Immersive Learning Awaits
Interdisciplinary Scientific Immersion at Washington University in St. Louis provides incoming Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology and Biomedical graduate students with an immersive experience to interdisciplinary research. This comprehensive 2-week experience is designed to introduce incoming graduate students to the world of scientific research through experiential learning. Led by faculty facilitators and senior students, participants spend two weeks exploring distinct research topics in groups and engage in science communication programming at a separate point in the year to develop essential communication skills. The program occurs at the start of a student’s time at Washington University in St. Louis and offers students invaluable preparation for the academic journey ahead.
Students were able to…
Explore several research topics, guided by faculty facilitators and senior students
Develop ideas for future research questions
Learn to read scientific papers and analyze conclusions critically
Gain preparation for the future requirements, like discussions, grant writing, qualifying exams, conference presentations, and thesis proposals
Create a one-page document (Specific Aims Page) outlining past and future research, akin to a grant proposal
100% of students reported making new friends
Post-Immersion students gained skills and confidence in key areas.
Scientific Reasoning
Bio-science Knowledge & Skills
Writing and Communications
Managing Their Self & Others
Program Overview
Interdisciplinary Scientific Immersion takes place over a two-week period at the start of the academic year in August. These two weeks familiarize students with scientific research in graduate school, while the SciComm programming emphasizes enhancement of scientific communication skills. The program culminates with a DBBS-wide retreat that showcases student poster presentations and alumni career panels.
This immersive experience requires the majority of an incoming student’s weekly work hours during the two August weeks of the program. Participating students will not be affiliated with a rotation lab during this time. Although it’s not for credit or graded, full participation each week is expected to maximize benefits for students and their groups.
Program Outcomes
Students were surveyed before and after the Immersion Program with a variety of questions in four main categories. The data is ordered from Pre-Immersion to Post-Immersion.
SciComm Programming
The Interdisciplinary Scientific Immersion program has introduced a new emphasis on Science Communication, which will take place at a separate time during the year. Through this programming, students develop the skills to communicate research ideas effectively through both written and verbal means, gaining the ability to convey scientific concepts to diverse audiences.
Activities Include:
• Written Communication: Editing exercises to improve clarity and content
• Verbal Communication: Preparing short presentations and receiving feedback
• Visual Communication: Creating graphical abstracts
• DBBS-Wide Retreat: Senior student posters and Alumni Career Panels
Guest Speakers
The Interdisciplinary Scientific Immersion program has featured distinguished keynote speakers to inspire students on various topics. The 2024 Immersion Keynote Speaker was Sara Serritella, a science communication expert, award-winning journalist, and private detective whose high-energy presentations grace the stages of global and national conferences. For students participating in Scientific Immersion, her guidance served as an opportunity to enhance their communication skills for graduate school and beyond.
2024 Keynote Talks & Activities Included:
• “Harness the Science of Storytelling to Transform Your Career & Share Your Research with Anyone”: A talk open to all DBBS students
• “How to Give a Science Talk that Doesn’t Put the Public to Sleep”: A talk specifically for incoming DBBS students
• Interactive Workshops: Hands-on workshops focused on topics such as writing for the public eye, building a personal researcher brand on social media, and boosting body language
Sample Schedule
(Scientific Immersion 2025)
Week One: August 11 – 15
Week Two: August 18 – 22