We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Caroline Muirhead
Communication and Outreach Subcommittee
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Research Interest

I didn’t always know I wanted to make science my career. In fact, I started college as an engineering major. And while I still have a love of math, I realized in my junior year of college that my main interest was in science. I added biology as a double major and dipped my feet into biology research. Between junior and senior year of college I worked in the Weathers lab at Worcester Polytechnic Insitute studying Artemisia annua, a plant that produces the antimalarial drug artemisinin. After college, I worked at a small biotech company before deciding I wanted to attend graduate school.

Since joining graduate school, I’ve become a C. elegans researcher. I work in a systems neuroscience lab where I research how worms respond to sensory cues. Worms secrete chemicals called ascarosides to communicate. We use these ascarosides to study sensation in worms. We ask questions like, why do some worms respond in different ways to the same ascaroside? Or which neurons and receptors are sensing this chemical? My project is about how worms make behavioral decisions in response to ascarosides. Put simply, if I expose the worms to a positive and a negative stimulus at the same time, how will they respond? Either the negative or positive cue will need to take precedent. I want to know what the neurons are doing when the worms make this choice. I think this is a really interesting question because it’s something that we encounter all the time! Think about how often you sense more than one thing at the same time and your brain is able to make a choice about how to respond. The interesting part about studying this with worms is that we can figure out what is going on at the cellular level – a task that would be impossible in a complex organism.  

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

While I’ve really been enjoying conducting research, my main interest is teaching. This past year, I had the opportunity to participate in the ASPIRE fellowship program. This fellowship pairs graduate students with community college professors at a local community college. I was mentored by a professor at Quinsigamond Community College. I was able to work with one of the introductory biology classes during lab sections and complete a few guest lectures. I had a lot of fun, and I really liked the students! Additionally, I got to talk to my mentor about what it was like being a professor at a community college. I had a very positive experience in the ASPIRE fellowship program, and it made me interested in teaching at a community college.    

I’m also open to other opportunities! In college, I volunteered at the EcoTarium, a science and nature museum in Worcester. I’ve always had a love for nature and science museums, so I could always see myself working at a science museum.

Finally, I’ve been enjoying my research and worms. So you never know, I may stay in research for some time after graduating and complete a post doc position. Careers are long, and I hope to enjoy many things over the course of mine.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

I hope to interest new minds in science and STEM. I’m passionate about this because young students are the next generation of scientists.

This summer, I ran the Frontier’s summer camp at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This is a two week long camp for high school students interested in science. We spent the first week of camp learning about neuroscience and working with C. elegans in the lab. During the second week of camp, students conducted their own experiments. It was a lot of fun, and I loved seeing the creativity of the students! In past summers, I’ve run other science summer camps for slightly younger students. I even got to run a camp over Zoom during the pandemic. It was a challenge—we had to ship student lab materials so that they could do lab stuff at home—but overall, it was great that we were still able to teach students science skills remotely. When I was in high school, I participated in science summer camps, and it sparked my interest in STEM. These camps are important for students to start exploring different scientific areas. I hope to continue participating in summer camps that drive students towards STEM fields.

I’ve also served as a mentor for the Women’s Research and Mentorship Program (WRAMP) at my university. I worked in a group with an undergraduate student and two high schoolers on a small research project in the lab. Although this project involved research, the main purpose of the program was to mentor the students and teach them about how research works. I think this project was a success because after WRAMP, one of the high school students was awarded funding to work in our lab through the Massachusetts Life Science Center. She accomplished a lot through the summer and continued as a volunteer in our lab during the school year. Now, she’s continuing scientific research in college. I’m so proud of her, and I’m really happy that I was her WRAMP mentor! I love seeing a student enjoy research enough to continue it. I hope that I am able to mentor more students in a lab setting.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

As part of my work with communications and outreach subcommittee, I’m really hoping to do outreach to high school students about scientific research during the school year. I think back to myself as a high schooler, and I realize I had no idea about all of the different model organisms researchers use. I understood why people worked with mice, but I had no idea about all of important research people do in flies, worms, yeast, and beyond. And now, as a worm researcher, I realize how important non-mouse model organisms are too. This year, I plan to talk to high school students about the different types of research that is possible in these models. This way, when these high school students start college and want to join a lab, they’ll have a better understanding of what these labs might be doing.

Other members of my subcommittee have participated in similar types of outreach where they talk to students about model organisms. They’ve offered to help make slides and review my materials to make sure it’s understandable to high school students. They’ve also helped with avenues of connecting to high school teachers that might be interested in having a scientist come speak in their school.  

I also hope to gain more presentation and conference experience through GSA. The first GSA conference I attended was a virtual conference hosted during the first summer of the pandemic. It was nice to still hear other research virtually. Last summer, I attended the International C. elegans Conference in Scotland. I had the opportunity to meet other enthusiastic and creative scientists. I especially enjoyed the poster sessions where I can talk to people one-on-one about their research. Overall, attending the GSA conference was an enriching experience, and I hope to continue honing my presentation skills at them!

Previous leadership experience

• Graduate Student Government – Biology and biotechnology student senator (current)
• Women’s Research and Mentorship Program mentor (2022)
• Smith College Ice Hockey Captain (2015-2017)

We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Daniela C. Soto
Communication and Outreach Subcommittee
University of California, Los Angeles

Research Interest

What genetic changes underlie our uniquely human traits and behaviors? In the last couple million years of evolution, some fascinating changes took place that make us who we are. My quest as a scientist is to uncover the genes responsible for these phenotypic changes, including their functions, their regulation, and their history. I am a bioinformatician that analyzes tons and tons of data and uses computation, statistics, and biology to make sense of it. During my PhD, I analyzed thousands of human and great ape genomes in search of neurodevelopmental genes that underwent dramatic or subtle changes during the last six million years of evolution, leading to the expansion of the neocortex. This research not only sheds light on our evolutionary history but also has clinical and therapeutical implications. Some neurodevelopmental genes are associated with neurodiversity traits, and their characterization will help us better understand the underlying architecture of the neurodiverse brain, leading to more effective medical and societal approaches.

