“Our expertise is science; their expertise is what they need.” This statement by panelist Elina Kostyanovskaya referred to the importance of listening to vulnerable communities. It was one of several key takeaways from the webinar “STEM Students Responding to COVID in their Communities,” which was jointly hosted by ESAL and the National Science Policy Network […]
ESAL volunteer Rebecca Mandt writes about how her experience as a genetics researcher has inspired her to get involved in her own community. She showcases the many tools ESAL offers and encourages readers to take the first step in local engagement.
CovidSMS is a texting service that provides local coronavirus information that formed during the John Hopkins University COVID-19 Virtual Design Challenge. ESAL spoke with Serena Wang, one of the student leaders, to understand more about the inception and development of their idea.
St. Louis Food Angels is a volunteer initiative by STEM students and alumni at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and Fontbonne University during the COVID-19 pandemic. They serve at-risk community members by handling last-mile deliveries of groceries and healthy food box donations for partners.
Melissa Baker is a third-year medical student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a founding board member of Medical Supply Drive, a student-led organization. ESAL spoke with Melissa to see how they're mobilizing to respond to the critical shortage of masks and protective equipment in hospitals across the U.S.
Kathryn Kundrod and Mary Natoli are Ph.D. candidates in the bioengineering graduate program at Rice University and active members of Rice University’s Cycling and Triathlon Club. ESAL interviewed them about their advocacy for transportation safety around campus and broadly in the City of Houston.
Holly Williams believes outreach experiences are the perfect way to cut your teeth on community engagement. She has volunteered at the California Academy of Sciences as a science educator for nearly two years now. In this month's Story, she describes how she leveraged her STEM background in small ways and still made a big impact.
