Graduate

Instructs science students in communicating about their work with the non-scientist public, including written, visual, and audio forms of communication. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students in science and engineering studies. Enrollment is by interview with the instructor to confirm level of scientific training and writing experience. Taught in conjunction with SCIC 100. Students cannot receive credit for this course and SCIC 100.

A survey of the conventions of newspaper journalism and the special application of those conventions to scientific and technological subjects.

A survey of selected feature articles in the current national science magazines, with attention to strategy, level of complexity, explanation technique, and style. Writing assignments include a publishable feature article.

A survey of science and nature profiles and essays. Purpose, content, form, and style are considered. Writing assignments include original profiles and essays on current issues in science, technology, and society.

Rigorous examination of techniques for reporting topics where science and technology meet public policy and society. Covers essential skills of investigative reporting, including obtaining documents through Public Records Act requests, using online reporting resources, and writing about ethical and legal issues.

Introduces web-media tools for reporting science stories and enhancing coverage for broad audiences, including video packages, narrated slideshows, podcasts, blogs, and still photography. Laboratory sections address skills for handling equipment and online editing.

Theory and practice of writing and editing articles on scientific, medical, environmental, and technological subjects for newspapers, magazines, and special publications directed at non-technical readers.

Effective data visualizations have grown into global movements, such as the "warming stripes," climate change visualization by Ed Hawkins, and have been used to guide policy, for instance, in the COVID-19 pandemic response. This course trains students in data-based storytelling that promotes research and science communication for the benefit of communities and policymakers on local and global scales. Students draft a science writing script, create custom raster and vector graphics, program data visualizations, learn to model and animate 3D models, and create animated compositions. For their final project, students assemble these data-driven assets into an animated video abstract for their own research or that of a collaborating researcher. Taught in conjunction with SCIC 110.

A media internship is completed with faculty tutorial assistance, to satisfy a need for the student when a regular course is not available. Enrollment restricted to graduate students formally accepted into the writing track of the Science Communication Program.

Independent Study