1. Home
  2. News
  3. MiSciComm Helps Graduate Students Share Science Be...

MiSciComm Helps Graduate Students Share Science Beyond the Lab

By Lynn McCain | September 30

For graduate students immersed in highly specialized research, explaining complex scientific concepts to a general audience can be a challenge. A University of Michigan student organization is helping bridge that gap by giving students opportunities to write, illustrate, translate, and creatively communicate science in accessible, engaging ways.

Charu and Colter pose with the newest edition of EquilibriUM Magazine.Formerly known as MiSciWriters (Michigan Science Writers), the organization recently rebranded as MiSciComm (Michigan Science Communicators) to reflect the broad range of science communication activities it now supports.

"We started as a graduate student organization focused on helping graduate students and postdoctoral fellows learn how to communicate science through writing," said Charukesi Dhurvas Sivakumar, a fifth-year doctoral student in the Molecular and Cellular Pathology (MCP) graduate program. "Over the years, we've expanded into illustrations, translation, outreach, and other forms of science communication. The new name better captures everything that we do."

Founded in 2015, the organization originally focused on blog-style scientific writing, pairing student writers with student editors to develop articles from initial concepts through publication. Today, MiSciComm serves graduate students from across the university, including those in biomedical sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry,  and other disciplines in both writing and other aspects of science communication.

"We're really trying to reach students across the university," Sivakumar said. "Science communication is valuable regardless of your field."

A Creative Outlet for Scientists

One of the organization's signature projects is EquilibriUM, an annual print magazine that blends science, art, and storytelling. Now preparing to release its fifth edition, the publication showcases long-form science communication pieces alongside illustrations, photography, creative writing, and other artistic interpretations of scientific topics.

"It's different from our blog because we emphasize the intersection of science and art through longer-form content and a multimedia approach," Sivakumar said.

The magazine is distributed throughout campus buildings, medical campus locations, and businesses around Ann Arbor. Digital editions are also available through the organization's website.

For Colter Giem, a third-year MCP PhD student, discovering EquilibriUM introduced him to the organization.

"During my first few weeks at Michigan, I found one of the magazines sitting in a lounge area and started flipping through it," Giem said. "There was a poem about black holes, and I thought, 'This is really cool.'"

After reading the magazine, Giem visited the organization's website, learned more about its mission, and eventually joined as a writer. "I pitched a piece to EquilibriUM, worked with editors and an illustrator, and loved the process so much that I came back the next year as both an editor and illustrator," he said.

Charu displays Colter's illustrated story in EquilibriUM Magazine.Learning to Communicate Science Clearly

While graduate students receive extensive training in scientific writing and publishing, communication aimed at non-specialist audiences often receives less attention.

"As graduate students, we get a lot of opportunities to learn manuscript writing and publishing," Giem said. "What we don't always get is training in writing narratively and writing for general audiences."

That focus on accessibility is central to the organization's mission. "We're interested in how to communicate science to broader audiences and how to simplify complex scientific concepts and jargon," Sivakumar said. "Those skills are useful not just for science communication, but for teaching, presentations, outreach, and many other aspects of a scientific career."

For Giem, learning to communicate unfamiliar topics has also strengthened his own understanding of science. "When I wrote my article for EquilibriUM, it was about plant immunity, which was completely outside my area of expertise," he said. "Researching it and then explaining it to a lay audience helped me understand the subject at a much deeper level."

As Sivakumar noted, effective communication often tests understanding. "If you can explain it to someone else, then you really understand it."

Building Skills and Professional Networks

Beyond writing and publishing opportunities, MiSciComm provides members with valuable networking experiences. Sivakumar has been involved with the organization for four years, first serving as communications director and now as scientific engagement and outreach coordinator. Through that work, she has helped organize workshops, recruit guest speakers, maintain the organization's website and blog, and develop programming focused on visual communication and design.

Recent offerings have included graphic design workshops and collaborations with other student organizations, reflecting a growing emphasis on the many forms that science communication can take.

The group is also actively involved with ComSciCon-Michigan, part of a nationally recognized science communication initiative that brings together graduate students from universities across the state, including the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University.

Through these activities, members connect with professionals working in science communication, outreach, education, publishing, and related careers. "The networking opportunities have been incredible," Sivakumar said. "It's helped me realize that science communication is something I genuinely enjoy and something I want to pursue as part of my future career."

Scan the QR Code to join MiSciComm.An Open Invitation

Members say one of the organization's strengths is its accessibility. "MiSciComm is a very low-pressure and welcoming environment," Sivakumar said. "You can contribute as a writer, editor, illustrator, and translator. You don't need prior experience, and you can explore areas you've always been curious about."

The organization welcomes graduate students from all disciplines and is always looking for new contributors. "We're always looking for more people to get involved," Sivakumar said. "Whether you want to write, edit, illustrate, or simply learn more about science communication, there's a place for you."

Those interested can learn more through the MiSciComm website, where information about meetings, workshops, publication opportunities, and membership is regularly posted.

Read stories written by our MCP graduate students:

Gabrielle Rozumek - Blood-to-Stem Cell Transplants & Lab Grown Mini Eyeballs: How scientists are helping us see the future of vision science.

Charu Sivakumar - From Synapses to Symphonies: A Connection Through Sounds

Colter Giem - Fighting in the Fields: Plant Immunity, Crop Diseases and the Battle to Feed the World

 

 
graduate program MCP
Rate this Article: