Anja Scholze, Ph.D., is the experience developer and program manager for Health & Biotech at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA. As a grantee through the foundation’s San Francisco Bay Area program, Anja was a co-creator of The Tech’s BioDesign Studio, which engages the public in interactive exhibits related to the burgeoning fields of synthetic biology, bioengineering, biological design and DIY biology.
In this installment of Beyond the Lab, Anja discusses her passion for engaging diverse audiences in learning about life science research and biotechnology, and empowering all individuals, including youth, to explore biology for themselves. Anja also notes that working with a diverse array of scientists and non-scientists alike motivates her efforts in informal science education.
What inspired you to become a scientist/researcher?
I have always loved learning about nature, the world around me, and how these things work at more fundamental levels. To me, the appeal of being a scientist stemmed largely from being an opportunity fully immerse myself in curiosity, logic and understanding. The excitement and satisfaction of getting to ask, and then (hopefully) answer, my own questions with self-directed experimentation was captivating. Investing in this path also provided a chance for me as an individual to contribute new, valuable knowledge to the world, which gave a deeper meaning and purpose to my curiosity-driven explorations.
What topics/areas/problems in science are you most interested in solving?
Right now, I am most passionate about reimagining and designing new ways to democratize and engage diverse audiences in the rapidly changing and powerful landscapes of life science research and biotechnology. The skills, tools and implications of understanding living systems and using them engineer innovative solutions to human challenges are still largely foreign and inaccessible to the general public. I want to help change that by empowering everyone, including youth, to experience and explore biology for themselves as a creative, problem-solving medium. Currently, my focus is on envisioning and bringing to life an experimental new type of public space to support this concept: a museum-embedded DIY community lab and bio-makerspace.
How do your colleagues help you achieve your goals?
My role lets me stay in touch with scientific colleagues in academia and industry as well as work with a very diverse team of individuals at the museum. My external partnerships, collaborations and advisors keep me engaged with current research advances and possible new tools or projects to investigate for use in the museum. Internally, my coworkers have expertise in areas from science and engineering to design, art and education. By leveraging this tremendous diversity and breadth of knowledge, I am able to much better collaboratively design, develop, prototype and refine complex and entirely novel experiences.
What are your greatest limitations/challenges as a scientist/researcher?
My biggest challenge right now comes from trying to figure out how to do and sustain laboratory biology and experiences with dynamic living things in a non-traditional and non-technical setting, such as a museum. Translating the exciting tools, techniques and advances from the forefront of academia and industry into a format that is robust, sustainable and engaging for the public on a daily basis requires much behind the scenes exploration, creative adaptation and operational optimization.
What gets you going every day (besides coffee) and how do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by seeing the meaningful impact of my efforts daily on young people and curious adults who engage with the experiences I have worked to develop in the museum. It is very rewarding to get to bring the ideas and resources I love so much to others, who might have not have had as much opportunity for exposure and encouragement. Additionally, as a scientist-at-heart and lifelong lover of learning and exploration, getting to push the boundaries and strive to contribute something new to a field, in this case informal science education, is very motivating on an intellectual level.
Follow Anja on Twitter @biophilebytes.
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