AWIS Chicago is seeking volunteers to support the creation of their Scientist of the Month (SotM) written features and their Innovators & Motivators (I&M) podcasts for 2022. In 2022, there will be quarterly SotM features and I&M podcasts. Volunteers are welcome to support the creation of one or multiple SotMs and/or I&Ms depending on their interests and availability, and there is the option to start volunteering right away and/or later in the year. Descriptions for each opportunity are found below. University students and postdocs are especially encouraged to volunteer to gain valuable scientific communication experience! All duties will be performed virtually. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at awiscommunications@gmail.com as soon as possible to discuss the opportunities. In your email, please include your past scientific communication experience (this is not a requirement to be a volunteer), if any, and if you are specifically interested in volunteering for the SotM or I&M opportunity (or both).

SotM opportunity:

The SotM series features a person with scientific training who promotes or embodies the advancement of women in the fields of science, technology, or engineering (STEM) from the Chicagoland area. The SotM volunteer will be responsible for interviewing the feature by phone or video chat and then writing a short article (1-1.5 pages in length) that will be published on the AWIS CAC website and social media. Sample questions are provided to prepare the volunteer for the interview. It is anticipated that each feature will require ~5 hrs each to perform the interview and write and edit the feature, and the volunteer will have access to an AWIS CAC mentor throughout the process.

I&M opportunity:

The I&M podcast features a scientist who has demonstrated the ability to innovate and/or motivate in their chosen STEM career trajectory. In the podcast, the scientist is invited into this conversation with their mentee to afford for rich conversations that matter. Typically, each podcast is recorded in about 30-45 minutes, and editing is performed to bring the total podcast to around ~15-20 minutes. The I&M podcast is published on the AWIS CAC website and social media. The I&M volunteer will assist in the podcast production and editing process. It is anticipated that each podcast will require ~5 hrs each for preparation, recording, and editing, and the volunteer will have access to an AWIS CAC mentor throughout the process.