But we’ve learned many of our human characteristics are not so unique. Some complex behaviors emerged a long time ago and are shared with our fellow mammals. We can learn a lot, for example, about human attachment from the prairie vole, a rodent that has “pair-bonding,” a scientific term akin to love. During my PhD, I was part of the reconstruction of the prairie vole genome, which will be used to look for the genomic changes that led to pair-bonding. Not only can rodents teach us about love, but they can also help us learn about our minds too. In my incoming postdoctoral position, I will use the mouse as a model organism to study depression, one of the most complex and prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders in our modern society. Depression research has the potential to impact millions of lives down the line by enabling better diagnosis and novel therapeutics. Considering the influx of data enabled by the ever-evolving sequencing technologies, there is no better time to interrogate our genomes.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

My dream is to lead my own research group. Per Richard Feynman’s advice, I have a series of favorite questions always in my mind that I want to tackle. I am especially interested in the workings of our brain and the interplay between genetics and complex human traits and behaviors. My focus is on humans and other great apes, but I believe in the power of animal models and “natural laboratories” to deepen our knowledge of our mammal brains. I am also interested in leveraging the newest technologies; I want to use state-of-the-art genomic sequencing to explore the darker regions of the genome, including structurally variant loci and repeats that have been overlooked before due to technical limitations.

I have a deep admiration for academia, the pursuit of knowledge, the development of innovations, and the training of new generations. That being said, I am always amazed by the wide array of biotechnological and biomedical research taking place in the United States and its tangible impact in society. We saw it firsthand, for example, with the development of the mRNA vaccines during the COVID pandemic. Considering the cutting-edge research occurring in the private sector, I can see myself answering my favorite questions in that context as well.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

For me, pursuing an academic career has a scope beyond science; it is also a matter of representation. I identify as a Latino woman. (I am Chilean!) Unfortunately, women are underrepresented in bioinformatics and Latino women even more so. In my journey to become a principal investigator, I want to openly advocate for a more welcoming field for young women and other underrepresented groups. I am deeply thankful for the role models that have cleared the path for me in this field, and I strive to pay it back by advocating for the next generations.

Besides my advocacy within academia, I also believe it is important to make science (and genetics) approachable and entertaining for broader audiences. One of my hobbies is listening and reading pop-science books and podcasts. This type of content has tremendous potential to introduce scientific ideas and discoveries to people who otherwise would not have that opportunity. During my academic career, I aim to become an excellent science communicator and writer, using approachable language and entertaining narratives to drive passions for science in young minds of diverse backgrounds. In the long run, I believe this simple approach can attract a more diverse pool of people to our field.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

I applied to the ECLP because I admire how the program provides complimentary training that scientists might not get otherwise. Academic research often keeps us extremely busy, and we might neglect to develop soft skills that would help our career and enable us to self-actualize. When joining the program, I had the simplest of goals: meet other people passionate about science communication and learn from them. I was not wrong. This was the right place. In my team, there is a group of people generating social media science content about the many funny little details of the wet lab, providing entertainment while demystifying science research for the general public. Others are writing blog posts or generating databases with home experiments for everyone to try from the comfort of their homes.

My own passions align with the team. I want to share the awe of science with general audiences. I believe that if we share science broadly, it will reach the ears of curious kids from historically marginalized groups who might see for the first time a place for themselves in STEM. But science, especially genetics, is hard to share with general audiences, let alone kids! How can we make genetics approachable and fun for kids and teenagers? My goal as a member of the Outreach and Communication Subcommittee is to develop content and material to tackle this issue. I am generating educational science content for families and kids to introduce them to genetics concepts, like illustrations and coloring pages, to provide as resources for the community.  

Previous leadership experience

• Student representative in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group at UC Davis as a vice-chair and mentoring coordinator, as well as member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, where we developed and analyzed a survey assessing diversity and climate in our graduate group.
• Mentor at the UC Davis Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine-Sacramento Charter High School summer research program.
• Volunteer in charge of generating graphics material for the Chilean Bioinformatics Symposium, the Northern California Computational Biology Symposium, the Chilean Society of Plant Genetics, and several other conferences and scientific communities.
• Instructor and panelist in initiatives to provide bioinformatics training to students in the United States and abroad, such as the Central Asia Pacific Genomics Workshop and the California Undergraduate Bioinformatics Virtual Conference.
• Volunteer in the Chilean chapter of Girls in Tech.

We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Angela Jones

Communication & Outreach

Duke University

Research Interest:

I am interested in how genetic differences between humans affect our response to diseases. My research specifically looks at the largest sources of genetic variation in people: the sex chromosomes. Mammals usually have either two X chromosomes or one X and one Y chromosome, aligning to the biological sex definitions of female and male, respectively. Because of this massive difference in the genetic background of females and males, there are widespread effects across the genome in expression and function of genes. These differences are reflected in human health, where sex differences in the incidence, prevalence, severity, and treatment response in disease run rampant. For example, females are more likely to develop autoimmune disease but show greater resistance to most infectious agents than males. Sex disparities are also clear across cancers—with kidney, liver, skin, and laryngeal cancers displaying a male bias, while breast and thyroid cancers are more common in females.

