If your science stays in the lab, who does it help?

When we talk about science communication, it’s easy to imagine a podium, a lecture hall, a conference talk, or a formal presentation. But the truth is, science doesn’t just belong on stages or in journals. It belongs where people are already gathering.

That could be a coffee shop, local brewery, Substack, or LinkedIn page. Even the comment section of a YouTube video, though tread lightly.

I recently spoke with Dr. Aimee Bernard, an immunologist and science communicator at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, for an episode of The Next Step Podcast. One thing she discussed was how she encourages her students to find new ways to bring science into the community. That could be through blog posts, podcasts, local newspaper columns, or informal Q&A nights. As she put it, “The last step isn’t the journal or the manuscript. It’s sharing your research with the people in the community so they know what you’ve done.”

That line stuck with me.

Because she’s right — science doesn’t reach its impact potential if it never leaves the lab or breaks free from behind the paywall of a journal.

And the other part that matters is how you share it. Finding your lane and your voice makes all the difference.

Maybe you’re a writer who explains big concepts in approachable blog posts. Maybe you’re the one who turns complex data into visual storytelling on Instagram or YouTube. Or maybe you’re the scientist who loves public talks, sits at a coffee shop in Florida, and speaks to customers about vaccines (yes, Aimee knows someone who does this).

Whatever your style, the key is:

• Go where the people are.
• Use the voice that feels natural to you.

When you combine the two, that’s where science communication really starts to connect. It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being authentic and intentional wherever you are.

If you’re a researcher and you fancy a challenge, pick one place where people already gather — online or offline — and one way to show up there in your own voice.

It could be a single post, a conversation, or even just listening for now.

That’s how communication becomes connection, and that’s how your science reaches the people who need to hear it.