Research Scientist & Science Communicator
I translate scientific research into stories, activities and language that everyone can engage with.
Over the past six years, I have worked with communities, academic institutions, governments, media outlets and private organizations to build a more inclusive and accessible science communication landscape.
Why?
Scientific information communicated in an accurate and compelling way can connect us to the world we live in, mobilize new discoveries and facilitate informed decision making at an individual, community or global level.
How I communicate
Community mobilization
I have worked with
Speaking and Training
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From pre-schoolers to senior-level scientists and industry professionals, I have tailored my academic research and science communication training for many different audiences.
Academic teaching: I previously held a lectureship at McGill University teaching undergraduate students in the CCOM 314 Communicating Science course. This was one of the first credited courses in Canada to provide science communication training to university students. In the course, students had the opportunity to learn technical and creative skills to translate scientific research. Course assignments included translating scientific research into lay abstracts, policy briefs, print articles and podcasts. I was responsible for creating student-centred and dynamic learning approaches for hybrid environments.
Invited talks and training: When I first became interested in science communication, there were limited training opportunities for students. During my master’s I started collecting resources and researching best practices to share with other graduate students. I began getting requests to host science communication training workshops at local institutions, which grew to national and international requests. Since then, the science communication training landscape has become more accessible and I’ve been able to integrate and apply best practices from many experts in the field. From one-hour to multi-day workshops, I have worked with many organizations to equip hundreds of students and scientists with the skills to communicate their research. I also regularly get invited to speak about my science communication projects and scientific research. My speaking engagements also extend to moderating and facilitating events, including multiple public talks for the Ontario Brain Institute.
Audio Storytelling
While I enjoy telling science stories in any medium, I have specialized in audio storytelling. I script and produce audio stories about scientific research and its impact on society.
Community Radio: I started audio producing at my local community radio station, CKUT 90.3fm. This became the home of my first podcast initiative Broad Science, where I led the creation of long-form audio stories that discussed the intersection of science and society that were often neglected in mainstream media. This later grew to multiple audio-based projects for youth and adults.
CBC radio: From 2020-2022, I was the Science Columnist for CBC radio in Montreal. I was responsible for researching, producing and scripting two monthly segments on Let’s Go CBC hosted by Sabrina Marandola. I covered all science-related topics, from the successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope to octopuses sleeping (my favourite topic in the world!). During my tenure, I emphasized the STEM innovation happening in Canada, the work of early-career scientists and the impact of science on diverse communities. The live show engaged thousands of listeners around Quebec and was later accessible to millions of Canadians online. In fact, many engaged listeners requested topics they wanted to hear — and we delivered.
Community Mobilization
Over the years, I have been able to create organizations from the ground up to build capacity for community connections, skills building and accessible science (see examples below). I have also been commissioned to design community learning events, including the inaugural Falling Walls Canada Hub.
Broad Science: To address the lack of diverse representation in science narratives and community engagement I founded Broad Science, an initiative dedicated to making science inclusive, engaging and intersectional through radio and podcasting. Our adult and children's programming has reached thousands of listeners globally. In 2019, our informal youth education program was nominated as the best science outreach program at the Berlin Falling Walls Engage Conference.
ComSciCon Canada: I co-founded ComSciCon Canada, the first national science communication conference tailored for graduate science students. Since 2019, the ComSciCon Canada team has provided free science communication training and mentorship to over 300 students. In addition to strategic planning and programming, I helped secure partnerships and funding from universities and the Government of Canada.
BlackInNeuro: Alongside 20 trainees, I co-founded BlackInNeuro in 2020. BlackInNeuro is a non-profit organization that amplifies Black neuroscientists globally, fosters community connections, provides mentorship/professional opportunities, and promotes ethical dialogues about the impact of brain sciences on the Black community. BlackInNeuro is a globally recognized organization that has engaged millions of people worldwide.
Consulting and Technical Support
I have been invited to consult on a range of projects. This has included advising on government initiatives like Canada’s Chief Science Advisors’ Youth Council and providing insights about adopting science communication models to the German Ministry of Education and Research. I was also selected by the Alan Alda Center for Communicating, the Kavli Foundation and Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, to help create the SciComm Training Network. The network now includes a growing list of international science communication trainers, educators and researchers, who share best practices.
I have also provided support for academic projects, from consulting on data analysis plans to providing technical editing on manucsripts and grant subsmissions.