Smith, Wagoner Selected for Digital Science Communication Fellowship

The Museum of Science in Boston has announced that two NC State faculty members have been selected to join the inaugural cohort for its Digital Science Communication Fellowship. The fellowship pairs scientific experts with influential digital creators to help scientists better leverage social communications platforms, creating greater visibility and impact for their work. 

Adrian Smith, a research assistant professor for NC State’s Department of Biological Sciences and head of the Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, has been selected as a mentor/digital creator. Smith is an entomologist focused on insect behavior and natural history. He also produces science media and studies how science is communicated to the public. His YouTube channel, Ant Lab, has amassed nearly 300,000 subscribers. One of his most popular videos features the globular springtail (Dicyrtomina minuta), a tiny backyard bug that can do the fastest backflips on earth.

Kasey Wagoner, an assistant professor for NC State’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been selected as a mentee/scientific expert. He has conducted research on the cosmic microwave background, the oldest light in the universe. As an avid baseball fan, he has also studied the physics of a curveball and helped produce a video on the topic for NC State. In addition to teaching and conducting research, he has served as director of the Simons-NSBP Scholars Program, a unique summer research program for undergraduate members of the National Society of Black Physicists. 

The museum selected Smith and Wagoner out of hundreds of applicants for the fellowship. A total of 46 mentees and mentors were selected, representing fields including physics, engineering and neuroscience. Over six months, digital mentors and mentees will work together in teams to co-design new, scalable approaches to digital-first science communication — whether through social media, podcasts or blogging — that inspires greater public trust in scientific institutions while generating public excitement about cutting-edge scientific research and discoveries.

The Digital Science Communication Fellowship is designed to equip scientific leaders with the tools to successfully communicate their work with clarity, accuracy and cultural resonance. According to the Museum of Science, 89% of Americans view scientists as intelligent, but only 45% consider them effective communicators. By bridging this communication gap, the fellowship aims to combat misinformation and restore public trust through digital storytelling, behavioral science and civic-minded strategy.

This post was originally published in NC State News.