Positive Experiences Noted by Participants of Graduate School’s Public Writing Fellows Program

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Over the last six months, seven UMass Amherst graduate students participated in the Graduate School’s Public Writing Fellows Program, a summerlong program for graduate students looking to improve communications writing skills and strategies to effectively communicate their own research with non-experts. 

Directed by Heidi Bauer-Clapp, associate director of the Office of Professional Development, the program receives applications from graduate students each spring. Those selected and who successfully complete the program obtain a published writing sample for their portfolio and receive a $250 honorarium.

This year’s cohort of seven fellows worked throughout the summer on improve their skills in communicating complex research and learn different techniques for producing clear, engaging content for a variety of audiences.

As a capstone to the program, the fellows interviewed other graduate students and wrote profiles of that student’s research, which were recently published on the Graduate School’s website.

“During this experience it was clear that while we all speak a common language, we use that language in a variety of ways,” says fellow Janelle Welton. “If we want to be understood outside of our specific discipline, we must take care to choose our word wisely, frame our sentences neatly, and narrow the scope of our story.”

Fellows also said they appreciated the opportunity to connect with graduate students across campus.

“The Public Writing Fellows program is a fantastic opportunity for any graduate student, in any field of study,” Sarah Mirza says. “As a scientist in the early steps of my Ph.D. program, I learned how to make my research digestible to broad audiences. I worked alongside many motivated fellows from different departments and in different stages of their careers. Along with Heidi, it's a valuable support network.”

Fellow Shannon Callaham adds, “It was really useful working with my interviewee to both clarify the potential impact of her research and tell the story of [graduate researcher Trisha Brady’s work] in an accessible way.”

This year’s fellows – and their profiled graduate student researchers – were:

• Shannon Callaham, doctoral student in environmental conservation, who profiled Trisha Brady (chemistry)
• Ece Derya Senbas, doctoral student in philosophy, who profiled Briana Kubik (microbiology)
• Isabella Hurley, master's student in statistics, who profiled Angelina Caggiano (civil engineering)
• Sarah Mirza, doctoral student in animal biotechnology and biomedical Sciences, who profiled Cory Ellen Gatrall (nursing)
• Lance Piantaggini, doctoral student in education, who profiled Karl Lyn (W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies)
• Eric Ross, doctoral student in history, who profiled Angelica Hill (linguistics)
• Janelle Welton, doctoral student in molecular and cellular biology, who profiled Sofiya Shreyer (anthropology)

Applications for the 2025 Public Writing Fellows program will open in the spring; more information is available on the program's website. The Graduate School’s Three Minute Thesis competition and workshops offered in the Office of Professional Development also provide graduate students opportunities to improve communication skills.