Enhancing Graduate Student Communication to General Audiences through Blogging about Nanotechnology and Sustainability

Journal Article · Tue Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Chemical Education, 91(10):1600-1605

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ed500050d· OSTI ID:1167604

Bishop, Lee M.; Tillman, Ayesha S.; Geiger, Franz M.; Haynes, Christy L.; Klaper, Rebecca D.; Murphy, Catherine; Orr, Galya; Pedersen, Joel A.; DeStefano, Lizanne; Hamers, Robert J.

We have developed and assessed a multiauthor science blog on the topic of nanotechnology and sustainability as a tool to improve the written communication and public engagement skills of graduate students. Focus group studies revealed that after participation in the blog, student authors felt more confident and capable of communicating technical topics to general audiences. Students' research mentors viewed this as an important component of their students' education, as indicated by survey data. Important design aspects of this effort include participation of an editor as well as having flexible content and target-audience guidelines. We have explicitly outlined aspects of the effort we see as critical in order to enable others to replicate this model in related settings.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1167604
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-106817; KP1704020
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Education, 91(10):1600-1605, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Education, 91(10):1600-1605
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Graduate Education/Research
Curriculum
Public Understanding/Outreach
Communication/Writing
Internet/Web-Based Learning
Professional Development
Nanotechnology