INSIGHTS

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LET TERS

NEXTGEN VOICES by the general public undermines trust

A pandemic education
in scientists and causes the spread of
misinformation. This course will be taught
by scientists and communication specialists
To reflect on the 2 years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, who will provide students with a toolset to
we asked young scientists to imagine that they could go back in explain scientific concepts, as well as their
own research projects, to the general public.
time and create a university course that would help scientists navigate Upon completion of this course, students
the years 2020 to 2022. Read their pandemic course catalog below. will be able to explain to their grandparents
Follow NextGen Voices on Twitter with hashtag #NextGenSci. —Jennifer Sills that viruses exist even though they can’t
see them, convince their neighbors that
vaccines don’t contain tracking devices, and
explain the concept of exponential growth
Communications This course discusses chapters from Carl to governmental officials.
Sagan’s book The Demon-Haunted World, Anna Uzonyi
COM 145: Identification, analysis,
certain peer-reviewed and retracted papers, Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann
and communication of scientific evidence Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
and materials related to key science issues,
This course focuses on developing the skills Email: anna.uzonyi@weizmann.ac.il
ILLUSTRATION: STEPHAN SCHMITZ/FOLIO ART

such as the anti-vaccine movement. For the

required to translate scientific evidence
into accessible information for the general
public, especially under circumstances
that lead to the intensification of fear and
misinformation. Discussions will cover the
principles of the scientific method, as well
as its theoretical and practical relevance
in counteracting the dissemination of
pseudoscience, particularly on social media.
final project, students will comprehensibly
communicate a scientific topic to the public.
Camila Fonseca Amorim da Silva
University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP 03828-000,
Brazil. Email: camilafonsecaamorim@usp.br
COM 198: Everyday science communication
As scientific discoveries become increas-
ingly specialized, the lack of understanding
COM 232: Introduction to talking
to regular people
Communicating science is difficult. Many
scientists, having immersed themselves in
the language of their field, have completely
forgotten how to talk to regular people.
This course hones introductory science
communication skills, such as how to talk

