When Science Speaks

Have you ever watched an interview that went beyond boilerplate questions and got to the heart of the subject? It takes skill and a well-honed appetite for curiosity to move past the superficial and begin to peel back layers of intrigue. You don’t have to be an award-winning journalist to ask good questions. Embracing your curiosity and developing proper research and listening skills can help you in just about any career you choose.

What is the value of investing in and encouraging mentoring relationships? As you look at the progress you've made in your career, can you point to a mentoring relationship that made a significant impact on your development? Leading the charge and championing mentoring relationships at the University of Chicago is Dr. Valerie Fako Miller.

Dr. Fako Miller is the Assistant Director of Postdoctoral Affairs in the Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. She was a postdoc at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the National Cancer Institute where she served as the liaison between NIH fellows and training directors of NIH institutes. Dr. Fako Miller also served as President of the Bethesda chapter of the Association for Women in Science. She received her Ph.D. in pharmacology from the Indiana University School of Medicine after getting her Masters and Bachelors in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

What You'll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

• [1:05] Mark introduces his guest, Dr. Valerie Fako Miller.
• [2:30] How did Dr. Fako Miller discover her passion for Chemistry?
• [4:10] Dr. Fako Miller talks about the value of quality mentorship programs.
• [10:30] Are there any good resources on how to be a good mentee?
• [13:00] Dr. Fako Miller shares insights about science communication.
• [18:00] What has fueled the rise in interest in science advocacy?
• [22:45] Should scientists stay out of politics?
• [27:00] How scientists can get involved in science policy at the local level.
• [29:00] Closing thoughts from Dr. Fako Miller and Mark.

Connect with Dr. Valerie Fako Miller

• Dr. Fako Miller on LinkedIn

Resources & People Mentioned

• National Research Mentoring Network
• National Postdoctoral Association
• 314 Action

Developing a healthy culture of mentoring

One of the best ways to invest in the next generation of leaders in our country is to pour resources into programs that focus on mentoring relationships. While some disciplines have robust mentoring programs, others are just getting off of the ground. Following the facts, key leaders like Dr. Valerie Fako Miller are leading the way as they seek to empower and encourage postdoc researchers and other young professionals. At the University of Chicago, in the Biological Sciences Division, Dr. Fako Miller and her team follow mentorship curriculum from the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN). NRMN works to implement and disseminate innovative, evidence-based best practices to improve mentoring relationships at institutions across the country. If you want to go deeper with the fantastic work that NRMN is doing, make sure to check out the link in the resources section at the end of this post.

Breaking the gridlock and opening lines the of communication

There is no question that we are in the middle of a polarizing political climate. The problem is, how do we find a wavelength that both sides can use to open the lines of communication? From attack ads to misinformation, the way forward won't be found by sticking to the same tactics that got us into this mess. The climate may be troubling, but there is hope, innovative leaders are hard at work encouraging and equipping young scientists with tools to bridge these divides. In her work at the University of Chicago, Dr. Fako Miller is witnessing some excellent progress in the area of science communication. She says that a significant number of postdoc researchers are jumping in and flexing their science communication muscles. Recently, postdocs planned and led a symposium that featured a keynote address and a workshop centered on science communication at the University of Chicago. Hopefully, the more these young leaders learn how to communicate their research and expertise in effective ways the greater our chances are for an engaged and receptive audience. Get the full conversation between Mark and Dr. Fako Miller by listening to this enlightening episode of When Science Speaks.

Connect With Mark and When Science Speaks

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What is the value of investing in and encouraging mentoring relationships? As you look at the progress you’ve made in your career, can you point to a mentoring relationship that made a significant impact on your development? Leading the charge and championing mentoring relationships at the University of Chicago is Dr. Valerie Fako Miller.

For too long, research and post-doc studies have been limited to an exclusively academic environment. It's time for a change in the form of increased internship opportunities. Raising this important call for grad students, PhD Students, and Postdocs is Dr. Shoba Subramanian. Dr. Subramanian is the Director of Curriculum and Educational Initiatives, Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, at the University of Michigan Medical School. In her current role, she uses her scientific background for curriculum innovation and leads the career and professional development team in the office of graduate and postdoctoral studies. Shoba holds a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and completed her postdoctoral training at UCSF and also Carnegie Mellon during which time she had a productive research career in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Cell, and Microbiology. She holds a Master's Degree in Molecular Biology and Bachelor's degree in Microbiology from the University of Madras and the University of Mumbai.

