Seminar: The long game: finding the meaning of social media in scientists’ lives, 1/19/18
No doubt you’ve been told to get on Twitter or LinkedIn or… fill in the blank. Maybe you ignored the suggestion because you just didn’t see the point. Maybe you followed through—and nothing happened. Your life didn’t change. Everything was the same.
Social media can be an incredibly valuable resource. But like any resource, you have to find the tool that’s right for you—and invest some time in it.
Melissa Vaught, PhD, (aka @biochembelle) will highlight some of the ways scientists use social media. She will focus in particular on how social media can offer a community of support and expand your professional network. With more than 8 years in the online science community, Dr. Vaught will share insights into establishing your presence and making connections online.
Melissa Vaught, PhD, is scientific editor at Medical Science & Computing, LLC, (MSC) contracted to the National Institutes of Health. Her role included communications, project management, and meta-research related to post-publication issues. Dr. Vaught is a member of the editorial advisory board for ASBMB Today, a publication for members of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She continues to advise on The POSTDOCket, the newsletter of the National Postdoctoral Association, for which she served as editor-in-chief through December 2017. Dr. Vaught is also marketing and communications manager for STEM Career Services, LLC, a career coaching company focused on supporting STEM graduates.
Dr. Vaught received her doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University in the Department of Chemistry and her B.S. in biochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Before joining MSC, she did postdoctoral research at the Immune Disease Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston, MA. Dr. Vaught began blogging and tweeting (@biochembelle) about research and the culture of science in 2009. She has written articles on social media and other professional development topics for ScienceCareers, ASBMB Today, and The POSTDOCket, as well as presented and moderated sessions on social media and science. When she’s not at work or online, there’s a good chance she’s running.