Communication of Science and Technology

Alumni

The Communication of Science and Technology alumni have gone on to do great things – from management consulting to medicine to a scientific professional association. Allison Byrum and Nana Koram of the first class to enroll in the major came to Vanderbilt from two very different worlds: one from rural Tennessee and the other from the African country of Ghana. Yet they both decided that the Communication of Science and Technology was the best program for them.

Byrum, now working for the American Chemical Society, interned at Vanderbilt in the laboratory of cancer researcher Ann Richmond. She wrote about her experiences in the story “Ten weeks in Cancer Lab Dissolve Personal Stereotypes,” which was published in Exploration, Vanderbilt’s online research magazine. During the summer following her junior year, she interned with Chemical & Engineering News, the official news magazine for the American Chemical Society. Following graduation, she accepted a job offer from the ACS in their public relations department.

Koram, who is now at the Emory Graduate School of Public Health, interned at Vanderbilt with chemistry professor Charles Lukehart. Her story, “Road to Greener Cities,” described her experiences there, as published also in Exploration. She did her summer internship in public health with a district hospital in Ho, the regional capital of the Volta region in Ghana, and chronicles the experience in another Exploration story, “Subjectivity in Public Health Nursing.” Following graduation, she enrolled at Emory’s Graduate School of Public Health to prepare for a career in which she can help to improve health care in her native country.

For Reed Wotiz, a double major in Computer Science and in Communication of Science and Technology, a summer internship with the management consulting firm, Deloitte and Touche, turned into a permanent position after he graduated.

Public relations, public health, and management consulting are just three of the many exciting careers that will be open to students who complete the interdisciplinary major, Communication of Science and Technology. Some graduates will enter the work force directly like Byrum and Wotiz, while others will continue their education like Koram, in areas such as journalism, law, medicine and business. The flexibility of the curriculum permits students to tailor their course selection to prepare them for many different career goals.

CAREERS OF SOME OF OUR GRADUATES

Allison Byrum (‘02)

Alli worked for the American Chemical Society in the Departments of Communications, Publications, and Education. In Education she was an Education Associate and an Associate Editor of In Chemistry, a quarterly publication. She then wrote for Modern Drug Discovery and Today's Chemist at Work. She was an Assistant Editor and a Production Editor.

Alli meanwhile, is completing her MA in nonfiction writing with an emphasis on Science Medical Writing.

Nana Koram (’02)

“I was about to start a PhD in International Health at Tulane University in New Orleans this fall and unfortunately had to evacuate. I'm now attending classes at the University of Michigan School of Public Health for the fall. I hope to return to Tulane in the spring.”

Andrew Lutsky ('06)

Andrew accepted an interesting one-year internship in public relations with the San Franciso 49ers of the National Football League.

Virginia Nickles (’02)

“I am currently working with a non-profit organization in Atlanta as the Director of Marketing. We hold an annual juried competition Flower Show that attracts over 40,000 people from across the SE. We also put on additional activities throughout the year that raise money for green space initiatives. I started out in this position after doing an internship for my graduate degree (Organizational Leadership). Having such a diverse background and a masters at such a young age (24) I was promoted quickly.”

Reed Wotiz (’02)

Reed works for Deloitte (formerly Deloitte and Touche) Management Consulting.

Kathryn Clabo (’03)

“I'm in my third-year of medical school at Vanderbilt. I'm almost done with my first rotation (surgery). Since starting, I've rotated through anesthesia and neurosurgery, and I'm on general surgery now (the oncology/endocrine service). I'm interested in pediatrics residency with possible fellowships thereafter in pediatric oncology, neurology, endocrinology, or neonatology.”

Sara Jane Doby (‘04)

“I am in Dental School at The University of Mississippi. I started this past August, and I am really enjoying it.”

Christine Graham (’04)

“I am in my second year at University of Chicago Law School. Upon graduation, I plan to do international corporate work in New York.”

Joanna Harp (’04)

“I just started my 2nd year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. I love it here (as much as you can love med school and as much as you can love humid Houston!). To anyone thinking of applying to medical school using this major I would absolutely and enthusiastically recommend it!!! At first I was nervous because some of my fellow classmates had taken more science classes than I had...biochem, genetics, etc. But, after making it through my first year just fine, I realize that those extra courses help you for about the first 3 weeks of medical school and that is about it! After that it’s all new stuff for everyone! Plus, I feel like it was much more beneficial for me in the long run to have a wide range of classes in a variety of fields.”

Ellen Stormer Kelsey (’04)

“I just started a PhD program in genetics at the University of Rochester Medical School. My long term goal is to work in public education, most likely for an organization such as the NIH. My interest is in public perception of science research such as stem cells, gene therapy and cloning.”

Gwen Hubbell (’04)

Gwen is in her second year of medical school at Loma Linda in California