The U.S. New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recently launched storytelling and networking initiatives. The storytelling initiative aims to help bridge the gap between the public and scientists, while the networking initiative aims to help young scientists leverage their expertise, energy, and ability to influence change.
For their storytelling initiative, New Voices has collected stories from various science, engineering and health professionals and illustrated them with the help of a graphic artist to make the central messages relatable and inspirational for the public and younger audiences. The hope is that storytelling can inspire a new generation of science advocates and careers, which is underscored by the wide popularity of science-themed movies, books, and podcasts.
To this end, members of New Voices are soliciting stories from across the United States and the world, specifically targeting underrepresented groups and locations through their network connections. Beyond communicating the stories of individual scientists, New Voices hopes to also identify key gaps in Science, Engineering and Medical communication and public engagement efforts to advance initiatives in diversity, inclusivity, and equity.
The networking initiative aims to help young scientists leverage their expertise, energy, and ability to influence change through an online pilot networking tool. The prototype is an interactive, GIS-based map of New Voices’ members that allows the users to filter by various search criteria or by geography to find experts according to their expertise, interests, and importantly, their connections that extend beyond primary institutional affiliations.