Michael Wells, a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, is a vocal science advocate. In this video, he shares how you can combine your unique scientific research interests and desire to help more people understand the importance of supporting neuroscience.
He emphasizes advocacy isn’t only defined by meeting members of Congress face-to-face. “You can do [advocacy] at a local level, at the school board level.” Advocacy takes different forms, and Wells believes, “There are plenty of opportunities for scientists from all walks of life to become more involved in science advocacy.”
For Wells, social media, especially Twitter (@mfwells5), is an incredibly important and effective year-round advocacy tool.
For example, in 2017 when he participated in SfN’s Capitol Hill Day, he extended his conversations with legislators to the general public by taking over the band Passion Pit’s Twitter handle. He led a conversation, called “We Need Science,” to answers Twitter users’ questions about mental health and explain why federal support for neuroscience research is critical for advancement.
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