Our Favourite Social Networks Bring Us Closer to Science Communication | NatureVolve Feature Article
I am absolutely thrilled to announce that STEM First! Gen. was featured on the wonderful science and art magazine, NatureVolve. Their #10 issue features a fascinating bunch of scientists, sci-artists, and science writers who all have contributed some very unique pieces of their work and ideas. I would like to thank NatureVolve’s Editor-In-Chief, Ms Clarissa Wright, for giving STEM First! Gen’s Editor-In-Chief the opportunity to further her contributions in STEAM. My article on social media and its effect on science communication — which was a narrative from my personal perspective — can be found on page 27 in the SciComm “Outreach” section. NatureVolve’s digital magazine is free, and is one of the most delightful items that can reach your inbox this year. So, please do click on the link below, and you will get issue #10 immediately upon subscribing.
It might have been a dead end, had I not responded to #AcademicTwitter posts here and there. I was relatively new to the field of science communication, and I knew no one personally who pursued this area. Rewinding, life was either STEM or not STEM. However, with a passion to share, I ended up communicating science without even knowing I was doing something called “science communication.” Looking for ways to attract an audience, I found hashtags on Twitter useful when I posted my new scicomm YouTube video. Particularly, the #AcademicTwitter and #sciencecommunication tags were most relevant, and that sent me down the rabbit hole of this endeavor…
The pandemic was also another reason why I spent my summer hanging around the internet and its complementary networks. “What can I do to interact with others without stepping over that risky in-person boundary?” Luckily, the SciComm groups on Twitter were sport. Participating in #SciCommChat by SciComm Club and the weekly “Follow Fridays,” was a lovely way to expose myself (and realize that I’m a bit younger than the other academicians). Then that led to another question. “How can I make an effective contribution to scicomm?”
STEM First! Gen. was built on the aims of interaction, support, and outreach, but was influenced by the alternatives to in-person communities: social networks. With several months of experience on the writing platform, Medium, I decided to pursue their publications, which organize articles and allow more than one contributor to write for the publication. Medium is an open access blog platform for all writers and readers. You can find many STEM articles and publications for them, but what you may not find is just enough places where science communication itself can be appreciated. On Medium, where do you find scicomm advice and where can you learn about fields that use science communication? STEM First! Gen. covers those areas. When science communicators seek a larger audience or support from their peers, they usually reach out. We tweet, we post on LinkedIn, and we look out for opportunities. But sometimes we need more than a shout out. There are ideas to be shared, and stories to be heard.
Encouraging expression is important, but access is too. The pandemic showed me alternative ways to socialize and discover more, so I dedicated this growing scicomm community to that. Social networks such as Twitter remove barriers between us and our audience who use these platforms daily, whether they be peers in STEM or the general public.
As STEM First! Gen. is active, I try my best to make sure the work of science communicators and other STEAM enthusiasts is seen throughout. When we post on Twitter, anyone can see it. When we publish an article on Medium, anyone can read it. Why limit views to members only? Science communication is about outreach and removing barriers that interfere with our communication. So, as we put “STEM First,” we are always looking for ways to increase STEM engagement and raise awareness of the importance of effective science outreach to our audiences.
The sense of community on the platform raises my hopes for this initiative. Our contributors show us apart of themselves and their work every time they participate in STEM First! Gen.’s activities, and it’s great to see the support they get when we share their pieces. Retweets from our other participants, and claps from different Medium viewers across the platform assure that our friends are being recognized. I feel as if I found the best networks, but I can not stop at Medium and Twitter.
Science communicators are stretched across the globe. There are students and specialists who may want to endeavor in science communication, but may not know where to begin, like when I first learned of this field.
I now trek across the internet, planning to use easy access platforms for more SciComm engagement. YouTube and Instagram proves to have potential, and so do places like Goodreads for book lovers and LinkedIn for a more professional taste. The more we reach, the more we all discover.
STEM First! Gen. Submission Form: https://forms.gle/z95a3Jof1PcubiSEA
Portfolio Article Submission Form: https://forms.gle/bmRVNdJ8uYBdhFC68
