Maitê Ghazaleh Bucher, Ph.D., a Biology Professor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, has been awarded the Curious Science Writers Inaugural Educator Fellowship. Curious Science Writers (CSW) is an innovative science communications program for high school students hosted by Americans for Medical Progress (AMP), a biomedical research advocacy group.
Curious Science Writers seeks to advance the art of science communication by training curious and creative high school communicators to bring complex science to the general public through the power of story. The primary aim of the fellowship is to increase the effectiveness of the CSW experience by ensuring the program format, materials and activities optimally engage and educate high school students. Dr. Bucher will work with program faculty, guest speakers and students to help participants build effective, lifelong, science communication skills. Her goal is to facilitate an engaging environment, particularly during the CSW Boot Camp, a week each summer where high schoolers combine narrative elements to effectively convey the exciting benefits of science to the public.
Maitê aspires to ensure every student receives the resources and attention they need to be successful. Additionally, she looks forward to collaborating closely with the entire CSW Team to increase engagement and further improve the quality of CSW education by recommending and/or developing new lessons and activities. Lastly, as the Inaugural Educator Fellow for Curious Science Writers, she will document her experience to aid continual growth of the CSW science writing program.
Maitê is an Instructor of Biology at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, NC – named the 2023 #1 Best Public High School in America. There, she develops the curriculum for and teaches molecular genetics, molecular and cellular biology, and evolution. Maitê is a trained marine biologist and environmental microbiologist. As an undergraduate earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, she studied the effects of environmental change on coral biology and Vibrio bacteria. She earned her doctoral degree at the University of Georgia, where she studied coral disease and coral-associated bacterial communities. Maitê also managed a laboratory as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Most recently she worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigating anthropogenic impact on aquatic ecosystems in Puerto Rico.
Maitê is passionate about science communication and outreach. She enjoys writing science articles for the public. She participates in the Scientific Research and Education Network (SciREN) to provide local K-12 educators lesson plans based on cutting-edge research. She is also enthusiastic about mentoring the next generation. As a Brazilian immigrant, Maitê is a strong advocate for diversity, inclusivity, and equality. For more information about Maitê’s expertise, visit https://maitebucher.com.
“For the safety and wellness of human society, it is necessary to engage with scientific information as it is an integral part of our daily lives,” said Dr. Bucher. “Members of the public often lack the skills or interests to engage in peer-review scientific content. Therefore, communicating science effectively is one of the most essential skills to have as a young scientist. And that’s where Curious Science writers comes in!”
- Maitê Ghazaleh Bucher, Ph.D., a Biology Professor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, has been awarded the Curious Science Writers Inaugural Educator Fellowship.
- Dr. Bucher will work with program faculty, guest speakers and students to help participants build effective, lifelong, science communication skills.
- Maitê aspires to ensure every student receives the resources and attention they need to be successful.