Summer has now come and gone, and this past summer the Department of Life Sciences Communication offered four online courses for undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree students. The courses taught both theoretical and applied science communication, granting students from anywhere in the world access to a top-notch academic experience.
LSC’s online summer courses included:
LSC 251: Science, Media and Society, a course for students interested in exploring the intersections of science and society.
In a world of quickly evolving scientific discoveries, LSC 251 helps students understand the relationship between science and the difficult ethical, legal, and societal questions that often arise from emerging technologies. Students will be exposed to key communication theories and be challenged to recognize these frameworks in current public debates. The course is especially relevant for undergraduate students studying the biological sciences, physical sciences, or engineering, as it brings helpful perspective to the relevance of their field in societal conversations. The course will be taught by Kate Rose.
LSC 350: Visualizing Science and Technology, an introductory course on the visual communication of science
LSC 350 surveys principles of design, perception, and cognition, and outlines techniques to portray science in the media. Students will explore visual communication through illustrated lectures and analyzing visual images in both written assignments and team presentations. The course will be taught by Shiela Reaves.
LSC 432: Social Media in the Life Sciences, an online course surveying the foundations of content marketing.
LSC 432 course examines how social media shape modern interactions. Students will learn to create a social media/digital marketing strategy, understand and leverage various online platforms to create meaningful connections, and measure the impact of their social media practice. By the end of this course, students will have experience using social media and content marketing to promote their brand and add value to other businesses and organizations in their field. The course will be taught by Don Stanley.
LSC 560: Scientific Writing, an introduction to writing about science designed for seniors and graduate students in the sciences, as well as professionals in life science industries.
Students in LSC 560 will learn to improve their writing and communication skills for scientific and lay audiences, exploring traditional journal article and popular science writing formats. The course will be taught by Ron Seely.
You can find more information on each of the courses offered this summer in the UW Course Guide.