"Emory is one of the world’s foremost research institutions, applying its expertise to everything from social justice to vaccine development. The university is also a leader in building public trust in science through outreach.
This series of three stories celebrates these two key Emory strengths: Our prowess as a diverse research institution and our commitment to making science accessible to diverse audiences. The stories showcase our scientists inspiring the next generation of thinkers in Atlanta and the world.
“Physicist Seeks Ultimate Formula for Fun” turns the esoteric subject of fluid dynamics into child’s play. It’s part of an ongoing communications effort that helped position an Emory physicist as a popular science communicator in media worldwide. This hyper-local story led to his son’s teacher inviting the physicist to present a science talk and “extravaganza” to the entire school, set for the end of this semester.
“Decoding Canine Cognition” turns machine learning into a fun, engaging topic. It tells how an Emory student and neuroscientist devised creative experiments to glimpse how dogs’ brains visually process the world. The story was among the most viewed articles for the year on the Emory website and was featured on CNN.
“Using Art to Teach Social Justice” introduced a class taught by a local comedian and a biologist who studies how social status affects health. Students were asked to imagine how Atlanta can become a more just city. An influential civic newsletter aimed at Atlanta thought leaders picked up the story, amplifying its impact."
From the Judges
Took some potentially technically difficult subject matter and made it accessible in a “fun and interesting way.” Engaging collection, well-covered, and nicely researched.
