Meetings Outside the Box: a program to build skills in science communication through networking of graduate level trainees and high school teens (29.1)

Abstract

The vision of this project is to leverage an existing program for graduate level trainees (Trainee Meetings Outside the Box, TMOB) in the launch of a newly developed program for high school teens (Teen Meetings Outside the Box, TeenMOB). TMOB has been extremely well received amongst graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at the University of Texas Health and Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). The mission of TMOB is to provide a structured setting for the discussion and development of scientific communication skills for trainees, which will serve as the foundation for the continued effective communication of science and career development. Following this model, we will create an environment that allows TMOB trainees to work closely with teens interested in science to organize a sustainable teen science café (TeenMOB). The goals of TeenMOB are to: 1. Provide dynamic, engaging, and facilitated group discussions designed to promote scientific career building skills and mentoring relationships among UTHSCSA research trainees and San Antonio teens with a focus on underrepresented minority (URM); 2. Increase STEM education experiences for high school students who are underrepresented in STEM fields; 3. Provide experiences for graduate trainees to increase science communication and mentoring skills; and 4. Establish the first sustainable teen science café network within San Antonio.Grant Funding Source: Supported by ASBMB Science Outreach Seed Grant