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Abstract:
This episode of "Immune Booster" features Cindy Lifer interviewing Dr. Aimee Pugh Bernard, an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado. Dr. Bernard discusses her unconventional career path, which began with a traditional PhD in immunology but evolved into a strong focus on teaching and, more recently, dedicated science communication. She highlights the critical need to bridge the gap between complex scientific research and public understanding, particularly for foundational science, by overcoming barriers like paywalls and scientific jargon. Dr. Bernard shares insights into her work translating scientific papers for the general public, organizing intensive immunology workshops for non-specialists, and actively engaging with audiences through platforms like "Unbiased Science" and social media. She advocates for scientists, especially younger generations, to embrace science communication as a mandatory skill, offering practical advice on how to get involved through workshops, social media, and writing platforms.
Teaching and Communicating Immunology with Aimee Pugh Bernard
0:00 Introduction to Immune Booster: The episode, recorded at the American Association of Immunologists conference, features Dr. Aimee Pugh Bernard, an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado, known for her science communication efforts.
1:37 A Non-Traditional Career Path: Dr. Bernard discusses her career trajectory, starting with a traditional PhD in immunology focused on human B-cell development in lupus, followed by two postdocs. She emphasizes embracing unconventional paths and seizing opportunities.
5:20 Transition to Teaching-Focused Roles: After her postdocs, Dr. Bernard took an intense undergraduate teaching position, which, while burning her out with four classes per semester, provided extensive teaching experience.
6:34 Shift to Clinical Guidelines and Human Immunology Initiative: She spent a year at a children's hospital assisting physicians with clinical guideline writing, then joined a major human immunology and immunotherapy initiative at the University of Colorado.
8:36 "Fun-size Human Immunology" Workshops: As part of the initiative, Dr. Bernard developed intensive three-day, eight-hour workshops for faculty and postdocs without formal immunology training, which saw overwhelming demand.
11:08 Current Role and Focus on Science Communication: Her current responsibilities include teaching medical, physician assistant, and graduate students, with a significant and growing part of her career now dedicated to science communication.
13:01 Bridging the Gap in Science Communication: Dr. Bernard explains her work with six basic science departments at CU Anschutz to translate their research into accessible language for the public, aiming to give foundational scientists more recognition and funding.
15:17 Overcoming Barriers: Paywalls and Jargon: She identifies paywalls and scientific jargon as major barriers to public understanding of science, advocating for scientists to translate their work into plain English.
16:16 The Importance of Plain Language: Dr. Bernard stresses that scientists often lose the skill of communicating without jargon during their training and encourages remembering what it was like before grad school to effectively explain science.
17:15 Celebrating Small Wins: She advises scientists to communicate their "small wins" and the immediate impact of their research more frequently, rather than waiting years for major publications.
18:35 Her Process for Science Communication: Dr. Bernard outlines her method: requesting papers from scientists, sending a questionnaire (including career and personal aspects to humanize scientists), then writing "meet the scientist" profiles or "exciting discovery" summaries for public consumption, which are then reviewed by the scientists.
22:43 Trusted Sources and Social Media Engagement: She has started working with "Unbiased Science," a voluntary platform that cites scientific literature and accessible sources (like Mayo Clinic) to provide reliable information.
25:05 Scientists' Role on Social Media: Dr. Bernard highlights that a significant portion of young people get their news from social media, making it crucial for scientists to be present online to share accurate information and counter misinformation. She uses "Funsize Immunoninja" on Instagram.
26:34 Advice for Young Scientists: She recommends taking science communication workshops (e.g., CCTSI, Invest in Science), exploring social media (Instagram as a friendly starting point), and writing for trainee-focused platforms like "Science Bites."
30:29 Science Communication as Mandatory: Dr. Bernard concludes that science communication should be a mandatory component of science training, as scientists can no longer "hide in labs."
30:57 Fun Tidbit: Taekwondo Black Belt: Dr. Bernard reveals that her "Funsize Immunoninja" moniker comes from her 5'2" height and her achievement of a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo with her children.