Testimonials

Chemistry Communication Leadership Institute
September 15-19, 2009, Seattle

In my career, I've rarely had the chance to refine and expand my writing past dry scientific papers.

This course helped me to bolster my research career with new written, spoken, and digital ways to reach out to the wider world about my science. It was fantastic!

--Michael Tarselli, Ph.D.
Research Associate, Micalizio Group, Scripps Florida

Thank you for this workshop. I came here searching for the tools to communicate environmental science and policy to the public. I have gained more knowledge and ideas in one week than in the last three years. My career goals are to become involved in environmental policy, outreach, or similar venue of communicating environmental and public health information to the public . . . .

I plan to freelance and submit articles about environmental exposure issues to magazines and my local paper. I also have a blog on this topic that I have not yet made public, and this course has given me the confidence to continue my work on it.

-- Heidi Hubbard, Ph.D.
Formerly of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The Chemistry Communication Leadership Institute led by Dr. Deborah Illman was a stimulating and rewarding experience. Dr. Illman's passion, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge for writing and communication really came through. The four-day course had the perfect balance between learning from journalism professionals and from hands-on exercises. Not only did I gain a better understanding of how to write and speak more effectively as a scientist, I also came back to my home institution inspired to make chemistry more accessible to nonscientists. Any chemist interested in raising the visibility of chemistry or simply becoming a better communicator would greatly benefit from Dr. Illman's course. It was truly an eye-opener! Nowhere in my chemistry career have I been exposed to the materials covered, and I am confident that they will directly benefit my career for years to come.

-- Dick T. Co, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow,
Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center

I want to thank you for the great opportunity of letting me attend the workshop that you hosted. It was a wonderful experience not only because I have learned so much from you and others, but also because I have met these other postdocs, who have very nice personalities. You are a great mentor, and this is a great opportunity. I do wish you will host an advanced class next year so that I will learn more from you -- I really appreciate your time and your effort.

--Yuee Feng, Ph.D.
Former Postdoctoral Research Associate, CENTC
Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University

The Chemistry Communication Leadership Workshop held in Seattle has been a great experience for me. A message that I will take away from this experience is that it is the scientist?s responsibility to translate and communicate the discoveries, make the ideas accessible for the broader audience. I am glad to have spent some of my time to learn how to improve my communication skills in that direction.

-- Veronique Perraud, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Barbara Finlayson-Pitts
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine

Now that CCLI course is over, I realized how fortunate I am to be among the 15. I wish I took this course five years ago. It was an amazing experience for me. I came in with zero knowledge about science communication and journalism, but now my long-term dream has been re-energized. I would recommend that chemistry communication class be required for chemistry graduate programs. I saw your passion for this course and how you offered the materials with all your energy. I really appreciate that and I encourage you to continue this program.

--Tosin Dada
Department of Chemistry
University of Washington