While many biochemistry and chemistry undergraduate programs include important professional skill experiences such as writing laboratory reports or giving oral presentations, one of the most common practices is missing from the classroom – research presentation and discussion with the general public. The relatively few students who give research presentations to a broad audience are those who choose the option to work in a research group and present at professional meetings. However, the majority of students are unaware of or do not have the opportunity to participate in public research presentations. This is unfortunately true of students who are in historically underserved populations. Furthermore, attending scientific meetings can be cost prohibitive for students. To overcome these issues, the development of an authentic experience that teaches students how to give formal poster research presentations to the general public will be discussed. By integrating this professional skill into an introductory biochemistry course, we can verify that every student who earns a Biochemistry or American Chemical Society certification track Chemistry bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College of Maryland will have at least one research poster presentation experience that enhances their professional development prior to graduation. This talk is a part of a series that details a scaffolded undergraduate professional skills curriculum that spans the full four-year undergraduate biochemistry and chemistry experience. While this talk can be attended as a stand-alone, attending all parts in the series will provide audience members with a better understanding of what this type of intentionally scaffolded curriculum can accomplish.

Development of professional communication skill experiences in biochemistry courses via poster presentations

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.