Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Oregon State University and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), one of the nation's leading science centers, have enjoyed a close partnership since 2016. Joining forces to bring together researchers, educators and the public, OSU and OMSI have helped researchers collaborate more effectively on the broader impacts of their grant proposals.

OMSI hosts its popular Science Communication Fellowship cohort program on OSU’s Corvallis campus every spring. More than 70 students, faculty and staff from across science at OSU have completed the training program, including the Colleges of Science; Engineering; Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science; Agricultural Sciences; Forestry; and Public Health and Human Sciences.

Our program gets results

An in-depth evaluation of the OMSI Fellowship program revealed that scientists who participate in the program:

• Believe it was well worth the time and effort that they put in and would recommend it to a colleague, rating the program 9.3 on a scale of 1-10 on average.
• Report improved pedagogical and communication abilities and skills
• Participate in an average of seven public events per year
• 95% of those surveyed reported an improvement in the quality of their public engagement

OMSI Science Communication Fellowships

OMSI’s Science Communication Fellowships support and prepare STEM professionals to more effectively communicate with a variety of audiences by participating in a series of interactive training workshops. Fellows join OMSI to raise awareness about their current scientific research while also serving as STEM role models for children and teenagers and building a culture of public engagement among science professionals.

OMSI Fellows are required to:

• Attend four communication training workshops grounded in research and best practices in informal science education.
• Collaborate with OMSI to develop a hands-on demonstration that highlights unique elements of the researcher’s work.
• Participate in ongoing outreach opportunities at the museum and at events around the state

If the participant receives a College of Science scholarship, they are required to present their demo at one of our events.

Who should apply?

OMSI Science Communication Fellows are STEM professionals. This includes faculty, graduate students, technicians, or other people who work in science, math, engineering, health, or technology-related positions.

Enhance your next grant proposal by showing broader impacts

Showing the broader Impacts for your National Science Foundation or other proposals can make the difference between getting funded and not getting funded. OMSI's team can provide letters of support, a scope of work, budget and other required documentation to include an OMSI Science Communication Fellow into your next grant proposal.

Spring 2025 Cohort workshops

All workshops held at OSU in the Kidder Hall conference room unless otherwise indicated.

• Information session – Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Kidder 128 conference room, 2-5 p.m.
• Workshop 1 - Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Kidder 128 conference room, 2-5 p.m.
• Workshop 2 - Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Kidder 128 conference room, 2-5 p.m.
• Workshop 3 - Wednesday, Mar. 19 in Kidder 128 conference room, 2-5 p.m.
• Workshop 4 - Saturday, Apr. 19 at OMSI, 1–5 p.m.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance and scholarship status by January 2025. Accepted applicants receive financial information after January 2025. The College of Science has a limited number of scholarships available to support its students, faculty and staff.

Questions? Contact a member of OMSI's Science Communication Team at SciComm@omsi.edu. You may also contact Raul Preciado Mendez, Community Learning and Research Manager, RPreciadoMendez@omsi.edu