Despite these widespread differences, little is known how functional variation in the genome affects sex differences in human disease. Previous attempts to link gene expression differences to single nucleotide changes or small insertions/deletions through sex-biased expression quantitative trait loci (sb-eQTL) discovery have reported few significant associations, with little replication across independent datasets. Recently, I have developed a novel approach to discover sb-eQTL across the human genome. Through single-cell RNA-sequencing of nearly 500 human cell lines from worldwide populations, I can identify thousands of regions in the genome where biological sex is linked to differences in gene expression. In addition, hundreds of these sb-eQTL are significantly associated with human disease phenotypes in the NHGRI-GWAS catalog. By investigating sex differences across the genome, we can discover genomic variants that affect sex-biased expression and that are linked with human disease, building a previously unknown connection between genotype and phenotype.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

As I’ve progressed in my research career, I am consistently drawn to using large-scale genomics to puzzle out biological mysteries. We are currently at a pivotal stage in genetics and genomics where we can create massive amounts of data, but we lack the analytical and computational methods to effectively utilize these data. In addition, there is a critical need for diverse and inclusive large-scale genomic studies in order to better understand how human genetic diversity can affect human health outcomes. Because of my interest in these genomic problems, I have pursued training in computational skills and discovered that I enjoy working at the computer more than at the bench. I hope to continue expanding my computational genetics skills and work in a collaborative research group in either industry or government to answer complex questions in human health with data-driven genomic approaches.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

Throughout my various research experiences, I have realized that dissemination of science to the broader public is critical. While academic articles and conference presentations foster vital connections with fellow scientists, I have always been drawn to teaching and mentoring my local community through scientific outreach. To this end, I have continually sought out or created my own opportunities to share my passion for science with others. Recent events have illustrated the crucial role of clear scientific communication, and the genetics community is poised to serve the public in this manner.

As a graduate student, I am focused on service and STEM outreach. From creating workshops that help elementary school to high school students learn about genetics to hosting webinars that de-mystify the graduate school application process, I strive to educate others about how science really happens. This unique combination of outreach opportunities has given me an inside look at STEM education and outreach and has shown me the need for clear, interactive, and informative dissemination of primary research to the broader public.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

My goals for this leadership role include working with the genetics community to foster communication to the broader public. In addition, I hope to facilitate opportunities for my scientific peers to pursue their own outreach goals and improve their science communication skills. An early career leadership role with the Genetics Society of America provides an extremely unique opportunity to develop and implement community-based outreach with scientific peers. As a member of the Communication & Outreach Subcommittee, I am able to work with graduate students, post-docs, and faculty mentors to hone my science communication skills while reaching a broader audience about the fascinating discoveries happening every day in genetics and genomics.

Previous Leadership Experience:

Co-President, Society of Duke Fellows, Duke University, 2022–present

Co-President, Duke Outreach in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, 2020–present

Amgen Scholars Program Student Director, Duke University, 2023

Co-Chair, UPGG Curriculum Committee, Duke University, 2021–2023

Co-Chair, UPGG Recruitment Committee, Duke University, 2021–2023

In the Paths to Science Policy series, we talk to individuals who have a passion for science policy and are active in advocacy through their various roles and careers. The series aims to inform and guide early career scientists interested in science policy. This series is brought to you by the GSA Early Care­er Scientist Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee.

The following transcript is from my conversation with Dr. Adriana Bankston, a Senior Fellow in Science Policy at the Federation of American Scientists, who is also the Membership Engagement Chair with AAAS Section X, and immediate past CEO & Managing Publisher for the Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG). Here we discuss different traits commonly­ found in successful policy and advocacy fellowship applicants, various approaches for building one’s network, ways to transition into a policy and advocacy role from an academic background, and the importance of a dependable leader in any discipline.

One of the major takeaways I’ve learned from other interviews of yours is that your Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Policy & Advocacy Fellowship was a major door opener for your interest in policy and advocacy. Many international societies offer similar fellowships. What types of traits are necessary for an application to get a candidate to that next step and be selected for these programs?

Having an interest in a specific policy area and following that passion can be a good strategy. But you also have to be flexible once you get into the fellowship, as you may work on projects that you didn’t anticipate, and you need to think on your feet.

In preparation for applying, engaging in activities that show your commitment to a career in science policy is important, such as writing for a non-academic outlet and organizing policy events.

When I applied for the SfN Policy & Advocacy Fellowship, I had advocated for research policy for several years. I had a good story to tell, since I had previously engaged in advocacy activities, and could articulate why the fellowship was a clear next step for me to build upon these experiences and advance my career.

So when applying for policy fellowships, you need to be able to say why you want to go into policy, how the fellowship will help you move forward, and what your career goal is. Your goals or policy interests may change, but having a direction at the outset can go a long way.

In the “Beyond the Thesis” podcast, you share the importance of getting involved and gaining momentum by building your network early. But not everyone may have that network innately. What soft skills were necessary for you to reach out and start building your professional network?

Honestly, you learn by doing it. Because scientists don’t tend to be very social, and policy is a very people-oriented field, you have to get used to the idea that you will always be talking to people. Start small, such as with your peers, and present on your policy interests in trusted circles.

If you can find a specific policy area that you are passionate about, it will likely make it easier to talk in front of people. That’s how I came out of my shell and forced myself to get out of my comfort zone. If somebody invited me to speak, I would accept and figure it out later. So, sometimes you just have to say yes to an opportunity. While I’m generally pretty shy, if they asked me to talk about the future STEM pipeline, I would do it anytime because that’s what I’m interested in.

Relatedly, when meeting with science policy professionals for informational interviews, start with your current network and build on that. When requesting these meetings, have clear goals and know what you want to get from the conversation and be respectful of their time.

So your recommendation, from what I’m gathering, is that if an opportunity comes just rip off the band aid and go full force right into it?

