Museum of Science's Reach Out Science Slams seat Raven Baxter on the judges' panel

Raven Baxter judged the Museum of Science's 2021 Reach Out Science Slams, a virtual series of three-minute science talks by students and early-career researchers. She sat on the panel for all four shows, three semifinals on April 6, 13 and 20 and the finals on May 4. Each show streamed live on the museum's YouTube channel.

At the finals, Baxter spoke for the judges. "All of the judges agree that each and every one of you did a spectacular job," she told the six finalists. She then named the Judges' Pick, Christina McGahan, a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Holyoke College.

The series ran entirely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, Pew Research Center reported that 39% of Americans had a great deal of confidence in scientists to act in the public's best interests. The gap between Democrats and Republicans had grown to 33 points. On the day of the first semifinal, President Biden moved up the date for all U.S. adults to become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines to April 19.

Museum president Tim Ritchie opened the finals with that moment in mind. He asked the audience when public trust in science had ever mattered more.

The slammers came from the National Science Foundation's 12 Science and Technology Centers. Six competed in each semifinal, and two advanced from each round. The judges chose one, and viewers chose the other by text and online vote. Judges scored each talk on scientific content, creativity, clarity and connection to the audience, then gave comments live on air.

Baxter shared the panel with engineer and science host Emily Calandrelli, cartoonist Jorge Cham and marine biologist Melissa Cristina Márquez. Three judges sat on each semifinal, and all four judged the finals.

Science that returns to communities

Baxter's comments returned again and again to the communities that science serves. On April 6, she praised Ghiska Ramahdita of Washington University in St. Louis for linking disease research to its effects on society.

"I think it's important as scientists that we remember we're communicating to communities," Baxter said. "So drawing in the science to the communities and then going back to the science, just how you did in your talk, was really, really awesome."

On April 20, she made the same point to another slammer. "I love the community aspect of it and tying science to the community in ways that we can make it more accessible," she said.

Enthusiasm and confidence

On April 13, Baxter told one slammer that excitement makes listeners curious. "If you're excited about what you're talking about, even if who you're talking to, if they don't even understand what you're saying, they're going to be more likely to ask you questions because they want to be as excited as you are," she said. "Don't stop being enthusiastic about your science."

Later that night, two slammers performed their talk on structural biology and vaccines as a skit. Baxter praised them for being unapologetic about their personalities. "You have to know or own your confidence as a science communicator," she said. "I think that would connect with a lot of people who are often missed in science communication."

One pick, many paths

Baxter told competitors more than once that a single choice was no judgment of their work. "Just because you didn't win doesn't mean that your science communication is not good," she said on April 13. "We just had to pick one person."

Baxter, bottom right, gives her comments before the judges deliberate at the finals. Image: Museum of Science video

At the finals, she told the six competitors, "There's so much talent here. It's incredible." She added, "We are so excited to see what everyone is bringing to the table and how you're moving science communication in a forward direction, in a more innovative direction."

As spokesperson, she spoke to the whole field before the announcement. "We want each of you to start developing your own platforms and making sure that you continue on your journey as science communicators," she said. "Our decision tonight does not devalue any of the hard work that you've already done and that you will do in the future."

The judges and host with Judges' Pick winner Christina McGahan, bottom right, after the announcement. Image: Museum of Science video

McGahan, of the Center for Integrated Quantum Materials, won the Judges' Pick. Ramahdita, a Ph.D. candidate at Washington University's McKelvey School of Engineering, won Audience Choice. Each received a $1,000 prize from the museum, the host announced on air.

The museum and the challenge

The Museum of Science traces its roots to the Boston Society of Natural History, which first met in 1830. It took its current name in 1939 and opened at Science Park on the Charles River in 1951. Its About page calls it "New England's most attended cultural institution," engaging nearly five million people a year.

The museum describes the Reach Out Science Communication Challenge as "a nationwide effort to boost the communication skills of students and early-career researchers" from the NSF centers. The foundation supported it through the Center for Integrated Quantum Materials. The National Science Board established the Science and Technology Centers program in 1987.

Baxter, known online as Raven the Science Maven, is a molecular biologist and science communicator. She was then a doctoral candidate at the University at Buffalo, where her research focused on science communication.

The museum announced the winners in a May 5, 2021 release. Recordings of the first, second and third semifinals and the finals are on the Museum of Science YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uFf7B0NNI8