Our Newsletter
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Article ItemFighting cancer twice: How tumor ablation can help the immune system , article
July 17, 2026. What if cancer treatment could destroy tumors while also helping the immune system fight back? For the July Science on Tap event at Rising Silo Brewery, seven researchers from the Irving Coy Allen lab at Virginia Tech explained how their research explores the intersection of cancer treatment and immunology and how tumor ablation could potentially help the immune system fight cancer on its own.
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Article ItemNutshell Games registration opens Monday, September 14! , article
Sept. 7, 2026. Do you want to engage an audience, convince folks your work is important, and explain your research in less time than it takes to reply to an email, feed your pet, or make a cup of coffee? Then the Nutshell Games is for you! While some may find the challenge daunting, nearly 300 graduate students have risen to the occasion since our inaugural event in 2017. You could be next: Registration for the 2026 Nutshell Games opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, September 14th!
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Presenters and volunteers needed for Flip the Fair 2026!Aug. 5, 2026. Join us for Flip the Fair 2026! Flip the Fair is a flipped science fair where graduate students, post-docs, vet students, and med students present their research science-fair-style on tri-fold poster boards, and 5th graders judge them. Prizes are awarded to the best presenters. This year’s event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. October 1 at the Melrose Branch of the Roanoke Public Library.
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Celebrating the stories of CCS alumniAug. 3, 2026. Learning to communicate research goes beyond giving a great presentation. It helps researchers become more effective scientists, educators, collaborators, and community partners, and several recent achievements by CCS alums demonstrate just that. Read more to see how recent Communicating Science "alumni" have been honored for their work.
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Article ItemAn exciting expansion, the second annual Undergraduate Nutshell Games takes place in Spring 2026 , article
July 23, 2026. With $500 for conference travel and a highly coveted squirrel trophy on the line, the Center for Communicating Science established a space for undergraduate researchers to compete for the best research presentation given in just 90 seconds.
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AI ethics and policy through applied theatre: An experimental approach , articleJune 29, 2026. Just three years ago, more than 30,000 people signed an open letter calling for a pause in the development of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems, warning of "profound risks to society and humanity." Today, with AI tools increasingly woven into everyday life with no pause in sight, the availability, power, use, and misuse of artificial intelligence affects every university student. These challenges inspired an applied theatre project to help students examine AI ethics.
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Nutshell Games hit the road: Inspiring future scientists in Southwest Virginia , articleJune 20, 2026. In April, six Virginia Tech graduate students and postdoctoral researchers packed up their 90-second research talks and traveled to Abingdon, Virginia, for the inaugural Nutshell Games on the Road. The event invited local eighth grade students and their families to experience research through storytelling, creativity, and conversation.
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Science on Tap: Environmental changes in your backyard , articleJune 12, 2026. Have you ever noticed environmental changes right in your own backyard? That question set the stage for a talk led by Katie Burke and three guests featured in her recent series, “A Warming World, a Rural Challenge in Southwestern Virginia” for April's Science on Tap at Rising Silo Brewery.
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Save the date! Lunchtime learning opportunities in communicating science and science policy , articleJune 11, 2026. Starting July 15, Research!America is offering a free learning lunch webinar series, titled “From Bench to Impact,” focuses on providing participants with tools, perspectives, and networking opportunities. The second two sessions of the series, on communicating science and science policy, might be of particular interest to our readers.
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CCS creates online resources for framework of effective communication , articleJune 11, 2026. Personal. Direct. Spontaneous. Responsive. Emotionally vivid. In all their workshops and courses aimed at helping people build their muscles of communication and connection, Center for Communicating Science (CCS) faculty focus on five core goals. Now each of these five pillars of effective communication is highlighted on the CCS website's Resources page, along with recommendations for additional reading and exercises for building and practicing skills.
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Article ItemScience on Tap: Listening to the science of sound , article
June 5, 2026. How does sound move? That’s one of the questions that Virginia Tech physics researcher Omolara Bakare addressed at the March 26, 2026, Science on Tap event “The Physics of sound: From vibrations to relaxation.” In collaboration with singing bowl practitioner Fraser Lee Hudgins, Bakare helped participants learn about the physics of sound with a live singing bowl demonstration.
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A recipe for success: New toolkit available for “Flip the Fair” event , articleJune 1, 2026. Flip the Flair is a hands-on, outreach-oriented science communication event intended to help researchers learn to present their findings to new audiences and to engage and empower children. Virginia Tech’s Center for Communicating Science has recently released a toolkit to help others plan their own version of the popular event.
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