BIOCB 7900

Communication Skills for Computational Biologists

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

This class will help graduate students develop skills for disseminating their research in computational biology. This will include five topics. First, students will strengthen their writing skills, with a particular emphasis on writing compelling scientific proposals in the field of computational biology, which is a requirement for the A-exam. Second, students will learn how to design effective figures to communicate findings. Third, students will learn how to give scientific presentations, which Computational Biology Ph.D. students are required to do annually. Fourth, students will learn techniques for making and presenting posters. Fifth, students will develop strategies for communicating their research to non-specialists, including the public and stakeholders who might apply their research.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Write a compelling scientific proposal in the field of computational biology.
• Use generative AI effectively in writing science as well as understand the limitations and ethical issues surrounding this.
• Design a figure that effectively communicates key results of a scientific study.
• Give a 15-minute presentation aimed at scientific colleagues that effectively conveys the rationale of the study, the scientific background, and how the new research being presented adds to our knowledge of an important scientific problem.
• Design and present a poster that is visually compelling.
• Concisely discuss both the rationale and the results of a research project in computational biology to a non-specialist audience.

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