OMSI Science Communication Fellows are STEM professionals or industry and academic researchers, including faculty, graduate students, technicians, or other individuals in science, engineering, health, or technology related positions. After participating in specialized training, Fellows are certified by OMSI as current science ambassadors and skilled communicators. Fellows join a community of STEM professionals passionate about helping public audiences engage with STEM in meaningful and relevant ways.

What's in it for you? 

• Communication training grounded in research around best practices in informal science education.
• Ongoing opportunities to engage with museum visitors and communities around the state.
• Official OMSI Science Communication Fellowship certificate of completion and letters of acknowledgment as needed.
• Regular networking opportunities with local scientists committed to public engagement and education professionals.
• Complimentary admission to Science Communication Extensions - an occasional professional development workshop series focusing on a variety of science communication topics.
• Museum membership.

What does it take?

• Participation in OMSI's Science Communication "Short Course," a series of four professional development workshops focused on building skills to effectively communicate with public audiences. (Workshops are 3–4 hours each, spaced over 3–4 months.)
• Collaboration with museum educators to develop a unique, hands-on activity and display representing each Fellow's work.
• Participation in a minimum of three public programs a year. Most Fellows participate in Meet a Scientist, a public program held on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, exclusively featuring Fellows with their hands-on, table-top activities.

See below for application details.

Collaborate with OMSI to create customized broader impact, education, or outreach plans for your NSF or other grant proposals. OMSI can help by facilitating participation in the Fellowship program, or by co-developing more complex education plans to submit as part of your proposals. Let OMSI’s team of experienced educators, program developers, and science communicators help strengthen your proposals and broaden the reach of your research.

Collaboration Possibilities:

• Include tuition for the Science Communication Fellowship for you or researchers on your team.
• Co-create a customized class on the topic of your research for our OMSI educators to teach locally, at our Coastal or Desert Camps, or for our Outreach team to take on the road throughout the Pacific Northwest.
• Develop a robust hands-on activity on your area of research to be facilitated at the museum by our educators for OMSI visitors.
• Work with the OMSI evaluation team to evaluate and prepare an in-depth report on the effectiveness of your broader impact activities.

Interested? Contact Us:

Contact Amanda Fisher at Afisher@omsi.edu for further information. Please keep in mind we will need 3-6 weeks to prepare a full Broader Impacts plan and accompanying materials.

Custom science communication workshops engage groups of professionals in dynamic, hands-on and reflective activities designed to promote team building and introduce STEM experts to basic science communication concepts and techniques. These practices and theories are broadly applicable to a range of educational outreach settings including classroom programs, informal facilitation of a display or activity, or casual conversations. Work with OMSI staff to custom-design a workshop appropriate for your group.

Possible Workshop Goals:

• Introduce participants to fundamental concepts related to how general public audiences learn and understand science concepts throughout their lives.
• Identify and practice effective science communication strategies (like using analogies, framing concepts, avoiding jargon, etc.) that assist professionals in communicating complex information to a lay audience.
• Assist participants in developing meaningful and relevant messaging related to their own work.

Format and Logistics:

• OMSI staff can travel to facilitate the workshop at your location or you can hold your workshop on the OMSI campus. Travel fees may apply outside the Portland Metro area.
• Generally, workshops last at least 2-3 hours. Workshops can be designed as stand-alone experiences, or strung together in a multi-part series.
• Workshops generally take place in a classroom setting, with participants sitting in small groups around tables to facilitate hands-on interactive learning.
• Workshops can be designed to serve anywhere from 10 – 100+ participants (although smaller groups of no more than 25 participants is optimal for this format).

Cost Structure:

• Costs begin at $1,500 for a 1-3 hour workshop, serving up to 25 participants

Interested? Contact Us:

Contact Amanda Fisher at Afisher@omsi.edu to discuss your needs and explore possibilities for what we can provide.