At the gracious invitation of the wonderful and savvy Renee Cramer (see her prescient GWP post, “This Bridge Called Barack”, from February), I am giving a workshop at Drake University on Friday on the topic of being an engaged scholar. Engaged, as in, with a public outside of the academy. As always, I’m encouraging folks to try to FRAME issues in public debate rather than simply react when others do the framing for us, and rely on shoddy evidence to support their claims.
And so I thought I’d ask GWP readers who have had experiences “crossing over” from a more academically-inclined universe to more “pop” or public writing and speaking.
- What have you learned from your experience circulating in a more public realm?
- Any advice to other scholars who wish to do the same?
And if you have not (YET!) done some of that crossover activity but want to, what holds you back? Please tell me, in comments.
Comments
Mama, PhD » Archivio » Seeking Input on “Engaged Scholarship” — December 1, 2008
[...] good friend Girl w/Pen wants to hear from you! From her blog [...]
Girl with Pen » Blog Archive » Heading to the Midwest… — December 2, 2008
[...] 5 - Workshop on Being an “Engaged Scholar” Drake University [...]
Sun — January 17, 2009
SOS! My car was broken on rkad. Musst I call to repairs or pooice?
Stone — January 18, 2009
wonderful think))
Meg — January 19, 2009
What a thought-provoking question!
I am just starting my crossover activity. I recently finished my Ph.D. in chemistry. During graduate school, I realized that I am very passionate about making science accessible/ palatable to a larger audience. That was the easy part. I was fortunate to know a few people who had transitioned into science communication careers. These people made suggestions about how to get into these careers, including steps I could take while in graduate school to get some experience. I applied for a science writing internship, but was not selected. I thought about starting a blog (which I did a few weeks ago), but I procrastinated.
I had good advice from mentors. I had the resources (my scientific experience) to get started. I even had objective evidence that I am able to communicate science well to non-scientists. Still, I procrastinated.
Why I procrastinated is something I am still working out, but I know that I was afraid of failing, of not being good at it (despite evidence to the contrary). The root of this feeling for me was in grad school- I felt like I was "good at chemistry" before coming to graduate school. Graduate school proved otherwise- and our professors only drove this point of view home. As I'm sure everyone coming from academia knows, the only jobs worth having (from an academic perspective) are in academia (despite the fact that there simply aren't enough jobs in academia for all of the Ph.D.s who are graduating). If an experiment didn't work, it clearly was me (and not an incorrect hypothesis). I had to shake off a lot of self-doubt and other people's doubt to get started.
I finished graduate school, and realized that I had to get a job. I am temporarily an adjunct professor, teaching organic chem to pre-nursing students. I try to make it interesting, or at least clear. At the end of last quarter, I had realized the second half of that statement- all but one student passed the class. This realization propelled me into taking the first step- finally writing that blog- I've made 4 science posts so far, and it is a LOT of fun. I'm still teaching this quarter, but am actively pursuing a career in science communication. I still have those doubts, but am at least pushing through them now.
Belinda — January 19, 2009
Good inght, bloggers =)
Star — January 22, 2009
what a true sttory..