. Vivian earned second place at The University of Texas Medical Branch T1-T4 in 3 (Minutes) event!

Another important practice is participation in career exploration events. We participated in the Scientist Spotlight project, an initiative showcasing scientists from different backgrounds that we learned about after BigBREW. This initiative allows high school and college students exploring career routes to discover potential pathways. Classes and extracurricular activities can also help shape career exploration. For instance, some of our early experiences included advanced math coursework, reading books, and joining honor societies, which emphasized the importance of incorporating service alongside rigorous classes. Our dedication to excelling in both academics and the community led us to be chosen for the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, in which Fellows nationwide develop projects addressing health-related issues.

Another great way that early career scientists can engage with their community is to explore opportunities for science engagement training, workshops, and mentorship. An incredible organization is Research!America—we were thrilled to be selected for a Civic Engagement Microgrant in 2022, which allowed us to build health literacy through dialogue. We further explored science policy and advocacy through a course held in conjunction with FASEB. Its capstone was a paper published in the Journal for Science Policy and Governance. 

Through our efforts with TOBS, we empower our community and demonstrate how science and public health thrive through collaboration. We are grateful for our incredible team members, speakers, partners, and audiences. Please join us on social media (Facebook or Instagram) and reach out. 

Community engagement doesn’t require formalities or big time commitments—you can start with a single conversation at a local outreach event or reaching out to someone who you admire. Connecting with your community and building collaborations will help you grow on a professional and personal level.

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Guest posts are contributed by members of our community. The views expressed in guest posts are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed by the Genetics Society of America. If you'd like to write a guest post, e-mail communications@genetics-gsa.org.

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