That’s correct. When I was starting out, I wouldn’t say no to any opportunity. And even if it was a small opportunity, I would take the time to do it well. I believe that the more you do things well, the more people see you, and you build your reputation on that. It feeds on itself. I started small, by talking to graduate students about policy topics and speaking on these topics in spaces that felt safe. I would recommend giving a couple of talks within your circle and seeing how it goes, but also don’t be afraid to take on larger opportunities if they come along even if you don’t feel ready. But always be prepared to do well in even the smallest event because you never know who is there. And you want to do a good job for yourself too. So it’s like everything else— practice your talking points beforehand.

How can a science writer transition to a more policy-oriented style of writing?

One avenue is to educate yourself by getting practice in policy writing and submitting to journals like JSPG which provides training components. Writing policy publications is a good exercise in thinking and formulating arguments on policy issues within a larger societal context. This is why I think more academic style outlets like JSPG are valuable. I would also think about this from the audience standpoint. If you’re giving this to your legislator, what would they want to read about that is timely and relevant? And how do I make it easy for them to understand my main points and asks?

Another avenue is to consider policy implementation. If you’re writing for a magazine and want to get the piece in front of your local representative, developing non-academic writing skills comes in handy. Your message needs to be very concise and often delivered within a short timeline, so you have to be ready to push out a message to Capitol Hill, for example, possibly even within 24–48 hours. Learning to develop a written paragraph or longer piece on the spot on an issue that legislative staff will care about is a good skill for mastering policy writing. 

What insights have you gleaned from your mentors, and as you have become a mentor yourself, that you could distill down and share with other individuals who are now stepping up into a mentorship and leadership role?

I think the most important thing for a supervisor or mentor is to support people in what they want to do, and not what you want them to do.

This is not always an easy thing to do. As a supervisor, you need to make sure that things are moving forward in the best interest of the organization while making sure that individual needs are getting fulfilled. It is a balance between elevating organizational priorities while building people up at the same time. Those people will appreciate working on something they are interested in while building their resume and serving multiple interests.

I like to believe there’s a certain degree of tenacity and altruism shared amongst all individuals pursuing a role in policy and advocacy. These individuals will strive to bolster their cause and do everything in their power to support those sharing the same set of values. Do you agree with the sentiment? And if so, what other traits or qualities of an individual are necessary to succeed in the realm of policy and advocacy?

Going to medical school was my childhood dream because I wanted to do something for other people, and to serve the greater good. I realized that working in science policy fulfills the same needs for me. Policy making as a field is very collaborative and every person’s contribution matters, and a lot comes down to your own accountability. Moral integrity is key, so if say that you are going to do something, then do it. Be dependable and a good team player. When you have a section of a letter to the Hill assigned to you within a certain timeframe, that needs to be done in order for the letter to be sent on time. If you are part of a good team, your work will be valued and be part of the final product. But you have to do the work yourself and do it well to show your contribution to a collective endeavor.

I also want to make a point about adaptability. Sometimes you have to quickly write a statement for your organization on a recent policy development on the Hill which can be exciting. I think that keeps it interesting, that adrenaline rush, but also you have to be able to adapt and realize that your day is not in your control. You may have to drop what you had planned for that day if required and help with an urgent task to serve your organization’s needs.

Do you have any closing remarks?

I want to encourage young people to get your voice out there and into relevant spaces. Just because you are an early career scientist, it does not mean that people do not care about what you have to say. On the contrary, ou bring a lot to the table, and most policymakers and their staff like to hear from you. So don’t be afraid to speak up on policy issues that you care about and you think they should address for their constituents.

We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Tammy Lee

Multimedia Subcommittee

University of Toronto

Research Interest

How is genetic information that is stored in the germline passed on from one generation to the next? The germline is considered ‘immortal’ since it has an unlimited proliferation capacity, and it can pass on its genetic material to give rise to subsequent generations. Therefore, safeguarding germline immortality is crucial for species survival. I use the transparent nematode C. elegans to understand how genetic information is inherited through small RNAs and proteins that associate with tiny condensates called germ granules. The small RNA’s pathways are interconnected with chromatin pathways, and together, they collaborate to regulate gene expression. This form of gene regulation helps to safeguard germline immortality—that is, the continuity of life. Prior to my current research, I dipped my toes into the worlds of cancer metastasis and integrin activation through undergraduate research opportunities abroad.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

I am interested in careers in science communication, such as content marketing, education and outreach, and publishing. During my undergraduate studies, I founded the Science Communication Club at the University of Toronto. Because most outreach opportunities are related to teaching, there was a lack of opportunities to practice and explore the means of communicating science as a student. I created the club to serve as an inclusive platform to write, illustrate, and promote science to non-scientists, which is an important aspect of being a scientist. In my graduate studies, I continued to explore ways of science communication in pedagogical practices where I managed a project that revamped outdated and tone-deaf teaching material for an introductory biology course. I also write about communicating science in our graduate student newsletter. I believe that science communication skills are crucial to excel in and advance the scientific enterprise.

I am also interested in designing curriculum or developing programs in postsecondary education. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to create and convert the laboratory practicum of a second-year molecular biology course into an online format. We curated a set of open online teaching tools, developed multimedia modules, and designed assignments to increase engagement with students. While I’m still uncertain about my career path in either academia or industry, I’m keeping options available and taking as many opportunities as possible.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

Aside from being a strong science communication advocate, I actively engage in building inclusive scientific communities that foster mentorship and collaborations and equip scientists with the right tools to excel. Graduate studies play a huge role in shaping work ethics and social skills that are transferable and important throughout one’s career, and graduate experiences can greatly influence how students behave as they transition to making an impact as scientists in society. Therefore, efforts in strengthening scientific communities and networks can contribute to advancing the scientific enterprise.

