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Learning Science Communication
Learning Science Communication
When I began my undergraduate education, I had little experitse in science communication. I didn't know how to read or even look for scientific articles. There have been many courses and experiences where I was challenged to learn and develop my skills in science communication. The projects descriped below are just a few that have contributed to my growth.
In the Fall of 2023, I chose to take Writing in the Sciences. This class is aimed towards science majors and works to improve skills in technical, discipline specific writing as well as general science writing. There were two major projects, the first was a review of literature. Given my future career goals as a forensic scientist and my interest in the specific topic, I chose to write about fire investigations. This involved amassing a collection of peer reviewed articles on the topic, reading through them, and communicating the information contained in my paper. This project developed my skills in both understanding and writing the technical language of my prospective career.
Linked in the title for this section is the my page dedicated for this class.
Lyon Fire Investigation Review of Literature 2023.pdf
The second project was a collaboration between myself and two of my peers. The goal was to communicate the technical knowledge we gained through our initial work to a general audience. We read through each other's reviews of literature and select articles to get an understanding of all the topics that would be covered. We then collaborated on short articles on the three topics and posted then in a webpage format. Linked to the left is the final product. Composing these articles allowed me to practice communicating complex information in a way that the general public will understand.
Special Topics Case Studies
Special Topics Case Studies
I have had the opportunity to take multiple special topics courses for forensic science. Two of these courses involved a case study presentation. I took Arson and Explosives in the Spring of 2025. I chose to do my case study on John Leonard Orr, a serial arsonist that was active in the 1980s and early 1990s. In this presentation, I focused on the investigation and evidence that convicted Orr.
John Leonard Orr.pptxThe Boston Strangler.Lyon.pptxThe second case study I completed was on the Boston Stranger, a serial killer that was active in the early 1960s. As the special topics course was on tissue injury, I focus on the physical injuries that the victims received.
🚨Warning: There is graphic content in the slideshow, particularly past slide 24.
Both of these case studies gave me practice in examining investigations, particularly the forensic evidence that was used to find the perpetrators. I was able to communicate the facts of the case and the significance of the evidence in a presentation to my peers.
Instrumental Chemistry
Instrumental Chemistry
For both my forensic science and chemistry degrees, I was required to take instrumental chemistry. As the name implies, this course focuses on instrumental methods of analysis. A major project was putting together a poster that summarized the findings from a peer reviewed article. My partner and I chose to do an article on the detection of oral fluid stains on fabric using deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy. We selected the most relevant images included brief descriptions of the introduction, methods, results and discussion, and conclusion. The final step was create an online presentation, where we talked through each section, giving more detail on the findings.
Lit. group 3 - deep UV Detection of Oral Fluids.pptxLyon Honors Critical Review.docxI chose to do an honors contract for this class. In an honors contract, I complete a project in addition to the regular course work. The professor for instrumental chemistry had an honors project prepared for her students. In order for the class to count for honors credit, I completed two papers. The first was a critical review of the article previously summarized as a poster. This involved examining the article under the scope of a peer reviewer. I analyzed the relevancy, aims, and structure. Doing so developed my scientific literacy.
The second portion of the honors contract was writing a profile about an instrumental technique we didn't cover in class. I chose to write about electric noses and their use in arson investigations. I researched how E-noses work and their potential use in fire investigations. The final product was a two-page summary of the information I learned, including figures and data. Putting together this paper gave me practice researching an unfamiliar topic, learning through peer reviewed articles, and conveying what I learned in a concise manner.
Lyon Honors Contract-Profile.docxGrowth in Scientific Communication
Growth in Scientific Communication
The various projects presented here have developed my experience in science communication. I am able to understand peer reviewed articles in my field of forensic science and chemistry, and then convey this information to peers in the scientific community. The different projects I completed focused on different aspects of this. The review of literature familiarized me with reading peer reviewed articles and taught me how to write for scientists when I was still beginning my undergraduate education. My case studies were forensically focused and taught me how to convey information in a presentational format. Once I was further in my education and more familiar with scientific writing, I was able to analyze a peer reviewed article under a scrutinizing lens, as shown in my critical review. My profile on E-noses showcases my ability to learn about a new technology and communicate that information concisely.
This is also evident in the website I created with two of my peers. In this, I communicated scientific information in a way that the general public can understand. This is particularly important for my career as a forensic scientist, where I will be serving as an expert witness in court. In this role I will have to communicate complex scientific analytical methods to people who will have little to no familiarity with science. Over the course of my undergraduate education, I have been taught these analytical methods. The projects I have completed developed my skills in scientific communication that I will carry with me into my career as a forensic scientist.
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