Before joining Michigan, Shoba held multiple faculty and leadership roles at CMU, such as the Assistant Department Head for Graduate Affairs, Assistant Teaching Professor, Assistant Director of MS in Computational Biology at CMU and also the Undergraduate program at CMU-Qatar. She has advised and taught hundreds of BS, MS, PhD students, and trainees and guided them to successful internships and full-time positions. She has a strong record of teaching and education. She has developed and taught multiple courses and workshops and she is the recipient of two faculty fellowship awards for innovation in education.

What You'll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

• [1:05] Mark introduces his guest, Dr. Shoba Subramanian.
• [3:00] Dr. Subramanian talks about what she expects from her students.
• [8:00] How students can hone their networking abilities.
• [12:45] Dr. Subramanian opens up about the challenge of moving to the US.
• [18:45] Why we need more hands-on educational opportunities outside of the classroom.
• [25:20] How educators can support and actively engage post-doc researchers.
• [31:15] Closing thoughts from Mark.

Connect with Dr. Shoba Subramanian

• Dr. Subramanian on LinkedIn
• Dr. Subramanian on Twitter

Resources & People Mentioned

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Building students up.

When you were in school did you ever connect with an educator in a way that made you feel that they were rooting for your success? Support and encouragement from educators can go a long way in building students up as they advance in their academic careers. Thankfully, educators like Dr. Subramanian are stepping up to engage and equip the next generation of our nation's workforce.

Shoba has a wonderful perspective when it comes to the growth and development of her students. She sees her role, not as a passive bystander but as an active and engaged participant. It is almost as if the success of her students equates to her sense of accomplishment as an educator and professional. Imagine if the academic community had more passionate faculty members like Dr. Subramanian who believe in their students and find ways to encourage and equip them every step of the way.

Increased internship opportunities will lead to innovation.

Beyond an educator or mentor that helped pave the way for them, many successful STEM professionals can also point to that first real-world career opportunity they received. Unfortunately, these opportunities are hard to come by and for some students can take quite a long time to secure. What if there was a way to get postdoc researchers the internship opportunities they need that showcases the innovation they bring to the table?

Hard at work on this critical endeavor is Dr. Shoba Subramanian. As a faculty leader, Shoba has directly advised over 200 students and wants to see more opportunities open up. There are many researchers who are chomping at the bit for someone to give them a shot so they can get the real-world experience they need to succeed. While some disciplines have a great track when it comes to internships, many are still lacking. Dr. Subramanian is not alone in her efforts to highlight the need for increased internship opportunities; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released two reports over the summer of 2018; on this same topic.

To hear Dr. Subramanian expand on this crucial issue, make sure to catch her full conversation with Mark on this engaging episode of When Science Speaks.

Connect With Mark and When Science Speaks

• http://WhenScienceSpeaks.com
• https://bayerstrategic.com/
• On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BayerStrategic
• On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bayer-Strategic-Consulting-206102993131329
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For too long, research and post-doc studies have been limited to an exclusively academic environment. It’s time for a change in the form of increased internship opportunities. Raising this important call in post-doc studies is Dr. Shoba Subramanian.

All too often higher education gets a bad reputation when it comes to administrative accountability. Imagine what it would look like if more educational institutions championed accountability and transparency. Helping to pave the way in this vital arena is Dr. Stephanie Huie.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Stephanie Huie is one of 7 Executive Officers for the University of Texas System. Responsible for strategy, policy analysis, accountability, and project management for the UT System (235,780 students) and its 14 academic and health institutions with an overall operating budget of $19.5 billion, Dr. Huie is Vice Chancellor for the Office of Strategic Initiatives for The University of Texas System. She leads a team of research and policy analysts to transform data into timely and meaningful information to support UT System initiatives and policy decisions across its 14 institutions with a focus on enhancing insight, transparency, and accountability. Most notably, Dr. Huie oversees the development and implementation of the UT System Dashboard, a web-based business intelligence system that provides analytics for policy decisions and measures productivity and accountability in higher education. She also developed a first-of-its-kind partnership with the United States Census Bureau to obtain national wage data for all UT System graduates. This data is presented through seekUT®, a free online tool that provides post-graduation outcomes of UT System graduates by program of study.

What You'll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

• [1:08] Mark introduces his guest, Dr. Stephanie Huie.
• [3:30] Stephanie talks about tailoring content to your audience.
• [8:00] What led Stephanie to partner with the US Census Bureau?
• [12:00] Did Stephanie find any surprises from her demographic research?
• [15:00] How did Stephanie end up developing a dashboard tool?
• [19:20] Understanding the cost of higher education.
• [23:20] The value of championing transparency and accountability.
• [28:30] Advice for those who want to get engaged in research and policy work.

