The only thing better than meeting a curious kid, is meeting a kid that’s curious about science. With all the media that competes for our attention on a daily basis—the good, the bad, and the fictitious, it was refreshing to meet students interested in getting scientific facts out to the public in a way that anyone can understand and enjoy. They even get to publish their work!
Curious Science Writers is a summer program run by Americans for Medical Progress designed to train future science writers and foster their interests through creative storytelling, research, and design. I was lucky enough to host 2 high school students for one day at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center.
Here’s what students did:
- Attended talks by UW Madison scientists and researchers, veterinarians, primate behavior specialists, and a senior science writer from university communications. They had lots of questions and great discussions.
- Learned the ins and outs of public outreach and communications at a research institution.
- Discussed best practices of science writing with tips about using social media which include: know your audience, create a good hook, and use a call to action.
- Observed common marmosets and conducted an ethogram to document their behaviours.
common marmosets
Was the day rewarding?
I can’t speak for the students’ experiences, but it was a rewarding day for me for several reasons. I learned a lot from them! They had unique research topics and knew way more about science than I did when I was their age. The cool thing is, I’ll be seeing their articles and artwork once they are published.
I also learned more about my colleagues and what they do here at the primate center. With close to 200 employees and too many researchers and collaborations to name, it’s nice to meet people where they are and learn first hand about their work.
Would I participate in the program again?
Absolutely. I can’t wait to see what these students write. I only hope I can host more students here next year.
Tell your friends and neighbors about the fantastic program Curious Science Writers!