The Center for Communicating Science:
The art of connecting across difference
The Center for Communicating Science creates and supports opportunities for scientists, scholars, health professionals, and others to develop their abilities to communicate and connect. Our differences, whether they be racial, cultural, religious, education level, academic discipline, or research specialty, can divide us. But such differences also enrich our lives, broaden our perspectives, and strengthen our collaborations. Arts tools and practices can be used to bridge these divisions, helping participants to learn to listen deeply, interact personally, directly, spontaneously, and responsively, and express themselves vividly. It is our intention to deepen human interaction, strengthen empathy and awareness of others, and develop collaborative team and leadership capacities in students, faculty, and industry and community partners.
A message from Alan Alda on the opening of the Center: "I'm delighted to know that the founding of the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech is inspired by the work we do at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University. It's my dream that innovative techniques for teaching communication will make the relationship between science and the public one that's close, warm, and exciting. I congratulate Virginia Tech as it strikes out on that path."
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ComSciCon, Improv Laboratory Events Set for Spring Semester
We've got two exciting events set for spring semester, and we hope you'll join us! ComSciCon-VT will be held March 7 and 8, and Improvisation Laboratory events will take place February 28, March 28, and April 25.
Upcoming Events
Sihui Ma: Fermented Foods
January 28, 5:30 p.m.
River Mill, 212 Draper Road, Blacksburg
Research a la Mode provides a monthly venue for graduate researchers to practice their communication skills and share their research with people outside of their fields--and eat ice cream! Contact Lisa Whalen at lashley@vt.edu if you'd like to be a RALM speaker during spring semester.
BioXFEL 2019 (a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center international conference)
Keynote address and engagement: "What's in a Nutshell? Brief Compelling Interactions with the Public"
San Diego, California
February 12
Join us Thursday evenings in room 170 of the New Classroom Building as we try out applied improv games and exercises! No registration required. Please arrive on any half hour and stay for at least half an hour.
February 28, 5:30 to 8:30
March 28, 5:30 to 8:30
April 25, 5:30 to 8:30
ComSciCon-VT will take place March 7 and 8 at the Graduate Life Center. Watch this space for details, and contact Allison Hutchison (abhutch@vt.edu) to volunteer.
Recent Events
Presentation and workshop, "Connecting across Differences," for annual conference participants
November 29-December 2
San Diego, California
Presentation: Communicating science: The art of connecting across difference
Workshop: Improvisation for scientists
August 21-23, Berkeley, CA
Conference presentation: Building communication and collaboration skills, from the inside out
June 27, Pittsburgh, PA
Introduction to Improvisation for Scientists workshop for visiting faculty, June 25, Graduate Life Center
Center faculty fellow Daniel Bird Tobin facilitated a communicating science workshop for members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
May 3, Memphis, TN
Rajesh Bagchi: What's the Better Deal? The Science of Purchasing Decisions
November 26, 5:30 p.m.
Michelle Stocker: Detectives at Work--The Case of the Embedded Tooth
November 1, 5:30 p.m.
Erica Feuerbacher: Dog Behavior
September 27, 5:30 p.m.
Debby Good: Is "23andMe" for You? The Promise and Peril of Genetic Testing
August 23, 5:30 p.m.
Tom Ewing: Booze and Flu(s): Science and Spirits in the 1918 Spanish Influenza
July 26, 5:30 p.m.
Brynn O'Donnell and Robin Scully: Ghost Streams and Painting Water
June 28, 5:30 p.m.
Nick Caruso: "Beyond Blaming the Dog: The Science of Animal Farts"
May 24, 5:30 p.m.
William Rhoades and Sid Roy: Lessons from Flint
April 23, 5:30 p.m.
James Wilson: Honeybees and Beekeeping
March 26, 5:30 p.m.
Brian Malow: "An Evening of Humor with Science Comedian Brian Malow"
February 26, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Kwame Harrison: "Experiencing Blackness in Defiantly White Spaces--in a Car"
January 22, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Jake Socha: "Flying and Gliding: An Evolutionary Advantage"
November 27, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Marcella Kelly's research group: "Catching Carnivores Creatively: Using Poop and Cameras to Capture Clues about Elusive Animals"
October 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Abi Tyson: ""Transforming Football Helmet Design"
September 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Marc Stern: "How to Build Trust"
August 28, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Nutshell Games winners Caitlin Colleary, Anza Mitchell, and Max Ragozzino
May 6, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Rising Silo Brewery, 2351 Glade Road, Blacksburg