Past Event
Indiana Science Communication Day Gives Indiana Graduate Students the Opportunity for Impact
By: Emily Selland, Disha Patel, Connor Schmidt, and Katelyn Ruey Haase
Scientists have an innate sense that their work is important for the betterment and advancement of society. However, articulating such profound work towards action is no easy task for scientists at any career stage, and we must work to better ourselves and our communication skills to do so. Thinking about the greater impact of our work is crucial and fundamental, and we can use it to benefit and advance society. Bridging the communication gap between science and policy, scientists and policy-makers is incredibly crucial, now more than ever.
On March 3rd, 2025, over 30 graduate students from 5 universities across Indiana attended the Science Policy Initiative at Notre Dame’s 6th Annual Indiana Science Communication Day (INSciCommDay) to help minimize this gap one lawmaker at a time. The goal of INSciCommDay was to allot graduate students across Indiana the chance to engage with the policy-relevance of their work, and to do so they dedicated several hours in workshops and preparatory meetings to ensure the message they distill to legislators is clear, concise, and powerful. Graduate students arrived at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, IN ready to share their work with state legislators from the Senate and the House, representatives from our Indiana federal Senators, and interested community members. They spoke to these legislators about topics ranging from science education and outreach in schools and community, supporting global health efforts, and wastewater-based epidemiology. This opportunity allowed graduate students to gain experience engaging a non-scientific audience and to communicate their research directly to policymakers in our state while connecting with fellow researchers within the state.
Back in 2019, the very first INSciCommDay only had 15 participants and 2 posters. Witnessing the growth of this event through graduate students in the state has been astounding, and we commend them all for attending to advance their communication and networking skills. Since its inception, some students have even formed connections with policymakers who are truly interested in making a change and have gone on to pursue internships and careers in science policy, industry, government, and academic research. INSciCommDay is unique because it is not just a “day” – it is a professional development experience that attendees take time to practice and prepare for. By signing up for INSciCommDay, participants are able to attend a Science Communication and a Poster and Pitch Workshop hosted by professionals who provide guidance on how to translate their research so they can discuss science with lawmakers. Historically, Science Communication Day has encompassed a poster session and potential meetings with lawmakers. This year, participants heard from lawmakers who encouraged and welcomed us into the science-policy space (Representative Garcia and Senator Qaddoura), introduced lawmakers and staff to their research through a poster session in the main atrium, and attended a legislative session to witness policy making. Some attendees also had one-on-one meetings with their representatives throughout the day. Around 10-15 lawmakers, and many other legislative assistants, attended the event and held meaningful conversations with the attendees. By making INSciCommDay a multifaceted event, it offered the opportunity for witnessing and interacting with lawmaking and governance on multiple levels.
The Science Policy Initiative is so grateful for the generous support of the University of Notre Dame’s Colleges of Sciences and Engineering as well as the Union of Concerned Scientists to put on the 6th Annual INSciCommDay free of charge to graduate students across Indiana. The extensive support and guidance makes this event accessible for all participants. Additionally, SPI continued its extensive partnership with Indiana’s School of Medicine’s Initiative for Mobilizing Public Health Advocacy, Care, and Translational research for Alzheimer’s Disease in Indiana (IMPACT) to help expand INSciCommDay’s reach across Indiana and ensure that the event is beneficial to all. In partnership with GLOBES and the Association for Women in Science, Notre Dame, SPI brought Dr. Deborah Stine from the Science & Technology Policy Academy to campus for an all-day in-person Science Policy and Science Pitch workshop to offer to all individuals who registered for INSciCommDay that was focused on distilling research to a general audience and policy makers. The workshop began with science policy background and instruction from Dr. Stine. Participants practiced by constructively analyzing last year’s Indiana Science Communication Day posters and developing and delivering their own science policy pitches that were judged by Drs. Katharine Biberdorf, Amy Hixon, Anna Geltzer, and Diego Gómez-Zará. Participants gained insights for explaining their science and work to lawmakers and the community and developed their own policy pitches for the event, taking knowledge and skills with them that they will utilize throughout their scientific careers.
Now, more than ever as science is being defunded across the country, we scientists have a responsibility to communicate our work, engage with our local communities, and work to rebuild the trust in our field that has broken down across the United States. We know that science and research and development (R&D) play a pivotal role in advancing human knowledge, driving innovation, and addressing global challenges. Through scientific inquiry, we gain insights into the workings of the natural world, leading to technological breakthroughs that improve our quality of life, enhance healthcare, boost economic growth, and protect the environment. But, our job does not end there. We must ensure that we effectively communicate our science to promote informed decision-making, encourage critical thinking, and build trust between scientists and society. We are looking forward to more INSciCommDays to come – so keep an eye out for information about the 7th INSciCommDay next spring, and please reach out to the Science Policy Initiative at Notre Dame (scipol@nd.edu) if you are interested in helping us to make it happen!
Check out the article written about the event from Notre Dame Office of Public Affairs and Communication’s here!