Special Seminar with Dr. Aimee Bernard on Science Communication
We are excited to announce a special seminar on March 20th, from 1-2pm (Q&A from 2-3pm) in DV3130CC
Speaker: Aimee Pugh Bernard, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology and Microbiology
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Title: Science Communication. The Art of Making Science Interesting and Relatable to the General Public
Learning to communicate our science to the general public is an essential component of academic training and professional development that is often overlooked.
Why is your research important and why should the public care?
What is your strategy to weave a compelling story about what you do?
How do you tackle the challenge of relating the findings of your complicated scientific projects using language that is understandable and approachable?
As scientists in training, you are (or will be) involved in some of the most innovative and cutting-edge work relevant to current, real-world issues. Communicating the details of your science to the general public is more important than ever - not only to obtain funding but to share the findings and impact of our scientific endeavors to society at large. Most importantly, most of us don’t know how to talk to (non-scientist) people about science! As an interactive audience member of the ‘Science Communication Seminar,’ you will discover why and how to engage effectively with the public.
Aimee Pugh Bernard, PhD, has a broad background in cellular immunology and molecular biology, with specific expertise in human immunology, having attained her PhD in the developmental regulation of human B cells and the autoimmune disorder Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). As a graduate student, Aimee studied the developmental regulation of VH4.34-expressing B cells as an experimental system for the study of human B cell tolerance. Her studies revealed that mechanisms of cellular regulation during development are impaired in patients with SLE leading to a breach in self-tolerance.
Dr. Bernard is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus (CU AMC), the Director of the CU AMC Basic Sciences Departments Science Communication Program, and a Co-Director of the Colorado Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CCTSI) Science Communication Project. Aimee is a dedicated educator who teaches immunology to a variety of professional students across the CU AMC and serves as the immunology content director for the CU School of Medicine (CUSOM) undergraduate medical curriculum.
To fulfill her desire to promote science literacy beyond the walls of academia, Aimee frequently hosts community-based vaccine education seminars and Q&A sessions, records a podcast (Help! Make It Make Sense with Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee) devoted to answering listener’s questions and concerns about vaccination, and authors the Team Vaccine Immunology 101 blog series focused on explaining how vaccines work with the immune system to defend us from disease, and advocates for pro-science policy at the Colorado State Legislature. In all her roles, Aimee strives to serve as a positive influence on education, science communication, and public policy.
Dr. Bernard was just interviewed on The Immunology Podcast about 'Public Outreach' along with the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) President, Akiko Iwasaki. To hear the interview only (and skip the primary literature review updates), skip ahead to 32:00