Strong scientific communities provide a platform for researchers to discuss their work, and they can also act as a source of motivation for good science. Programs that build trust and promote the right values will nurture great scientists. As the co-president of the Cell and Systems Biology Graduate Union, I act as the liaison between the department and the student body. We organize social/wellness events and graduate student seminars that help to increase interactions and communication between grads. One key factor in community-building is listening to the needs and opinions of the community. Ever since COVID-19, the inflation rates have skyrocketed, but our graduate stipend has remained the same. This year we asked for transparency between the student body and the faculty, as well as a stipend increase to adjust for inflation. Such initiatives and actions help us build vibrant, diverse, yet cohesive communities.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

I joined GSA’s ECLP program hoping to explore scientific communities outside of my institution. I enjoy making connections with scientists and researchers from different fields and backgrounds and learning about their experiences. I am hoping to gain experience in an international organization and use the substantial resources that GSA provides to become a better leader, using my experience in GSA to improve and strengthen other communities I’m involved in.

As a member of the Multimedia Subcommittee, I hope to tell stories using different media formats, not just about the genetic study but also about the story behind the work of many scientists. I am excited to take up different roles and learn about the tools used in our Genetics in Your World podcast.

Previous leadership experience

Co-President, Cell and Systems Biology Graduate Union, University of Toronto, 2022-2023

Communications Director, Cell and Systems Biology Graduate Union, University of Toronto, 2020-2022

Founder and President, Science Communication Club, University of Toronto, 2018-2019

Advisor, Science Communication Club, University of Toronto, 2019-2020

Mentor, New Connections peer mentorship program, University of Toronto, 2017-2018

GSA’s new audio interview series is designed to help you discover and share interesting perspectives from the genetics community—even when you only have five minutes to spare.

The excitement of science is meant to be shared.

What if you could hear scientists share—in their own words—the value of their work using yeast, flies, worms, and other genetic research organisms?

What if, at the same time, you would gain insights into some very cool biology and inspiration to talk even more about your own work to broader audiences? 

What if you could do all this by just grabbing a snippet—a few minutes here and there between running a gel or going to a seminar? 

And, what if you could share these short snippets with friends and family outside science (you know, the ones who don’t get that “fruit fly obsession”), so they glimpse why this kind of work is so important? After all, people outside science may want to know how science discoveries are made and how discoveries might benefit them, even if the endpoints of the research are not totally obvious from the get-go.

GSA is thrilled to introduce SNPets. 

Join me and our genetics colleagues—Nobel Prize winners, GSA leaders, and other scientists making breakthrough discoveries—as they discuss the sometimes-twisty roads to their discoveries, how their research organisms made it all possible, and what the scientific community means to them. 

Got a minute? Check out a SNPet for a quick pop of inspiration. 

Carla Bautista Rodriguez is a PhD candidate in evolutionary biology at Laval University (Canada) and a member of the Genetics Society of America. She is also passionate about outreach and scientific communication. She is an active member of various American and Spanish societies that are dedicated to bringing science to the general public.

The GSA multilingual seminar in Spanish, titled “Challenges of Doing and Communicating Science as Spanish Speakers,” was held on September 3, 2021. As revealed by the participant survey conducted during registration, the participants’ origins were very diverse, including many non-Spanish-speaking countries, which indicated the active participation of professionals working in their non-native tongue. Among the outstanding areas of expertise of the participants were pharmaceuticals, agriculture, government jobs, education, and research. This wide range of topics ensured a very fruitful seminar.

The need to meet

This survey revealed shocking perspectives on Spanish speakers in the field of science. While 50 percent of respondents claimed to have an advanced level of English, more than 75 percent admitted to feeling afraid or ashamed when expressing themselves in their professional field. Despite these concerns, more than 80 percent of participants reported making presentations in other languages, and more than 50 percent reported staying abroad. Most respondents also expressed interest in finding a job in countries where their mother tongue is not spoken.

Our panelists

The Spanish seminar was led by 3 incredible panelists with very diverse and interesting profiles. With a more industry-oriented profile, Roberto Carballido is a talent scout and defender of diversity who works for Eli Lilly and Company. A professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Javier Blanco is a renowned researcher in the fields of biochemistry and pharmaceutical sciences. And finally, with a biochemical background, Attabey Rodríguez Benítez is as an important science popularizer and editor of SciShow, a YouTube channel.

Challenges as Spanish speakers

We should normalize the experience of not being understood when we arrive in a new country. Consistency and practice are key. After years of dedication to learning a language, feeling disappointed when you do not achieve fluency in practice is normal. In addition, we have to consider the cultural shock of experiencing all these feelings alone, without the support of family and friends. Furthermore, researchers face constant pressure due to the highly competitive and demanding research environment. Therefore, finding a secure network where you feel comfortable is crucial. 

Practical strategies for overcoming the English language barrier

As part of the seminar, we collected great tips from our panelists on speaking and interacting in English:

1. Outreach is a good way to learn English because you have to explain difficult concepts in an easy way.
2. If you feel that the language barrier is endless in the first instances of your scientific journey, look for other ways to communicate. Your skills can be displayed in many ways: scripts, graphs, techniques, new methods, etc.
3. Find a community where you feel safe. The scientific community is likely multicultural in any country. You will interact with many people who are probably going through the same difficulties as you.
4. Because of #3, native English scientists are used to many different accents, errors, vocabulary, etc. Accept that your accent is not native but still perfect. Your accent is what it is, and it’s nice because it’s a mixture of your native culture and your new culture. Enjoy that distinction! Do not be afraid! Stop looking for perfection. The important thing is to communicate effectively.
5. If you feel that someone does not understand you, ask: have you understood me? Likewise, when you do not understand, ask your interlocutor to repeat and speak more slowly.
6. There are many people who want to help, but they will not help you if you do not raise your hand. They won’t read your mind. Ask For Help. You will be surprised by how they help you.
7. Use tools that make your day-to-day life easier—for example, Grammarly and Wordtune, which are web browser extensions that help correct your texts. (I’m currently using them as I write!)

