The Crastina Crew is providing ideas, contacts and content for the website, Twitter and Facebook feeds.
The core team
Anna: “Science is fun and amazing!”
PhD student in Physical Chemistry at Åbo Akademi University (Finland), science teacher (chemistry, mathematics). Passionate about science shows, demonstrations and misconceptions in science. I love working with outreach and creative teaching, sharing the joy and wonders of all things (natural) science.
Lauriane: “Let’s make the world smarter!”
I have been a Science enthusiast all my life, but understanding the mechanism of the human mind was my real passion. How does the brain interpret the information from the body into a specific response? Which mechanism the brain submitted to a disease or an injury use to repair itself? However, I decided that my love for science did not bound me to Academic research. I want to help Scientists improve their communication and thus, bridge the gap between them and the public. It’s the best way to improve society!
Isaak: “Express your passion, disseminate your research!”
Curious. Passionate. Open-minded. I am a biology undergraduate student interested in Developmental Biology and Neuroscience and, as a budding member of the scientific community, I strongly believe that scientists should make our research public.
Apart from science? I like playing the piano, filmmaking and video editing, painting cooking and dancing.
Claire: “What could be more fun than science?”
I am a postdoctoral researcher at Swansea University Medical School studying antifungal resistance and cytochrome P450 enzymes. I am passionate about science communication and outreach, and think there isn’t anything more fun than getting your hands dirty with a great science activity! I am also the founder and lead organiser of Merthyr Tydfil’s (Wales, UK) 1st ever Science Festival, Bitesize Science Fest.
Elizabeth: “Be open to new opportunities and step out of your comfort zone!”
I first realized that science is the coolest thing when I learned about genetically engineered glow-in-the-dark fish, at the age of 11. Since then, I haven’t looked back. Nowadays, I am a full-time biomedicine student fascinated with molecular biology. I believe that effective science communication can benefit researchers, businesses and the general public alike, which is why I am excited to promote SciComm literacy through Crastina!
Nat: “Effective dialogue is our only chance at tackling the World’s biggest challenges.”
I did both my undergraduate degree and PhD in Chemistry, in the UK. My research explored the interactions between light and matter, something I have always been fascinated by! I did a lot of teaching during my PhD and that’s when I first got interested in communicating my research to audiences beyond my immediate peers. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about public perceptions of science and public trust in scientists. I think it is urgent that we fix the public-expert relationship and I want to do my bit to help that!
Ayshan: “Science is a natural continuation of childhood”
I am an undergraduate student at Jacobs University Bremen. Curious about science (especially neurobiology), philosophy and creative writing, I want others to see the beauty of science, rather than a complicated subject. Ultimately, the passion to understand the world around us is something we can all share!
Ushashi: “Science should be accessible and understandable to everyone, irrespective of age, academic qualifications and intellect.”
I am an undergraduate student of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Jacobs University Bremen, Germany. For the longest time, I’ve been extremely passionate about Life Sciences and Creative Writing and Poetry, and science communication is THE place for me to combine the two. It is so important to be able to effectively communicate what happens behind the doors of a laboratory without making it sound like pretentious jargon and I’m honoured and excited to contribute to such communication.
Sehija: “You have to be passionate about science!”
Fifth year Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy) student at University of Montenegro. Enthusiastic researcher with prior hands-on laboratory experience during national and international internships. Excellent information and time management, adept at synthesizing data and presentations. Interested in Doctoral studies (PhD) in the field of life sciences.
Sarang: “Science is like any other language – it should be spoken with the intent of speaking it well.”
I am an undergraduate student studying Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Jacobs University Bremen. I believe that like any language, science can only be as effective if the message is spoken well. And like all languages, it deserves to be spoken well. I manage @iamscicomm, a joint @Scicomm_Hub and @SciCrastina rocur.
Sophia: “Catch people’s attention with appealing visuals!”
Having studied molecular biology during my undergrad, I am now investigating the effects of mindfulness practice on mental health as part of my MPhil degree. Proper science communication is needed for strengthening the bond between researchers and the public and correcting common misconceptions. I am especially excited about the visual representation of science in an appealing way. Pretty things; in my opinion the easiest way to capture someone’s attention.
The project leader
Olle: “Having fun being serious”
Based in Sweden, I am a communications consultant, public speaker, educator, freelance writer and author who helps top professionals and students get their facts, ideas and opinions across. I founded Crastina in 2013, and love seeing the network being taken over by a friendly collective.
Senior advisors
Anastasiia: “Science can be beautiful too!”
