December 2016

NIH Shark Tank: Swimming with Philanthropists

News Article by Tracey Baas, PhD, URBEST Executive Director

For the 2016 Annual NIH BEST meeting with all 17 awardee institutes converging in Bethesda, we were issued a challenge.

“You have been called by the leaders of NIH, NSF and BWF. They are currently in a meeting and want you to join them on a teleconference immediately and give a 5 minute or less pitch about your most creative strategy for sustainability.  What will you say?”

Charmaine Wheatley Begins Artist-in-Residency Program

News Article by Rachel Walker, PhD Graduate Student

As 2017 begins, many of you have noticed some changes – including that one of the Microbiology conference rooms is being converted into an art studio to be used by our new artist-in-residence Charmaine Wheatley.  Wheatley will be focusing on two areas during her residency with the University of Rochester, reducing the social stigmas around mental illness and HIV. 

Five Ways to Locally Engage in Science Communication

News Article by Liz Albertorio, MS and Volunteer Coordinator for the Rochester Museum and Science Center

“What is science communication?” or “where would I even start getting involved in science communication?” are probably questions you may have asked as you progress in exploring career interests. Today, more than ever, we as scientists, need to continually be engaged with our communities to foster trust and an understanding of the impact that science and technology has in our lives.  

Supporting Graduate Students

News Article by Emily Weber, PhD graduate student

Graduate school is stressful. Whether it is executing experiments, attempting to analyze data, or preparing for that big presentation, the life of a graduate student can be filled with a never-ending to-do list. On top of that, students have many responsibilities outside of the lab to handle. The Microbiology and Immunology department has created and funded a program named Supporting Our Students (SOS) aimed to help provide their graduate students with opportunities to de-stress and gain life skills to help them in and outside of graduate school. 

Writing for Scientific American

News Article By Karl J. P. Smith, PhD Candidate

I spent last summer working on the 46^th floor of the last building before the water on the southern tip of Manhattan. That’s the location of Scientific American’s offices, and I was there because I had received an American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship. I spent ten weeks away from lab as a science journalist in New York City, and I loved it.