One of the pillars of the Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) is that beyond their research, our scientists can contribute to society through science communication and public engagement. As part of their program year, YCA Fellows participate in science communication training and complete one outreach activity of their choice to engage with a community they care about. Since 2016, YCA Fellows have completed 150 outreach projects including blogs, newspaper articles, op-eds, and podcasts; lesson plans for educators and school visits; panels, workshops and conferences; public lectures; new science communication and advocacy initiatives; and hurricane relief efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has been no exception.

As part of their training and leadership development, Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) fellows are required to create and implement a science outreach activity of their choosing. These outreach projects are meant to expand the impact of the program, by allowing YCA fellows to engage with young people, teachers, or other members of the public, particularly from communities traditionally underrepresented and underserved in science. In 2018, YCA Fellows completed a variety of projects, impacting more than 6,000 people.

This article was originally published in Nature. You can read the full lenght English version there. You can read the full lenght Spanish version by clicking on ESPAÑOL at the top right of your screen.

The Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) aims to develop well-rounded scientific leaders and professionals. Completing a science outreach project is one aspect of the program that helps fellows advance towards this goal. The 2017 class of YCA Fellows led and implemented a series of science outreach projects to put into practice the communication, teaching and leadership skills they learned during their year in the program. The projects included various podcasts, a full-day symposium on deaf mental health, and a new blog in a major Spanish-language newspaper.

Last semester, I did an internship at the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Clinic of the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where we specialize in treating patients with chronic respiratory disease. Soon after starting my clinical rotation, I noticed the large number of visits from Puerto Ricans, especially women. Alarmed, I decided to investigate the reasons for this trend, and I went to the library to find more information about the subject.