Communication

Ambassador Roles:

College of Sciences Ambassador

As an ambassador for the College of Sciences, it is my job to facilitate interaction between the college and those who are interested in it. This includes working with potential students, parents, current students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and visitors.  Most of my job was to 1) provide information about the college and relevant opportunities as well as 2) reduce concerns for students/families and the College of Sciences event organizers.

Some examples from my 3 years of volunteering as an ambassador include:

  • Met with families to discuss the transition into different NC State majors and the requirements of each.
  • Served on panels for NC State’s Orientation to talk about about how to get the most out of the college experience.
  • Chaperoned high achieving girls interested in physics at an overnight event to attend lectures, find research opportunities, and meet professors.
  • Checked guests into our Speaker Series events and helped with set up and take down.
  • Spoke to classes about how to get involved with research.
  • Trained to be approachable, handle difficult questions, and know about the college as a whole.

Goodnight Scholars Ambassador

As an ambassador for the Goodnight Scholars Program, I would travel to high schools in North Carolina as well as attend open houses to talk to students about the benefits of attending college, how to pay for college, the benefits of STEM degrees, NC State University, and the Goodnight Scholars program.

Here are two examples of information I helped create:

Branching Out With STEM – Exposing Minority High School Students to Science Beyond Biology/Chemistry

Policy Advocate:

Congressional Visitation Day with Society of Physics Students

One of 5 students from across the US selected to represent the Society of Physics Students during the Congressional Visitation Days in March of 2018.

During this visit discussed topics including immigration, energy, science funding, and science education.

The Journal of Undergraduate Reports in Physics (JURP) published my article about the experience if you would like to learn more:

Science Policy in Congress: A Physics Problem Where the Laws of Physics Don’t Apply

Legislative Action Days and Fall Advocacy Summit

  • One of 2 graduate students from NC State University to discuss graduate student issues with our Congressional Representatives.
  • Arranged and scheduled meeting with twelve different offices in the US Senate and House of Representatives.
  • Received information and training during the Fall Advocacy Summit hosted by the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS)

Legislative Action and Student Advocacy Committee

  • The Legislative Action and Student Advocacy (LASA) Committee is made up of graduate students from different disciplines to keep track of how legislation may affect NC State’s graduate students
  • Organizing a visitation day to North Carolina state government for students to share their own stories and priorities
  • Writing monthly update on local and state level policy that can affect graduate students
  • Helping create monthly call to action to give a path of action for students who don’t know where to begin

Large-Scale Public Speaking:

  • 10 minute research talk at American Physical Society’s (APS) March Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland in 2016
    • Entitled ” Quantitative study of stress levels in AT and BT cut quartz crystal microbalances associated with surface laser irradiation”
  • Graduation Speaker for North Carolina State University Department of Physics for Winter 2019
  • Speech for College of Sciences Donor Dinner
  • Research Presentation on “Measuring Spin-Dependent Transport Properties of 2D NbSe2 Superconductor”
  • Speech during College of Sciences Awards Banquet

Event Planning and Management Roles:

Development, Alumni and Donor Relations Intern

  • Liaison for Astronaut visit, keeping her visit on schedule and facilitating Sciences and Engineering events
  • Reaching out to potential event speakers for NC State’s College of Sciences
  • Engaging with our alumni and donor base, as well as running events for the College of Sciences
  • Speeches for 200+ guests at Donor Dinners and Awards Ceremony
  • Coordinating item delivery/pick-up for ~200 faculty/staff members
  • Recruiting and organizing volunteers for Student Giving Day

Goodnight Scholars Executive Committee

Part of a team of 10 students in charge of planning, organizing, and running events that would benefit and interest a base of 200 scholars

These events had a focus on STEM and STEM education and were tied to professional development, service, or community building.

Coordinated with event speakers, volunteers, catering, room reservation, and visitors to make events run smoothly.

Organized 1st Annual Goodnight Shack-a-thon participation including getting materials for a “shack”, getting business sponsors and donations for Habitat for Humanity, and organizing volunteers for the weeklong event.

Organized 1st Annual BrickBuild, a combined event that included LEGO-themed STEM learning events for elementary school students and a three-hour LEGO BUILD competition for college students. Attached are some of the advertisements we created for the event as well as a two of the teams creations: a LEGO International Space Station and a LEGO prosthetic leg with bendable knee.

NCSU Physics Advisory Board

Part of the team of professors, administrators, and alumni who provide direction and advice toward improving department climate, diversifying opportunities, expanding outreach, increasing funds, and raising the department’s standing.