Connect with Dr. Stephanie Huie

• Dr. Huie on LinkedIn

Resources & People Mentioned

• US Census Bureau
• data.utsystem.edu
• seekut.utsystem.edu

Catering to your audience

Have you ever been to a presentation or lecture that completely missed the mark? You know the ones where the presenters misread the room, and they push ahead with jargon and terms that the audience clearly doesn't understand. Are instances like that inevitable or is there something that the presenter can do to help build a bridge and make it easier on the audience? There is hope for professionals like you, a bored and unengaged audience doesn't have to be inevitable. Dr. Stephanie Huie serves as a prime example of an educator who has successfully communicated her research in an engaging way. When she presents, Dr. Huie works hard to understand where her audience is coming from, tailoring her approach accordingly. Most notably, Dr. Huie was able to communicate her research findings to Texas state legislators in a way that helped them understand the investment of tax dollars in higher education.

The value of focusing on administrative accountability

With the national conversation increasingly focused on higher education and its impact on the workforce, there is no better time to dive into administrative accountability. As tuition costs continue to increase, many state legislatures are paying close attention to the return on investment taxpayers should expect when it comes to state-operated higher education.

Dr. Stephanie Huie has achieved major strides with her work on the UT System Dashboard. This innovative approach provides analytics for policy decisions and measures productivity and accountability in higher education. The goal behind this effort is to help students, parents, and the general public understand some basic facts about the higher education system and the tools necessary to go even deeper with the data if they so chose. Dr. Huie's work highlights the increased attention that leading administrators are providing when it comes to accountability and transparency.

Get a more detailed exploration of Dr. Huie's work and hear her valuable insights by listening to this informative episode of When Science Speaks.

Connect With Mark and When Science Speaks

• http://WhenScienceSpeaks.com
• https://bayerstrategic.com/
• On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BayerStrategic
• On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bayer-Strategic-Consulting-206102993131329
• On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdanielbayer/
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Subscribe to When Science Speaks on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher

All too often higher education gets a bad reputation when it comes to administrative accountability. Imagine what it would look like if more educational institutions championed accountability and transparency. Helping to pave the way in this vital arena is Dr. Stephanie Huie.

What do you think of when you hear the term, "Broader Impacts?" Have you ever received a brief and definitive explanation of the term? To remove all confusion and cut to the heart of what this term means is the Broader Impacts Guy himself, Dr. Michael Thompson. Dr. Thompson is currently on the Senior Staff of the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Founding Director of the Broader Impacts in Research organization at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Thompson specializes in Impact Strategy, Professional Faculty Development, Broader Impact Research, Proposal Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and much more. You don't want to miss a minute of this episode as Dr. Thompson provides his helpful take on the definition of Broader Impacts and as he reveals some valuable communication tips.

What You'll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

• [1:10] Mark welcomes his guest, Dr. Michael Thompson.
• [3:00] What is meant by the term, "Broader Impacts."
• [5:30] How did Michael get involved with Broader Impacts?
• [10:30] The scholarly definition of Broader Impacts.
• [12:00] Michael talks about the progression of his career.
• [15:30] Tips for scientists who are navigating the course of their career.
• [21:00] Advice for communicating with audiences who are new to your topic or field.
• [29:00] Closing thoughts from Michael.

Connect with Dr. Michael Thompson

• Dr. Thompson on LinkedIn
• Dr. Thompson on Facebook
• Dr. Thompson's website

Resources & People Mentioned

• The Fundamentals of Logic
• National Science Foundation

What is "Broader Impacts?"

The term, "Broader Impacts" is defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as "...the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes." The NSF further clarified its thinking on broader impacts in 2011 when it issued a report stating that broader impacts "may be accomplished through the research itself, through activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are directly supported by, but are complementary to, the project" and that all broader impacts activities must be meaningfully assessed and evaluated. Dr. Michael Thompson went even more in-depth with his explanation of this term, going beyond what NSF has defined by reaching back to pre-modern America. Dr. Thompson says that the Choctaw Nation has a name for broader impacts called "I'yyi Kowa." As a concept and practice, it meant that this service needed to ensure beneficial stability or "social balance" and advancement of their society.

Communication Tips

It is no coincidence that most people fear public speaking more than any other situation, getting up to speak in front of others is nerve-wracking. What if there was a way to midgate those fears and hone your ability to communicate to your audience? Most professionals don't have a problem with the content of their communication, it often comes down to delivery or adjusting their approach to their audience. Dr. Michael Thompson was gracious enough to reveal his helpful tips for communicating to an audience that is new to your topic or subject matter.

