The Year of the Ox – New Adventures in Science Communication!

As the estimable Jay-Z says, “Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is . . .” Matthew Greseth, Ph.D.

 

A little over five years ago, I moved to Charleston from outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I grew up.  There are a lot of things I miss about Milwaukee: the beer, Lake Michigan and cheese curds. But one thing I certainly do not miss, as exemplified this past week, is the freezing winter weather, where the temperature outside is often colder than the inside of a freezer.

 

While in Milwaukee, I earned my degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2014 under the tutelage of Paula Traktman, Ph.D. As Dr. Traktman began a new chapter at MUSC in 2015, I journeyed down here with her as a postdoctoral fellow. Throughout my research career, I have studied several aspects of the vaccinia virus life cycle, including how the virus replicates its genome, assembles new viral particles, and interacts with the cellular machinery.

 

Now that I’ve had time to acclimate, I consider myself to be a true Charlestonian (can I say that after living here for only five years?) where I am now chilly when its 50 degrees outside. After the dumpster fire of 2020, I think we are all hoping that 2021 takes a hard-left turn and never looks back. The good news is that it is now the year of the ox, which is said to bring prosperity and wellness. As an ox myself, I feel a certain amount of, dare I say, kismet and plan on putting that synergy to good use.

 

I’m excited to say that I have taken on a new role as assistant director of science communications initiatives for CGS and will work alongside Kimberly McGhee. Long titles aside, I like to talk about science, and this new position allows me to take that passion to a new level. If you like to talk about science too and are looking for new outlets to do so or are interested in getting started, I’m here to help.

 

Science communication comprises several interwoven founding principles that we, as developing scientists, sometimes neglect, and over the past few years I’ve worked hard to strengthen my communication skills. Back in 2016, I began working with Kimberly McGhee interviewing scientists and writing EurekAlert!s. Those articles gave me the credentials to work a short stint at Progressnotes, MUSC’s medical magazine. In addition to writing about science, I’ve helped grow two CGS programs that focus on reaching out to the broader community – I developed a program (SC-PEACH) that works with fourth-grade students at a local elementary school conducting fun science experiments, and I aided in the foundation of a science policy group (SC-PEAR).

 

There will be plenty of opportunities throughout the year, so whether you want to write articles about current research at MUSC or a trending science topic that piques your interest, teach young students about science or better understand the intersection of science and policy, we can work together to sharpen your communication skills and increase your engagement with the community.

 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any stories ideas that you would like to write about or if you would like any additional information regarding science communication. I can be reached at greseth@musc.edu.

 

I look forward to working with you!