Biosystems engineering Ph.D. student receives national award for science communication efforts

Updated from an original article written by Alex Tekip.

Chelsie Boodoo, a doctoral student in the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, has been honored by the Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society for her research and outreach activities.

While she was still living in her hometown of Miami, Chelsie Boodoo began taking Toastmasters classes to improve her public speaking skills. A lifelong dancer, she knew how to communicate through body language, but wanted to grow her confidence speaking in front of a group.

Boodoo's experience with Toastmasters sparked an interest in learning more about how she could combine her communication skills with her love for science. After attending ComSciCon, a series of science communication workshops for graduate students, Boodoo, a doctoral student in the Michigan State University (MSU) Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE), was inspired to help MSU students learn more about the value of science communication.

She founded MSUSciComm, a student-run organization empowering students and young professionals to communicate complex scientific topics in clear and engaging ways. She's also a digital content creator for the MSU Science Festival and founder and co-host of The Sci-Files on Impact 89 FM, a show highlighting student research at MSU, along with physics Ph.D. candidate Daniel Puentes

For this work, Boodoo and Puentes have received the 2021 Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Broader Impacts Champion Award. They are among three Spartans to be recognized by ARIS.

The award honors individuals who have contributed significantly to establishing and advancing the National Science Foundation broader impacts criterion, which includes research itself; activities directly related to research, such as lab training; and complementary activities, such as community outreach.

'this award makes me feel seen, said Boodoo. It's nice to know that all of my hard work actually did pay off and people are starting to see the importance of it, and the need for science communication.

Website: MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

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