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New major links science, communication
Ilene Wolf likes science and math and loves to write. And she wants to make a difference.
Those are the ideas that come up when Wolf, a freshman from near Miami, Fla., talks about why she’s going into a new interdisciplinary major in science communications being offered at Vanderbilt. Wolf originally signed up to major in Human and Organizational Development at Peabody, but came across the new course of study while cruising Vanderbilt Web pages during the summer.
The emphasis of the course of study offered in the College of Arts and Science, is on preparing students for communication of science, engineering and technology in a variety of settings. The major fit right in with something that Wolf had realized during a summer internship.
“I was working in a television department in news and I got to go out with reporters and work on the assignment desk,” she said. “What I realized was that you really need a specialty if you are going to go into that field.
“I really want to make a difference. So I’d like to be a national science reporter and be able to tell people: this is what these brilliant people are doing, and that we should be thankful!”
The course of study in science communications is listed as a minor in Vanderbilt’s academic catalog. The approach Wolf is taking is called a “contract individual interdisciplinary major,” a course of study that can be designed and approved through the associate dean, said Rick Chappell, director of science and research communications in the Division of Media Relations.
The interdisciplinary major lets participants study a variety of different subjects. “Those students as undergraduates will have an array of careers to chose from: not just as science journalists, but in any career that’s at the intersection of science/technology and the public,” Chappell said. “They could become an environmental lawyer, a legislative aide, a management consultant, a public health official or a p.r. person for a chemical corporation.
“The person could go into engineering sales, selling high tech equipment in a way people could understand. Or they might write novels set in a research environment. There are a lot of careers that require that bridging ability.”
Students who graduate from the science communications course will be standard bearers in an economy that places increasing importance on technical and information skills, Chappell said. “They’re going to be able to say, ‘I’ve got a new skill and I can be important to your company,’” he said.
“They’re going to have skills that very few people have had coming out of school.”
The interdisciplinary major also offers students a for-credit internship program, both on campus and in the national arena in such places as NASA, the Discovery Channel, National Institute of Health, CNN, and the American Chemical Society, according to program material. This fits in with Wolf’s plan for further internships toward her post-graduation goal of becoming a science reporter for a local station.
“I think it’s a great major because it’s for science and communications majors alike,” she said. “I think Dr. Chappell’s goal is help out both sides. Scientists are going to have to lobby for money and this will help them get their points across. It’s also good for the communications majors,” who need to know specifics of science.
This semester, Wolf is taking chemistry, intermediate English composition, science communications, Hebrew studies and a psychology course in the development of the human mind.
A graduate of the program could take a variety of different directions for graduate work, Chappell said.
“You could get a masters in science journalism at Wisconsin or the University of Missouri or the University of California at Santa Cruz,” he said. “Or if you wanted to go into environmental law, you could go to the law school or if you wanted to be an entrepreneur, you go to business school.”