• Be observant. Watch other communicators.
• Read and research communication techniques.
• Listen to yourself talk. Eliminate filler words (uh, um, and).
• Learn how to think while you are talking.
• Read something that makes you think before you speak.
• Practice speaking over and over.
• Be prepared for the unexpected.

These are just a few of the powerful insights that Dr. Thompson shares on this episode. To hear more about how he became a more effective communicator, make sure to listen to this episode of When Science Speaks.

Connect With Mark and When Science Speaks

• http://WhenScienceSpeaks.com
• https://bayerstrategic.com/
• On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BayerStrategic
• On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bayer-Strategic-Consulting-206102993131329
• On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdanielbayer/
• On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayerstrategic/
• On Medium: https://medium.com/@markbayer17

What do you think of when you hear the term, “Broader Impacts?” Have you ever received a brief and definitive explanation of the term? To remove all confusion and cut to the heart of what this term means is the Broader Impacts Guy himself, Dr. Michael Thompson.

When was the last time a science and policy article went viral? If you are struggling to think of one, you aren't alone. With the help of skilled professionals like Dr. Jeffrey Toney, the tide might be changing. Dr. Jeffrey Toney is an educator and a scientist whose career has spanned academia and the pharmaceutical industry. He serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Kean University in Union, Toms River, and Manahawkin, New Jersey, as well as Wenzhou, China. Kean University is focused on access and opportunity. His news media publications include Huffington Post, The New York Times, and The Hill. He also has published more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications and holds six US patents.

What You'll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

• [1:10] Mark introduces his guest, Dr. Jeff Toney.
• [3:15] Jeff opens up about the intersection of science and his various interests.
• [5:00] How did Jeff get involved with teaching at Montclair State University?
• [7:30] Why scientists need to develop their communication skills.
• [10:00] Jeff talks about how he connected Ariana Grande's dog to human rights.
• [11:30] How did Jeff get involved with public policy issues?
• [14:30] Should scientists stay out of politics?
• [16:20] The best public policy is driven by data.
• [18:00] Jeff's advice for scientists who want to get published.
• [22:30] How did Jeff get involved with supporting entrepreneurial efforts in social justice?

Connect with Dr. Jeff Toney

• Follow Dr. Toney on Twitter
• Ariana Grande's Wonder Dog

Resources & People Mentioned

• Harry Kroto
• Music for Relief
• Mass Challenge
• SurgiBox

Making science and policy work relevant in everyday life

Which classes stood out to you the most when you were in high school? Did you look forward to gym class where you could show off your physical prowess? Or did you enjoy that class with the teacher who made even the dullest subject roar to life with relevance? It's no secret that a vast chasm separates science and policy work from the popular consciousness. We need educators, scientists, and policymakers who can bridge the divide and help make these vital topics engaging for the average person. Surveying this divide, Dr. Jeffrey Toney continually looks for ways to engage his students and help bridge the gap. With the understanding that the average scientist struggles in the area of communication, Dr. Toney makes it a point to mentor his students and help them overcome this significant barrier. Seeking to connect his passion for human rights advocacy with popular culture, Dr. Toney wrote an article for Huffington Post that received a lot of positive attention. Check out the link to his article located in the resources section at the end of this post.

The best public policy is driven by data

With the recent mid-term elections, science and policy decisions have been thrust into the headlines once again. As the debates rage on at Capitol Hill, the question remains, what is the best way to develop public policy? Dr. Toney states that the best approach to public policy is to focus on data. Scientists are trained as Dr. Toney puts it, "to be agnostic about outcomes." They don't chase after something that they already think is true; they follow the data to establish new truth. While Dr. Toney doesn't advocate for a partisan approach, he sees the value of bringing scientific expertise to bear on policy decisions. Dr. Toney's engagement in policy work isn't just theory; he's actively engaged in important advocacy work on multiple fronts. From his work addressing human rights issues to serving on the advisory board of SurgiBox, it is clear that Dr. Toney doesn't just talk about advocacy work, he's actively engaged in it. Learn more about Dr. Jeffrey Toney's fascinating perspective by listening to this engaging episode of When Science Speaks.

Connect With Mark and When Science Speaks

• http://WhenScienceSpeaks.com
• https://bayerstrategic.com/
• On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BayerStrategic
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• On Medium: https://medium.com/@markbayer17