Why should we continue speaking in Spanish about science?

Transmitting and communicating what we do in our native language is important. English-speaking children are more likely to become passionate about science because they have been exposed to more scientific content in English, the most used scientific language. We, therefore, have to end this bias! We need more resources in Spanish to create scientific interest among young Spanish speakers. The only ones who can do it are scientific Spanish speakers because they can translate science. Furthermore, during the pandemic, there was a growing need and demand from the general population for tools that would allow them to understand what was happening. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity and inform the public about our findings. 

Model your professional career from now on

Finally, we had a conversation more oriented to each participant’s area of expertise, where they shared valuable advice and resources (Table 1). We hope you find all of this information useful, and we especially hope to see you at future GSA seminars! (You can rewatch the webinar here.)

Notes:

1. a. https://college.uchicago.edu/academics/science-communications-courses
   b. https://libguides.ncl.ac.uk/sciencecommunication
2. https://www.aaas.org/programs/mass-media-fellowship
3. a. https://genetics-gsa.org/career-development/early-career-leadership/
   b. https://elifesciences.org/inside-elife/bd8565f0/elife-ambassadors-an-invitation-to-take-part-in-2022
   c. https://www.ascb.org/associated_committee/postdoc-graduate-student-compass-committee/
   d. https://www.aquinoscuidamos.org/
4. https://www.linkedin.com
5. https://www.sacnas.org/
6. http://jobsontoast.com/how-to-convert-a-scientific-cv-into-a-business-cv/
7. a. https://app.grammarly.com/
   b. https://www.wordtune.com/
8. https://getpocket.com/es/

We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Kristen Navarro

Communication and Outreach Subcommittee

Ohio State University

Research Interest

My love of science did not initially come from a place of positivity or wonder. It came from a place of failure. All my life, I was abysmal at mathematics, which proved problematic as it became part of more and more of the school subjects throughout my early education. For the longest time, I felt extremely excluded by the sciences due to my inability to perform well mathematically, and I was at risk of leaving the field altogether. Just as all hope was lost, I discovered genetics.

Here was a field that, at the time, required far less mathematics than such disciplines as physics or chemistry. I found it so intriguing that the field focused on inheritance and the passing down of predominantly qualitative features: a person’s eye color, the color of a single kernel of corn, the shape of a flower, and so on.

For someone like me with a predominantly visual mind, this form of alternative analysis allowed me to quickly grasp and fall in love with science and the critical thinking needed for experimentation. Another wonderful feature of genetics is its flexibility and applicability to countless other scientific disciplines. I discovered cell and developmental biology from the qualitative analysis performed in genetics and appreciated how these disciplines were able to determine key molecular mechanisms from further qualitative analysis, like examining cellular behavior and animal development.

However, cell and developmental biology also intrigued me because I was able to learn critical and statistical analysis in a way that felt more relevant and easier to grasp than my many high school math classes. When combined all together, I was able to find a place in science not only where I belonged but also where I could study clinically relevant issues, such as human diseases and disorders.

Currently, I am extremely passionate about applying fundamental biology concepts and mechanisms to translational research. My current thesis work reflects this interest. In short, I am studying the transmembrane emp24 domain (TMED) proteins in C. elegans. The TMED protein family is highly conserved, so studying the molecular mechanisms is important for understanding how these proteins might be involved in health and disease. C. elegans, a model organism relegated to basic biology, is also an amazing example of applying basic biology concepts to translational experiments, thanks to its high genome conservation with humans.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

I am most interested in pursuing the academic career track and becoming a principal investigator at an R1 institution. Ever since I started doing research in my undergraduate career, I have been interested in becoming a PI. I enjoyed seeing how my mentor was free to pursue his scientific passions and share his interests with undergraduate students who wanted research experience.

Like me, he was from a marginalized background, which was very impactful as all the scientists I had met or seen on television up to that point were not. He made me realize that we need more PIs from marginalized backgrounds. We can provide critical perspectives and insights into the scientific field that may not have been offered by other, more privileged scientists.

I also firmly believe that by writing, a key component of any PI’s career, I can provide my perspective on my selected field. Aligning with one of the core missions of the Communications and Outreach Subcommittee, I would strive to write about and share my suggestions for diversifying the sciences—a goal easily accomplished as a PI.

Additionally, I have long had a strong affinity for mentorship, and I love being able to teach and guide others through the scientific field. As a researcher, I have been blessed to be able to directly impact the lives of undergraduate students working in my lab by passing down valuable lessons and stories from my scientific career. As a graduate teaching assistant, I have also been able to share my wisdom with my students. By becoming a PI, someone whose personal responsibility is to mentor along with conducting research, I will be equipped to guide countless students across all levels, igniting within them a deep appreciation of and curiosity for science. Now, more than ever, it is critical to encourage students to enter and remain in the scientific discipline. Becoming a PI will give me a direct route to do just that.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

Through my thesis work, I have gained the skills necessary to learn about and connect the fundamental molecular mechanisms and classical genetics I am working on with topics that may fascinate a wider audience, such as human health and disease. In the future, I would like to take the skills that basic science has given me and switch to the more translational sciences. I would like to advance the understanding of mechanisms involved in genetic diseases and disorders by applying discoveries first made in basic science model organisms and continue by studying them in vertebrate orthologues, such as cell lines and human tissue samples. I want to continue exploring the cellular, molecular, and genetic causes of diseases by further exploring preliminary work done in orthologous model organisms.

