Priyanka Kushwaha selected as a Science Communications 2020 Fellow for AGU Voices for Science Program
May 11, 2020
Dr. Priyanka Kushwaha, Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Dr. Raina Maier’s Laboratory, was selected as a Science Communications 2020 Fellow for the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Voices for Science Program (VFS). This program, launched in 2018, trains scientists to communicate the significance and impact of Earth and Space Sciences to the local community, journalists, and key policy and decision makers via two tracks, Science Communication and Science Policy.
The VFS program requires a 12-month commitment from the fellows to conduct a minimum of one outreach activity per month. These monthly activities will allow fellows to practice the skills acquired during the training sessions and further build their experience in science communication.
Some of Kushwaha’s monthly activities include writing one-page articles on her research for a broad audience, sharing her scientific journey in a blog, interviewing other early-career scientists and sharing their science communication stories, and using her doodling skills to create fun science activities for K-5 students.
Additionally, this program promotes networking with other scientists, local communities, and science communication and outreach members. As a VFS fellow and executive board member of the University of Arizona Postdoctoral Association (UAPA), Kushwaha’s overall goal is to make science communication resources available for the postdoc community and encourage her colleagues to engage in science communication.