A Bit Overdue

 In light of a very unusual semester, I wanted to thank the 109 staff for developing all the material as they did, especially Dr. Becky Meyer, who supported me throughout this journey. In so many small ways, this class has succeeded into changing me into a better scientific communicator, and I have the Comm Lab to thank for that. I'd like to take this chance to reflect on the key concepts I've learned over the course of this class, even if I haven't always been on top of the material.

1. Circularity

I remember Prerna describing this concept during a Comm Lab presentation, and it made so much intuitive sense that I couldn't believe I hadn't encountered it earlier. While experimental work often revolves around a linear timeline, the communication of this research is a story, as much as I was unfamiliar with this practice. Whenever I start a presentation, I start thinking about the key message, and how to converge in a new fashion.

2. Collaboration

In so many ways, science needs to be collaborative. While being a present and full partner can be difficult, especially in these times, talking to someone about science can truly flesh out investigative concepts and motivate work. I am truly grateful to my lab partner, Gabi Ndakwah, for being with me through this semester.

3. Convention

While this concept is a bit more abstract than the previous two, I felt that I understood what the current scientific landscape was asking of a "methods" or a "discussion," which I had always known the baseline definitions of, but didn't know how to execute in practice. This class primed me to understand scientific language that can often feel complicated or dense. Now, I feel significantly more comfortable reading papers, presenting, and asking questions.

I hope everyone has the chance for rest during winter break.

Best regards,

Linda

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