In many university courses, students hand in their final essay or exam and then walk out of the classroom, the impact of their work limited to its value to their final grade.
Science Communication for Social Change (BIOL 4811), a course introduced last winter at Dal, encourages students to look at their final projects as more than just a means of achieving a passing grade, but also as a way of inspiring positive change in their communities.
Department of Biology PhD student Leticia Magpali was encouraged by her supervisor, Dr. Joseph Bielawski, to teach the course, which builds on a background in science communication established in her home country of Brazil.
Hoping to better inform the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, Leticia joined a collective of students, scientists, and researchers from institutions across Brazil that used social media to dispel misinformation about the virus. Leticia says the group’s profile grew to the point that they could attract the attention of policymakers with the ability to affect change.
“I wanted this course to focus on learning the practical aspects of science communication, but also reflect on how we can use science communication to actually produce change in society,” she says.
'A resounding success'
Incorporating guest speakers from across Dal and her network of science communicators in Brazil, the course’s final project encouraged students to use their passion for science to make a positive impact.
The first offering of the course was a resounding success, says Leticia.
“My mind was blown by how amazing the students were as people and as future scientists,” she says.
Learn about some of the creativity students showed in the course below:
Surviving (and thriving) in biology labs
Combining his experience as a teaching assistant with his passion for making digital content, Owen Connolly (BSc’24) created an animated video for his YouTube channel designed to help new students make the most out of the time they will spend in first-year biology labs. The clip covers everything from ensuring they read the prelab material to understanding how to use a microscope.
“It felt meaningful to share the knowledge I’ve gained as both a student and teaching assistant and apply it to create a learning resource for future students,” Owen says, noting the project represented a “capstone” to the final semester of his undergraduate degree. “There is a great sense of accomplishment whenever I get a comment saying that they’ve helped someone out.”
Though Owen has graduated, he plans to continue the video series for first-year biology students, so interested viewers should subscribe and stay tuned.
Visualizing the risks of antibiotic overuse
While working part-time as a medical office assistant in a downtown Halifax family practice clinic during the final term of her undergraduate program, Dona Nelson (BSc’24) identified a need for patients to be better informed about antibiotics, medications used to fight bacterial infections. Overuse can lead to bacteria developing an immunity to antibiotics, known as antimicrobial resistance.
For her project, Dona designed a colourful, infographic-style poster that was displayed in high-traffic areas of the clinic. “I summarized the science behind antibiotics and why it is dangerous to overuse them,” she says.
Reflecting on her experience in the course, she described it as unique compared to others she has taken. “You get to see the results of your assignments and projects beyond just a numerical grade. I learned about what kind of impact knowledge and science can have on others.”
Debunking myths about diabetes
Juveria Memon, a fourth-year undergraduate student double-majoring in biology and English, says there is educational inequality in her home country of Pakistan, with men often having more formal education than women.
To reach an audience of female friends and family members back home, Juveria recorded a conversational vlog-style video in Sindhi, a Pakistani language, on the topic of diabetes, specifically to dispel the myth that if you eat a lot of sugar, you’ll get the disease. “I wanted to make my content digestible and not intimidating,” she says, noting her audience may know conversational English but not technical terms. “This video was hopefully the first in a series I’ll make to help bridge this educational gap.”
Other projects accessible online include:
· Let's talk about sex - it may not be as binary as you think, by Sierra Gaudreau (YouTube)
· Avoiding and treating trichomoniasis, by Hilary Burke, Meera Baskaran, Ozun Akcan, and Rosane Efila Mbenoun (@teamcreepycrawlers on TikTok)
Science Communication for Social Change (BIOL 4811) is offered again in fall 2024. There are no prerequisites, though instructor approval is required. For more details, contact leticiamagpali@dal.ca