Applications are open for QB3-Berkeley’s graduate student and postdoc science writing workshop, Science Writing for the Public: Share Your Research and Connect with Audiences. This three-part workshop will offer participants training in writing science communications for a general audience. Description, timeline, and application details below.
Workshop Description
Writer, editor, and QB3-Berkeley communications manager Mackenzie Smith will host a three-part workshop to help graduate students and postdocs learn to write about research for general audiences. This workshop will provide QB3-Berkeley scientists with a roadmap for drafting a general interest article, blog post, interview, profile, or photo essay that highlights their research or a related area of study.
Workshop participants will gain insight into writing for lay audiences and experience working with an editor, culminating in an opportunity to publish a piece on QB3-Berkeley’s website this summer or during the 2024-2025 academic year. Participants who complete the workshop and publish their work on QB3-Berkeley’s website may also have the opportunity for their piece to be crossposted and promoted via additional UC Berkeley channels, including The Berkeleyan, Transcript Newsletter, and social media. Take a look at the articles, interviews, and profiles published on our website by past Science Writing for the Public participants.
Timeline
- Application deadline extended to Monday, April 22, 2024
- Applicant notification: Friday, April 26, 2024
- Workshop begins: Monday, May 6, 2024
May 2024 workshop dates
- Monday, May 6, 10:00-11:00 am
- Wednesday, May 8, 10:00-11:00 am
- Friday, May 10, 10:00-11:00 am
Additional details and participant expectations
- The workshop will be capped at 12 participants.
- To participate in this workshop, applicants must be a student in the Computational Biology or Biophysics graduate programs, or be a graduate student or postdoc in a QB3-Berkeley faculty affiliate’s lab, with preference given to trainees in QB3-Berkeley labs. Please visit our website for a list of QB3-Berkeley faculty affiliates.
- Participants can expect to spend about an hour of preparation time before workshop sessions two and three.
- Upon completion of the workshop, students and postdocs should commit to submitting a piece for publication on the QB3-Berkeley website. Participants will then work with QB3-Berkeley communications manager Mackenzie Smith to revise, edit, and publish their work over the 2024-2025 academic year.
Apply
Interested graduate students and postdocs should complete the workshop application form. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 22, 2024.
Please direct any questions to QB3-Berkeley communications manager Mackenzie Smith.