I am a biologist interested in molecular genetics and a passionate language-learner. I believe that science can be shared and promoted in an artistic way. Complex theories are easier to break down through the arts of illustration, modelling and animation, and aesthetic element of such arts is more likely to catch an eye of a wider public and help promote science.
Julia: “I’m hoping to promote a language of science legible to all.”
Julia Turan, neurobiologist and science communicator, is currently Communications Manager at The Physiological Society. She triturated, pipetted, imaged, and analyzed, during her undergrad years studying neurobiology. Since then, she has shifted into the world of science communications, hoping to promote a language of science legible to all. She completed her MSc in Science Communication and Public Engagement at the University of Edinburgh.
Piece of Mind (“Memorable, thought-provoking science stories each week that go beyond ‘this new study shows …’ to help us understand our intricate world.”)
Dorota: “Science deserves the best communication”
I’m a biologist interested in evolution of genetic diversity and reproductive modes and an enthusiast of various aspects of creative science communication. As Crastina editor, I would like to inspire scientists to engage in better communication with their peers and the general public. I believe every bit of scientific literacy benefits our society.
Twitter: @DOPaczesniak
Tatiana: “Art and science go well together.”
I am a disaster risk manager and sociocultural consultant. I am passionate about communicating science through art, especially through comic books and animation.
Twitter: @tanya_saraeva
Yas: “I love to study new ways of presenting science”
I am a molecular biologist turned science writer/web editor for the GLOBE Program (globe.gov) in California. I believe our world can benefit from science if there was a better connection between scientists and the public. I am passionate about communicating science to children, science visualization and 2D/3D animation.
Special subjects
Peter: ”Dare to try”
An organizer-kind-of-guy with a passion for science and technology, based in Stockholm. I am a consultant and moderator who help organizations realize their goals using agile methods. At Crastina I blog about agile science – how agile methods can be adapted to and used in academic research.
Sara: “Science should be equal to all”
I am biomedicine master’s graduate from Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden, and I am very passionate about questions regarding gender equality. My contribution to Crastina will hopefully provide new insights as well as present inspiring people that actively are working against discrimination within STEM and to promote promising scientists. With this, I wish to open up a discussion on how we effectively can reach equality within science.
Science is not a place for injustices of any kind and should be open to any one regardless of race, gender, sexuality, class or any disability. Stereotypes and biases are holding back intelligent and creative people, and we are thereby losing valuable resources that otherwise could contribute to the scientific development. We need to make sure everyone has the same opportunity in order to continuously move forward and successfully battle climate change, new diseases and other challenges that are facing us.
Crastina Alumni
Ellinor: “Everyone has the right to reliable facts.”
I am a nutritionist from Sweden with a great interest in sustainability, sports nutrition and epidemiology. To me, it is incredibly important to spread facts and minimize misinformation in newspapers and on social media, and that’s why science communicators are valuable to society.
Jessica: “Passion should be the main ingredient for science communication”
Is arsenic still the poison of kings and the king of poisons? Doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) in the field of arsenic toxicity and human adaptation to toxic enviroments. Previously participated as a digital ambassador for Karolinska Institutet and writing for Medicor – a student-based magazine from the same university.
Maria: “Let’s make science uncomplicated and fun!”
I am a PhD candidate in Molecular Dermatology at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. I am passionate about engaging people, and finding attractive and effective ways to communicate science. I believe that science professionals should learn to be effective communicators, so that everyone can benefit from it, not only a niche audience.
Pieter: “I’m providing the scientific community with great visuals”
I‘m a graphic designer from Belgium with a master in marine science and a keen interest in (interactive) scientific visualisation to communicate science. I’m the founder of Scigrades (Scientific Graphic Design), providing the scientific community with great visuals to improve science communciation.
James: “I’m putting my communication skills to the ultimate test!
James first connected with Olle Bergman in Stockholm, during the 2010 Amgen Scholars Program. James contributed articles and his editing skills to the Scientia Crastina project in the formative years. At the time, James was carrying out his own research in Southampton (UK); using novel compounds to explore ways of overcoming drug-resistance in cancer cells. This research was part of his doctoral studies, which he completed in 2015. Throughout his PhD, James was also pro-active in trying to reduce the communication gap between academia and industry. After his PhD, he stepped away from the lab and into market research. He still stuck to his scientific roots, focusing his analysis on different drug markets within cancer. Having spent 20 months working in London, he decided he need a new challenge: China. This is where we find James now. He is currently lecturing at an international university in Zhengzhou (China), where he is putting his communication skills (and some of Olle’s old powerpoint tricks) to the ultimate test!
If you are interested in Crastina and would like to join us, find out here how to do so.