FDSC 422: Communication of Scientific Research

When one thinks of necessary skills for a scientist, the first things that come to mind are often the "hard skills" associated with benchwork. However, in the age of technology, communication skills are more important for scientists than ever. This is particularly relevant for food scientists, as more and more consumers become interested in- and worried about- where their food comes from.

"Sci Comm" is a discussion-based course where a small group of undergraduates pursuing independent research were presented with the opportunity to develop skills in reading and discussing primary literature, writing research grant proposals, and presenting research through posters, formal oral presentations, and presentations geared toward non-science audiences. Each activity in the curriculum was individualized for the students to ensure that they would work on projects with deliverable endpoints- for example, the grants written were formatted in a style to be submitted without any further review to the Department of Food Science's Undergraduate Research Award Committee and the posters they created at the end of the year could be used in the Gamma Sigma Delta Research Symposium.

A main pillar of this course was based on departmental engagement. In addition to the opportunity to submit grants for funding for their projects, students participated in a poster symposium as their final exam, giving flash talk presentations to a panel of judges from the department and discussing their work with faculty, students and staff. This course was developed in 2013 by Dr. Nikki Shariat, who passed it on to me in 2015 after accepting a full time professorship at Gettysburg College. The course was accepted as part of Penn State's elective curriculum in 2016.
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