After much deliberation and debate, we are proud to announce the winners of the State Your Mission science communication challenge. We were blown away by the number and the outstanding quality of the submissions, they give us hope for the future of science advocacy. At the same time, we feel sad that we cannot place them all as winning submissions. However, in our eyes, everyone who took the time to sit down and write a mission statement is a scicomm winner by default.
First Place- There is a tie!
We deliberated long and hard about choosing a first place winner, but we came to the conclusion that a tie for a first place winner was warranted. This means that we will be giving away two first place winner prizes.
So, without further ado, here are the two first place winners:
- Joāo Cardoso– We felt this mission statement is perfect in composition, and very innovate in the approach, as it puts the task of science advocacy in the hands of the audience. This approach also charts an easy and accessible path for parents to dip their toes into a science experiment, and inspire a future generation of scientists. Congratulations Joāo for a job well done with his mission statement.
- Tia Martineau- Tia helped us realize what has been in front of us all along: science communication is not limited to public outreach. Through science communication, we scientists strive to teach people about the beauty of science and scientific discovery. But within the scientific community, there is a need to teach the beauty of people and their diversity to those at the helm of scientific institutions. We aim to communicate our science with the world, but there are important conversations needed within the scientific community itself about the importance of tolerance. As we all dedicate our lives to changing the world through scientific research, we should not lose sight of desperately needed change within our scientific and educational institutions. Through this first place win, we would like to recognize Tia and support her for being a trail blazer in creating change from within the scientific community.
Second Place-Mom Scientist!
- Virginia Schutte- Virginia’s mission statement is well composed and her approach is a true expression of our hero, the Nerd of Trust. At ScicommJC we have always advocated building science communication on a foundation of trust and common values. Moms helping moms is the oldest form of community building within human civilization. What better way to bring science to the people through the time tested medium of mom communities. Help us congratulate Virginia for building her science communication efforts on the foundation of her values as a mom and a scientist.
Third Place- Science in the Park
- Alex Martin– A.K.A., Side Walk Science Guy- Alex’s mission statement, which was submitted from the @ExpDalScience account, was chosen because of the potential impact of his approach, by exposing the public to science where they least expect it. Public parks offer an opportunity to city dwellers to enjoy a bit of nature, and with the work Alex is doing, they will have the chance to also learn some science about the natural world. It is often easy for people to miss the forest for the trees, but with help from Alex, they will get to appreciate the forest, science and its place in society. Please congratulate Alex for doing the work to help the public appreciate the beauty of science while strolling through the park.
If you have a mission statement, you’re already a winner
We wold like to acknowledge everyone who participated in the 2019 State Your Mission Challenge. Please take a few moments, read all the fabulous submissions, and find out for yourself why it was so hard to choose. In our eye, if you’ve got a mission statement, you’re already a winner.