Overview
We are passionate about communicating science. We engage in education & outreach activities locally in our Los Angeles and Southern California community, and more broadly, through initiatives online to reach national and international audiences. Together we:
- Engage diverse audiences in current lab research activities;
- Partner with local schools to offer hands-on education in systems biology;
- Train a new generation of scientists to be simultaneously literate in the mathematical and life sciences.
Activities and Opportunities
Stem cell superhero
Our game is now online! Play stem cell superhero to learn the composition of the bone marrow and how computational modeling can be used to predict and explain stem cell dynamics. Can you keep our superhero happy with the right balance of blood cells? This outreach project was created by Jesse, Xiaojun, Megan, and Adam, with contributions from others in the lab. Play game now
WiSE Fellowships
The USC women in science and engineering (WiSE) program is an initiative to increase the representation of women in science and engineering, and to help women at USC to succeed. Megan and MeiLu are actively involved in WiSE. The mentorship program for incoming graduate students offers help with the beginnings and navigation of graduate school life. Details of the program can be found here.
Skype a Scientist
We volunteer with the Skype a Scientist program that connects students and teachers in classrooms with scientists in labs to learn about their research. Recently Adam met with young students in Aberdeen, UK. (His Scottish heritage was, as far as we know in terms of matchmaking, a coincidence.) You can learn more about the program and sign up here.
Megan visits local high school
In June 2019, Megan gave a lecture on introductory topology to high school students, discussed why studying math is valuable, and described how it can open doors to a wide variety of different fields, including systems biology.
Science talks and the future of medicine
In London, Adam co-organized science communication days that brought TED-like talks about the future of medicine to general audiences. Events were held at the Royal Albert Hall (above left, 2014) and at the Royal Geographical Society (above right, 2013) that gathered audiences of 2000 and 800, respectively. Topics in 2013 included the improbability of pregnancy and the hidden addiction of pathological gamblers. More talks here. Photograph credits: tedmedliveic.