WISL $500 Graduate Student Awards to Promote Communicating Chemistry

The dual mission of the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy (WISL) is to promote literacy in science, mathematics and technology among the general public and to attract future generations to careers in research, teaching and public service. At the March 5, 2010 Chemistry Department Colloquium, WISL director Bassam Z. Shakhashiri encouraged all Ph.D. chemistry candidates to include a chapter in their Ph.D. thesis communicating their research to non-specialists. He announced that beginning immediately, cash awards of $500 will be given to the first 10 individuals whose Ph.D. thesis includes such a chapter. The goal is to explain the candidate's scholarly research and its significance to a wider audience that includes family members, friends, civic groups, newspaper reporters, state legislators, and members of the U.S. Congress. When the thesis is deposited with the Graduate School, a copy should be given also to Professor Shakhashiri, and WISL will assist in the public dissemination of its contributions. As the number of contributions increases, WISL will be seeking to increase the number of these awards.