I would also like to make novel discoveries of my own and contribute new findings to my future field. I hope to inspire myself and others by discovering new potential causes of and therapeutic targets for a variety of diseases with complex causes. Finally, to further advance the scientific enterprise, I would like to be someone who can talk and write about science simply. Now, more than ever, it is critical to be able to discuss science in an easy-to-understand fashion and spread that information in an accessible way.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, I hope to leave behind a legacy of challenging and overcoming systemic issues caused by the lack of consistent, meaningful, and diverse access to scientific understanding. Though Gregor Mendel had good intentions when studying his pea plants, the field created in his wake—genetics—has historically been used to harm marginalized peoples. From assigning one’s “fitness” to the shape of their skull or color of their skin to irrevocably altering a woman’s body without her consent, the field of genetics has a long and bloodied history of oppression and cruelty.

Even today, awful beliefs caused by those unscientific fallacies continue to perpetuate systemic harm and suffering. With this historical precedent, I, a woman of color who would have been part of the “genetically inferior,” strive to give the Genetics Society of America the perspective and critical thinking on how to communicate science, especially genetics, to groups who have been historically damaged by individuals claiming to work as scientists.

I aim to use my writing abilities to produce works that can bring understanding of all the sciences to all audiences. My dream is to help dismantle the negative associations and cruel history of genetics and make it a discipline that everyone, especially marginalized people, can access and enjoy. By working closely with the Communications and Outreach Subcommittee, I can reach both the general and marginalized audiences with my published works. The subcommittee will provide me with the tools, critique, and assistance to ensure that I meet my desired goals. Ultimately, I hope to serve as one of many who are actively working to educate the public on the virtues of science, hopefully contributing to undoing the harm caused in the name of science.

Look at any list of the top 10 most aggressive animals, and you will undoubtedly find a mugshot of the North American wolverine. Although much smaller than most of the other animals accompanying it on such lists—such as the hippopotamus and the wild boar—this feisty member of the weasel family has been a protagonist in popular myths, even serving as inspiration for superhero characters and as mascots of sports teams. A wide range of cultural, social, economic, and psychological factors influence human-wolverine relations. In many Indigenous societies, the wolverine is a respected cultural keystone species and is often viewed as a trickster. Unfortunately, these solitary carnivores rely on cold temperatures and snowy environments for their reproduction and survival, so their future remains uncertain in a warming world.

A new study published in the August issue of G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics provides geneticists and conservation biologists with a high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of the wolverine, including extensive annotation of genes involved in behavior and immune responses to pathogens. The authors’ goal goes far beyond the wolverine: they seek to provide similar high-quality assemblies for other species predicted to be impacted by increasing global temperatures. This means setting the benchmark for a workflow that offers the best compromise possible when balancing cost, time, simplicity, accuracy, and completeness for long-read assembly and genome annotation. 

“Our goal is to replace the existing short-read assemblies and increase the quality standards for new reference genomes in light of current sequencing technologies,” says lead author Si Lok.

Improving the standards of genome assembly in the current era

The DNA sequenced in the report comes from a 30-year-old tissue sample of a male wolverine specimen from the Kugluktak (Coppermine) region of Nunavut. Lok and colleagues use PacBio contiguous long-reads (CLR) mode, which typically provides maximal read length at a reasonable cost; however, it is prone to 15-20% pseudo-random errors. To mitigate such inaccuracies while maintaining the numerous benefits of this approach, the authors used a two-step workflow for genome assembly: 1) the uncorrected CLRs are assembled using Flye assembler, followed by a polishing regimen with high-quality Illumina short reads, and 2) the subsequent scaffolding of the assembly against assemblies of related family members.

“It took us nearly two years to optimize a workflow that produces a final genome assembly comprising well less than 1000 contigs—about 10–100 times better than those found in most genome reports—at a cost of under $10,000,” says Lok. The cost is going down all the time.

This new workflow leads to striking completeness and accuracy: 99.98% of the current BUSCO set of 9,226 genes used to assess assembly quality are complete at exon-level in the wolverine assembly, placing it in the top tier of assemblies produced from long-reads. Lok hopes that their report shows how cost-effective, accurate, and complete sequencing and assembly can be nowadays. “No future genome reports should be less than chromosome-level, given the current technologies.”

Conservation genomics meets wolverine behavior

The new article also provides the first full-length mitochondrial genome assembly for the North American wolverine, as well as a tabulation of potential microsatellite markers for the wolverine. Since monitoring population size and distribution, reproductive success, and gene flow in wild populations often relies on analyses of mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites, the authors hope to provide a resource for developing these and other species-specific genomic markers.

In addition, Lok and colleagues annotated genes whose orthologs have been associated with aggressive traits in other organisms—an adaptation to drive competition for food and mates— and the key components of innate immune responses. “Environmental disruptions from climate change will increase vulnerabilities to new pathogens,” says Lok.

“We are in the process of reporting genomes for other species predicted to be heavily affected by climate change in efforts to support their conservation and ecological relationships, such as that of the Canada lynx and the snowshoe hare,” says Lok. He wishes this report to set a minimum standard of quality for future genome reports and resources for conservation biologists.

Guest post by Marah Wahbeh and Arby Abood.

Last year, after a casual conversation with Spanish-speaking early career scientists about the struggle of communicating their work in Spanish, Jessica Vélez, PhD, was inspired to create the Multilingual Seminar Series. This series offers an opportunity for multilingual and non-English speaking scientists and science enthusiasts to talk about science in languages other than English, while also providing a space to discuss strategies for expanding science communication efforts to include non-English speakers. 

