”Current scientific and technological developments are reshaping our daily lives at an unprecedented pace, rapidly transforming the way we think, communicate, and behave. But can different societal groups become active, informed participants in these developments, rather than remaining passive observers?” asks Noa Cemeljic, PhD student and former intern at Public & Science Sweden.
This question has been on my mind for a long time. Coming from an academic background, I have been particularly interested in how research can be communicated to the general public in a way that is both understandable and engaging, inviting diverse groups to take part in shaping our future.
This experience made me realize that the skills I developed during my PhD, particularly in coding and statistics, can be applied far beyond my specific research area.
With this in mind, I was thrilled to perform an internship at Vetenskap och Allmänhet, V&A (Public and Science Sweden), where I had the opportunity to explore the field of science communication in depth. During my time there, I was responsible for analyzing the annual Science Barometer, a survey examining the Swedish public’s attitudes toward science and technology. This experience made me realize that the skills I developed during my PhD, particularly in coding and statistics, can be applied far beyond my specific research area. By taking part in regular team meetings and talking with my new colleagues, I also gained insight into different aspects of science communication, such as organizing events, writing newsletters, and facilitating workshops.
This internship also played an important role in improving my Swedish.
This internship also played an important role in improving my Swedish. Since I do not use the language on a daily basis during my regular PhD work, being part of a Swedish-speaking work environment helped me build both my skills and my confidence. The team at V&A was very supportive throughout, creating a welcoming atmosphere that made it easy to practice and improve.
As I now return to my PhD, I feel very grateful for this experience. It gave me the opportunity to develop new skills, contribute to science communication in a meaningful way, and meet great people along the way. For all these reasons, I would highly recommend an internship at V&A to anyone interested in this field.
/Noa Cemeljic, PhD student & intern at Public & Science Sweden
Noa Cemeljic is a PhD student in Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute. His one-month internship at Public & Science Sweden is supported by the Karolinska Institutet career service.
