because science is fundamental in the 21st century
Our mission is to give the people a voice who are working on making the world better using evidence. With the twitter rocur account @SfPRocur we simply hand over the mic!
Email us who you are and what you want to tweet about to info@scienceforprogress.eu! We will check if it's a good fit!
Dr. Amanda L. Glaze is Assistant Professor for Science Education at Georgia Southern University. Her position allows her to do both, applied science research and education research. She is looking for ways that academics can support and prepare the next generation of science teachers and thinkers. Teachers are the ones who have the single greatest opportunity to have an impact on public perceptions in science.
Amanda focuses on evolution education from kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12). Evolution education is noted as the greatest failing of science education in the 21st century in the USA. This is mostly because many people still find the theory of evolution to be fundamentally anti-religious, and thus “controversial”. These deeply seeded misconceptions about science are used as grounds for anti-science legislation, climate change denial, and other contentious points.
Amanda engages frequently in talks about science and religion, to share her own story of navigating conflict between her highly religious background and being a scientist in a field the public sees as very anti-religious and controversial.
During her week on @sfprocur, Amanda wants to highlight the importance of having a scientific worldview. Science is for everyone and understanding the nature of science is key to informed decision making and building a better world.
Monika Sziron M.A. is a PhD candidate
in technology and humanities at Illinois Institute of Technology. She is interested in the intersection of technology and society, and she likes looking at the blending of technology and humanity.
Monika Sziron’s work has focused on AI, robots, animals, cyborgs, people, and ethics.
During her week on @sfprocur, Monika Sziron plans to talk about AI, Robots, and Cyborgs!
If a week goes by without me Tweeting about infectious diseases, something is seriously wrong.
Sherilyn Burris is a Certified Emergency Manager, and holds master degrees in Occupational Safety and Health & Environmental Management, as well as Public Administration and Emergency.
She works at Cascia Consulting LLC as an adviser for government public safety, corporate, and nonprofit disaster and business continuity programs. In this way, she can help a variety of stakeholders with challenging issues such as climate change and emerging technologies.
Sherilyn is particularly passionate about Human behavior in disasters. She brings attention to the unique ways people access, understand, and use risk data to make personal and community decisions, for example during fires, floods, hurricanes, or earthquakes. She gives workshops, writes publications, and communicates widely on social media.
During her curation on @sfprocur, Sherilyn wants to convey that “Science shows up in the most unexpected places. Government: science. Disasters: science. Data: science. Disease outbreaks: science.” And she will do so with JRR Tolkien references!
Filipa M. Ferreira, MSc, is a PhD candidate in neuroimmunology in Zurich, Switzerland. She studies the onset and development of multiple sclerosis (MS). Filipa is also involved with the
Young Scientist Network (LSZYSN) of Life Science Zurich, a student organization that brings together life science companies and early career scientists.
Filipa informs early career scientists about the jobs they can find outside academia, about the skills they need to develop, and about opportunities for entrepreneurship during and after the PhD.
In her week at @SfPRocur, Filipa wants to make clear that there’s no such thing as an ‘alternative’ career in science. “A conscious decision to stay in academia is as brave as the decision to leave it.”
Dr. Susanne Tönsmann is managing director of the Participatory Science Academy in Zurich, Switzerland.
There, Susanne provides scientists and non-scientist citizens with the knowledge and training they need to efficiently work together. The core idea behind their work is to have citizens play an active role in science, rather than just paying for it via their taxes. Susanne and their colleagues are trying different methods and formats to make that happen. This job provides a wonderful opportunity to engage the public (“whoever that is”) and to make science more relevant to the many problems that the world faces today.
Susanne thinks that science, scientists and universities have a responsibility to solve real world problems; this should not be a side effect of research, but at the core. However, researchers in academia are mostly rewarded for publications and acquired grant money.
During their week at @SfPRocur, Susanne will discuss how the academic merit system can get in the way of that responsibility, and what could be done to improve things.
Dr. phil. des. Fanny Gutsche-Jones is Community Manager at the Citizen Science Center Zürich in Switzerland, where she works to tear down barriers between academia and the rest of society. The Citizen Science Center promotes real collaboration between academics and other members of society; not just increased dialogue between the two.
Fanny thinks that anybody should be able to do research about questions that interest them. “Contributing to that in a position where I am at the intersection between academics and non-professional researchers, or those who will become ones, is very exciting and fulfilling.”
In her week at @SfPRocur, Fanny will tweet about ongoing citizen science projects and about the potential for change that comes from public participation in knowledge production.
Pilar Vesga, MSc, is a PhD candidate in the plant pathology group at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, where she studies how some bacteria could be used to combat harmful insects and plant diseases. Her work helps lay the groundwork for better pest management, which could eventually help solve the world’s food crisis.
In her week at @SfProcur, Pilar will discuss biological pest control, the food crisis, the role GMOs can play in solving it, and what the alternatives are. As a microbiologist and general bacteria enthusiast, she will also share some of her favorite curious microbes.
“If we constantly have to talk to people about why fake science is wrong […], we will not be able to move biomedical research forward.”
Dr. Hillary Stires is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University (Washington DC, USA). She is currently transitioning from cancer research to science policy work.
Hillary is particularly passionate about including patient advocates in the dialogue for the next frontiers of cancer research. She encourages other scientists to consider the patients’ concerns when designing experiments, and hopes to improve patient-researcher relationships by raising awareness in researchers.
During her curation on @sfprocur, Hillary will talk about the scientists’ responsibility to communicate their science with broad audiences. Not only are many researchers and institutes in biomedical sciences funded by the public, there is a lot of misinformation by non-scientists that is slowing biomedical progress.
Tabitha Moses is an MD-PhD student specializing in translational neuroscience at Wayne State University in Detroit, USA. Her work focuses on substance use and mental health in underserved and stigmatized communities.
She is also interested in understanding the different views of physicians and activists about the rights of people with disabilities, such as deafness or autism. Through her research, she hopes to make long-term changes in our understanding and policy about these issues.
During her curation on @sfprocur, Tabitha will talk about the ways she is involved in changing society. She wants to show that there is always an opportunity to work for the change you want to see in the world, no matter who you are or what your career looks like at the moment.
Gaius Julian Augustus is a freelance science artist who focuses on infographics, illustrations, and animation. He is also finishing a Ph.D. in cancer biology. He hopes to combine what he has learned from art and science in fun content that excites people about the world.
This week, Gaius will address issues that can make people feel like they do not belong in academia, like being trans* and having mental health problems. He will also discuss how scientists can use art to communicate more effectively with each other and the general public.