When Jessica, who is also the GSA Membership, Engagement, and Early Career Program Manager, reached out to us to ask for our help in organizing and hosting the Arabic session, we enthusiastically agreed. Although we speak Arabic fluently, we use English to discuss our research. It wasn’t until Jessica invited us to collaborate that we realized we have isolated our identities and work as scientists from our mother tongue. This helped us realize that science accessibility has been limited in many ways to only English speakers. 

With that as our motivation, we helped create the multilingual seminar session in Arabic, both as a way to explore the linguistic gap that exists, as well as to practice speaking and discussing science in Arabic with other scientists who share the same experiences. We started planning for the session by identifying our goals, as well as potential panelists. During this phase, we realized there is a scarcity of scientific resources in Arabic, as well as Arabic-speaking science communicators, which emphasized the need for this event. 

When we reached out to potential panelists via Twitter as well as our networks, we saw first-hand a growing excitement about the opportunity to participate. Once we confirmed the panelists, we began advertising the event. Our efforts included reaching out to Arabic-speaking research groups on Facebook, sending out emails to institutions, as well as reaching out to students in the Middle East that we know. Our advertising efforts resulted in over 700 RSVPs!

The panel was comprised of Arabic-speaking scientists and science communicators from different levels of the academic track who are experts in their fields. This included: Rana Dajani, PhD; Ghada Amer, PhD; Tarek Abbas, PhD; Mouadh Benamar, PhD; and Eman Rabie, MSc. 

During the seminar, they started by sharing their career journey and experiences with science communication in Arabic. Throughout the event, the discussion was very engaging as the panel had a wide range of expertise, experiences, and opinions on the topics discussed. Everyone agreed that every person has the right to learn science, as well as have access to the benefits of its advances, and that since the majority of the world’s population don’t speak English, science communication needs to expand to include other languages. Dr. Rana Dajani, professor of biology and biotechnology at the Hashemite University in Jordan said that “sometimes we forget that language can be a barrier and have a duty to society as scientists to make science accessible to all.” 

During the session, one of the discussions was about expanding accessibility through direct (literal) translation of science concepts and words from English to Arabic. This sparked a debate on the sufficiency of translation alone and whether or not it is necessary in all cases. In the words of Dr. Tarek Abbas, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Virginia, “we need to differentiate between the language of science and using a language to talk about science.” Dr. Ghada Amer, Vice Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research in the College of Engineering at Benha University, added that learning and using English is necessary for us as scientists to engage in the modern-day scientific community; however, the best scientists are those who are able to effectively communicate their science to their own communities. 

This is where science communication efforts play a huge role. Although translation can help, understanding scientific concepts requires the use of simplified language that is clear of scientific jargon, similar to discussions around science communication to an audience of English speakers. It’s also important to note that the audience for whom a scientist speaks determines the language. 

Simplified language or not, “we can’t deny that there is a benefit to a universal language for science and having it be English is just what it is now,” Dr. Abbas said. The use of one language to discuss science facilitates collaboration across the world, makes communication between scientists easier, and overall, is similar to the many other industries and professions that use English as their language of communication. 

Although many agreed with Dr. Abbas, others had the opposite idea. Because science is for everyone including all who speak different languages than English, limiting its accessibility to English speakers creates a language barrier that excludes the majority of the world’s population. This barrier can be eliminated if we expand the use of science terms to other languages. 

The panelists also shared different initiatives and efforts for communicating science in Arabic. Dr. Dajani described an initiative in Jordan that encourages students to read, write, and contribute to simple science content online in Arabic through translating Wikipedia pages. This allows contributors to learn how to engage in science in Arabic while also benefiting people who are searching for explanations of science concepts in Arabic online. Other efforts include conferences focused on showcasing Arab scientists such as MIT’s Arab Conference and Arab-American Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium. Dr. Amer shared that the Arab Science & Technology Foundation started the Center of Strategic Studies for Science and Technology last year, with the goal of engaging Arabic-speaking scientists. Moreover, networks like the Society for the Advancement of Science and Technology in the Arab World (SASTA) were mentioned as a way to connect and learn from the expertise of other Arabic-speaking scientists. The panel also suggested that future initiatives should focus on translating scientific jargon into standardized Arabic phrases, paralleling practices already implemented in Mandarin and Cantonese. 

There is a need for spaces where non-English speaking and multilingual scientists can talk about science and science communication in an inclusive way that does not exclude non-English speakers. This is highlighted by the fact that we had 200 extremely engaged participants from all over the world with differing science backgrounds. 88 responded to a feedback survey with the majority expressing positive feedback and interest in events like this in the future. As one of the attendees shared, “I think the most valuable aspect of the event was the fact that there were Arabic-speaking scientists representing different countries and each had unique interests.”

In conclusion, discussion series like GSA’s Multilingual Seminar series not only address the language barriers in science, but also stress the need to use our multilingual expertise to discuss and share science to those who don’t speak English. Moreover, given the recent uptick of misinformation perpetrated by anti-science propaganda across the world, having the tools of communicating science in two or more languages is essential.

Join the GSA’s Multilingual Slack workspace to connect with other scientists in multiple languages!

About the authors:

Abdullah “Arby” Abood is a PhD candidate, bioinformatician, and data scientist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Arby’s research focuses on leveraging the transcriptome to inform bone mineral density (BMD) genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Arby is an alumnus of the NIH Biomedical Data Science training grant. Website: www.arby-abood.com Twitter: @ArbyAbood

Marah Wahbeh is a member of the Early Career Scientist Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee and a 5th year PhD candidate in Human Genetics at Johns Hopkins. She works in the lab of Dimitri Avramopoulos where she studies schizophrenia genetic risk variants in stem cells.