Science Communication Resources

The STEM Ambassador Program connects passionate professionals in science, technology, engineering, and math with schools and communities to inspire young people through real-world experiences and role models. Ambassadors volunteer their time to break down stereotypes, broaden career horizons, and spark curiosity by showing how STEM impacts everyday life and future opportunities.

The University of Utah’s DASL (Diverse and Inclusive Science Leaders) program empowers PhD students to become skilled science communicators through workshops focused on written, verbal, and policy-based outreach. It fosters community engagement by hosting TEDx-style talks and partnering with institutions like UCSD, UCSF, and SACNAS to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM.

The Science Communication Fellows Program at the Natural History Museum of Utah trains scientists to effectively share their research with public audiences through informal education formats like Scientist in the Spotlight, Science Café, and community outreach events. Fellows participate in a series of hands-on workshops to refine their messaging, practice storytelling, and engage diverse audiences using museum resources and real-world tools.

The University of Utah’s Health Communication Certificate is an 18-credit interdisciplinary program designed to equip students with the skills to effectively communicate health information across diverse contexts. Offered through the Department of Communication, it explores how health messages are co-created, transmitted, and received—preparing both undergraduate and graduate students to improve public understanding and engagement in healthcare settings.

The University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) is a multidisciplinary initiative committed to educational justice and social transformation. It provides for-credit and non-credit college-level programming to incarcerated students at Utah State Correctional Facilities, offering courses in subjects like art, history, law, music, and philosophy. Founded in 2017 through a Praxis Lab in the Honors College, UPEP also engages in empirical research and advocacy to expand access to higher education in prison settings.

STEMCAP (STEM Community Alliance Program) at the University of Utah brings inquiry-based STEM programming to youth-in-custody by connecting them with scientists, artists, and community educators. Through interactive science presentations, art-science workshops, and conservation projects, STEMCAP fosters multidirectional learning and helps incarcerated youth see themselves as capable contributors to scientific communities.

The University of Utah’s Graduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education is a five-course program designed to prepare graduate students and faculty for effective, inclusive college-level instruction. Offered through the Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence, the curriculum covers student-centered pedagogy, equitable teaching practices, cyber pedagogy, and course design grounded in cognitive psychology and backward design principles2. Participants build a robust teaching portfolio while exploring strategies for engaging diverse learners across in-person and online environments.

The University of Utah’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition challenges graduate students to distill their complex research into a compelling, jargon-free presentation that lasts just three minutes. Hosted by the Graduate School in collaboration with the Career and Professional Development Center, the program includes training workshops and culminates in a campus-wide showcase where winners advance to the Western Association of Graduate Schools regional competition. It’s a high-impact exercise in research storytelling, designed to sharpen communication skills for both academic and public audiences.