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about scary things without generating
mass panic, how to calmly discourage the
hoarding of paper hygiene products, and
how to explain why scientific knowledge
changes over time. The final project will
include cross examination from law school
faculty, who are otherwise completely
uninvolved with the course and possess
minimal scientific training. Recommended
for science majors who are unable to dis-
cuss impactful scientific findings without
citing a P value.
Joseph Michael Cusimano
Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy,
Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601,
USA. Email: joecusi@hotmail.com
Biology
BIO 156: Design strategies for
epidemic containment
As population and global travel increase,
public and private facilities should con-
sider the threat of recurrent epidemics.
This course will cover contagion dispersal
rates through air and surface contact and
information about the various means of
countering each type. Examples include
surface “traffic” and ventilation rates per
occupant density. Students will explore
nonmedical interventions such as the ger-
micidal effects of ultraviolet radiation for
both surface and airborne pathogens.
Thomy Nilsson
Department of Psychology, University of Prince
Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3,
Canada. Email: nilsson@upei.ca
BIO 274: Reflexes save lives
With globalization increasing the threat
of disease, all preventive options must be
explored. Although many focus on vaccines
and drugs, quick reflexes may offer better
protection. In this course, we will learn
how to react when someone is coughing
(duck), when someone claims that they
have “done their own research” (scoff ), or
when a flock of antivaxxers approaches
(hide). We will exercise our reflexes in
simulated real-world situations. Finally, we
will learn a little bit of science and history,
as knowledge can save (your) lives.
Nikos Konstantinides
Institut Jacques Monod, 75013 Paris, France.
Email: nikos.konstantinides@ijm.fr
Computer science
CPS 189: Introduction to online meetings
In this course, scientists will learn how to
create meetings and waiting rooms, how to
welcome invited guests, how to avoid unin-
vited guests, and how to remove unwanted
filters that could make you look like a cat
or a pickle. Most important, scientists will
SCIENCE science.org
learn how to unmute themselves when
speaking. Finally, this course will teach
strategies to combat screen fatigue.
Fernanda Oda
Department of Applied Behavioral Science,
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045,
USA. Email: oda@ku.edu
CPS 276: Virtual conferences and networking
Navigating your way around a virtual
conference platform can be more daunting
and aggravating than a busy venue hall.
And good luck connecting with peers and
employers! This course will teach scien-
tists of all ages and levels of experience
how to engage online in the rare event that
a conference is rendered virtual.
Ahmed Al Harraq
Cain Department of Chemical Engineering,
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge,
LA 70803, USA. Email: aahme22@lsu.edu
Anthropology
ANT 254: Stranded! The archaeology of
shipwrecks, first settlements, and survival
This course will examine life in isolation,
strategies for survival, identification of
resources, cultivation of hidden talents, the
art of staying sane, and the skills required
to make any environment work for you.
We will draw on real-life experiences from
“first” settlements, shipwrecks, and prepara-
tions for colonies in space. To start, imagine
yourself alone and stranded in an unfa-
miliar place, your homeland preoccupied
with threats to its sovereignty, your supply
line cut, and no rescue in sight—survival
depends on ingenuity and perseverance.
This class is for those who find themselves
in isolated circumstances—astronauts,
scientists in Antarctic labs, solo sailors cir-
cumnavigating the globe, and maybe you!
Felicia Beardsley
Department of Anthropology, University
of La Verne, La Verne, CA 91750, USA.
Email: fbeardsley@laverne.edu
Psychology
PSY 108: Resilience in research:
How to collaborate in a virtual world
Research collaborations can be tricky
enough to navigate in person, but how
do you maintain effective networks and
collaborate with colleagues beyond your
institution when travel is not an option?
This course will help you answer this ques-
tion through the exploration of topics like
leadership, group dynamics, and mentor-
ing in virtual research settings, as well as
interactive class sessions such as work-
shops on collaborative research software
and networking opportunities. The topic
of resilience in research will be interwoven
throughout the course. Required reading:
Angela Duckworth’s Grit.
Ashley Barbara Heim
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology,
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Email: abh229@cornell.edu
PSY 216: New academic hotspots:
Opportunities and challenges
Scientists are often attracted by the
emergence of important research hotspots
and needs. Whether it is appropriate for
a given scientist to move into a new field,
however, is often a matter of debate. In
this course, we will discuss how to evaluate
your research interests and capabilities to
see if it is worth the effort to move into a
new field and under what circumstances
you should do so.
Jiazhen Jiang
Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University
of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui
230026, China. Email: markpen@mail.ustc.edu.cn
PSY 279: Critical thinking in
physical isolation
This course will bring together the ele-
ments of mental focus, networking, task
prioritization, and critical thinking to
perform and document scientific think-
ing while in physical isolation. Without
physical access to your colleagues or your
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laboratory, you will hone your skills of solo
analysis, hypothesize possible solutions
and their associated risks, and become an
expert on remote work. Whether you are
completing a paper for publication or try-
ing to complete your thesis, this course will
enable you to perfect your virtual network-
ing, online scientific resources, and lab
work to optimally communicate your sci-
ence—all from the comfort of your home.
E. Loren Buhle Jr.
DNAnexus, Mountain View, CA 94040, USA.
Email: lbuhle@dnanexus.com
Engineering
ENG 205: Apocalypse bunker design
This course covers historical and practical
perspectives on building survival shelters.
Topics include design and permitting,
food preservation, utilities and sanitation,
and security. May be taken concurrently
with Microbiology 104: Sourdough for
novices and Psychology 102: How pets
increase happiness. Substantial overlap
with Engineering 201: Zombie apocalypse
preparation; cannot earn credit for both.
Katie Burnette
Department of Evolution, Ecology, and
Organismal Biology, University of California,
Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
Email: katie.burnette@ucr.edu
10.1126/science.abo5791
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 A pandemic education
Camila Fonseca Amorim da SilvaAnna UzonyiJoseph Michael CusimanoThomy NilssonNikos KonstantinidesFernanda
OdaAhmed Al HarraqFelicia BeardsleyAshley Barbara HeimJiazhen JiangE. Loren Buhle Jr.Katie Burnette

Science, 375 (6585), • DOI: 10.1126/science.abo5791

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