Rose Hendricks

Rose Hendricks received her PhD in Cognitive Science from UCSD, where she studied the influence of metaphor on cognition. During her graduate studies, she became heavily involved in education outreach and science communication through ComSciCon. Upon completing her PhD, Rose applied her background as a Researcher at the FrameWorks Institute, studying public thinking about various social and science topics, and promising practices for communicating about those topics. She now works as the Program Director of the Society Civic Science Initiative at American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). 

Can you describe your academic and professional background? What path led you to pursue this field? 

I first became interested in cognitive science as an undergraduate. I had always thought of thinking as something that happens solely in the brain, and I was intrigued when I discovered professors suggesting that the brain might not have a monopoly on cognition – that the rest of our bodies, and the worlds we inhabit play important roles in what we think of as thinking. I was especially interested in how our minds make sense of language, and how the language we encounter can shape the way we think, so I pursued a PhD to study this more deeply.

Throughout grad school, I began to discover exciting opportunities to apply my research skills and the expertise I was developing to improve communications on a range of science and social issues. I started reaching out to people who were working on strategic communications for nonprofits, and learned more about their work and their paths. Toward the end of my PhD, I applied for a research position at the FrameWorks Institute, studying public thinking about a variety of social issues, and conducting research to inform advocacy communications to increase understanding and support for progressive policy change.

I later applied for a Civic Science Fellowship, to work with science societies in supporting their members – scientists – in their communication and advocacy efforts. This was an opportunity to learn about a new aspect of the scientific enterprise, and to develop and implement new projects that could contribute to culture change in science so that more scientists are supported in connecting their research to the broader society.

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field?

My position as the Kavli Civic Science Fellow was new when I came on board. The advertisement was circulating on email and Twitter, so I encountered it in a couple of places before deciding to apply. I submitted the cover letter and my resume (I noticed I spent much longer tailoring these materials than I had in the past, which I think reflects how interested I was in the job!). A couple weeks later, I had an in-person interview with the Director of HR and my current supervisor. A week or so after that, I met virtually with staff from other organizations I would be working with. And one week after that, I had a job offer. The whole process was quicker than I had experienced in the past, and I really appreciated that the hiring manager was always clear about what the next steps were and what I could expect.  

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a typical day or week like in your role?

I lead a network of science society staff, and my goal is to help the staff and their organizations coordinate and collaborate to better support their members who engage with public audiences and policy makers. A good portion of this role is “community management” – organizing events, creating and sharing resources that help the members of our network learn from and with each other. This entails checking in with network members regularly, staying tuned into their organizations’ activities and challenges, and keeping a lookout for resources that I think they’ll appreciate. I also lead the design, planning, and implementation of targeted projects that aim to build capacity for the group as a whole. I take a somewhat iterative approach – documenting ideas, getting feedback to refine them, and so on, while also thinking about how various projects fit into long-term strategies and assessing them regularly. Concretely, I spend about a third of my time in meetings (listening, collaborating, sharing, and learning), another third of my time creating plans and undertaking projects, and the final third organizing opportunities for collective learning.

What do you enjoy about your current job and work environment? 

I have a lot of independence and autonomy, but I also get to collaborate with and learn from people across a number of organizations. I have a lot of opportunities to try things that might be promising and to pursue projects that align with my skill set and help me build new ones.

What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? Is there anything you wish you had known about your job or industry before joining?

Our highest level goal is to shift the culture of science toward one where engagement with society at large is more highly valued. Culture change is hard! It’s not linear, and there aren’t checklists we can follow. I love this, but it also means that some days I feel like I’m on a hamster wheel going nowhere. But I try to embrace the messiness and remind myself that change happens in fits and starts.

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

I want to continue supporting a healthy relationship between science and society. I’m really not sure what that will look like for me, but I’m open to it taking many different forms. This might be at a university, a society, or another nonprofit.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

I’d recommend that people follow their curiosities. A lot of times when we get involved in a project or other activity, we don’t have a good sense of what skills, relationships, or experiences it will bring us. But if you’re genuinely interested in something, chances are that it’ll open some doors. I also often recommend “prototyping” activities – trying something that’s not a huge commitment to see if it seems like it’s a good use of your time and energy; if it is, you can find ways to increase your involvement, and if it isn’t, you can pivot to try something else.

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

A lot of people who work in science communication, public engagement, science advocacy, and similar roles do have PhDs, but certainly not all do. One benefit of having a PhD is having first-hand knowledge of science – its systems, norms, and culture – and I think that understanding is helpful for roles outside traditional academic career tracks that involve working with science.