Outside of the lab, I spend a lot of time communicating science to the public. Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite experiences as a science communicator and educator.
Pacific Science Center
As a Pacific Science Center Science Communication Fellow, I’ve designed a hands-on activity for general audiences about the science of sleep and circadian rhythms. I volunteer on the floor of the museum with my activity and talk sleep science with museum guests of all ages.
Neuroscience Community Outreach Group
The Neuroscience Community Outreach Group (NCOG) at the University of Washington is an award-winning science outreach group dedicated to sharing the wonders of neuroscience with K-12 students around the Seattle area. As a member of NCOG, I volunteer at our annual Brain Awareness Week Open House, lead classroom visits to local elementary schools, and have participated in efforts to increase outreach efforts to historically underserved schools.
Graduate Student Editor at Grey Matters Undergraduate Neuroscience Magazine
Grey Matters Journal is a UW undergraduate-led magazine featuring articles about current topics in neuroscience written for popular audiences. I served as the senior graduate student editor for the magazine, coordinating a team of graduate student editors to provide scientific reviews for students’ articles.
Seattle Science Slam
Seattle Science Slam is a monthly event where scientists compete to give the best informal, rapid-fire talks on their research for general audiences at a local brewery. In November 2019, I won for my talk on sleep, epilepsy and homelessness.
University of Washington Teaching Assistantships
As a graduate student at UW, I’ve been fortunate to gain a wide variety of teaching experiences. As a TA for NBIO 301: Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, I led a hands-on laboratory and taught students the basics of electrophysiological recording techniques. As a TA for BIOL 418: Biological Clocks & Rhythms, I helped students formulate research projects about sleep using actiwatch data they collected from themselves and their classmates. Finally, in NBIO 402: Diseases of the Nervous System, I served as the sole TA for a lecture-based course featuring local clinician scientists studying and treating neurological disease in the Seattle area.
Science Writing
I’ve contributed popular science articles to Massive Science Consortium, the Society for Neuroscience and University of Arizona News. I’ve also written a series of profiles of scientists from underrepresented backgrounds for the University of Washington’s Scientists Advocating for Representation, Justice & Equity. See some of my writing here.
Raymond Sanchez, PhD 