Decoding the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech with Dr. Carrie Kroehler

Fanuel Muindi interviews Dr. Carrie J. Kroehler who is the Associate Director of the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kroehler shares insights on the Center’s mission and training initiatives that help students enhance their science communication and engagement skills. The discussion explores the plans for impact measurement and the building of a new graduate certificate in science communication which is already in the works.

Learn more about the center here: https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/

Conversation Analysis

Virginia Tech has integrated science communication training as a requirement in some STEM graduate programs, driven by growing student demand and recognition of the importance of these skills.

The Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech utilizes a multi-pronged approach, offering courses, workshops, intensives, and individual consultations to support science communication development across the university.

There is a need to better evaluate and quantify the impact of science communication training programs, which the Center is actively working to address through collaborations with researchers.

Additional analysis to be posted soon.

Fanuel Muindi

Fanuel Muindi is a former neuroscientist turned civic science ethnographer. He is a professor of the practice in the Department of Communication Studies within the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University, where he leads the Civic Science Media Lab. Dr. Muindi received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and PhD in Organismal Biology from Morehouse College and Stanford University, respectively. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.