I am part of a collaborative team that organizes monthly science outreach talks at a local brewery. We recruit speakers from VT and the community to give hour-long, informal, accessible presentations about their research or specialty. My duties include contacting speakers, working with them to prepare their presentation, setting up and coordinating events, and creating all advertising materials.

Each year, the Geosciences Department at Virginia Tech hosts an internal research symposium called GSRS. Last year, some friends and I piloted a new initiative showcasing art as a science communication tool. I led the team as we solicited geoscience-themed art from students in the department and displayed them on a gallery wall during GSRS. We also awarded prizes for the best pieces (as decided by GSRS attendees). We followed up the GSRS exhibition by creating a permanent display in the Department.

For the past two years, I have participated in the Letters to a Pre-Scientist program to inspire kids to consider a career in STEM. Each cycle, I'm paired with a middle schooler who has similar science interests and we write letters back and forth throughout the school year. I provide some info on my life as a scientist and my higher education journey, and the student is free to ask any questions they might have. The program is an absolute blast and I am always looking forward to my next letter.