Heard on campus: Maddie Sofia on embracing identity in science communication
“Not every [scientist] has to do everything, but everybody has to help us get into a new normative belief system that science communication is science,” said Maddie Sofia, a scientist, award-winning journalist, and science communication consultant, in their recent talk on “Embracing Identity: Why We Can’t ‘Stick to the Science’.”
Sofia, a former NPR reporter and host of Short Wave, a daily science podcast, in the 2026 A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lecture, shared their career path, from studying microbiology in graduate school to producing radio content and science writing.
Beyond sharing their career journey, Sofia also discussed how, through inclusive science communication, scientists can better connect to audiences to develop trust and rapport. They explained that “inclusive science communication doesn’t happen quickly. It’s just better than reporting the news as facts, quickly, without any context.” This, Sofia went on to explain, includes using peer-reviewed social science research approaches to interviews, conversations, and projects with your audience in mind; thinking through ways to build trust with that audience and taking into account historical and cultural context in reporting and storytelling.
Sofia demonstrated the power of using identity to connect with their interviewees in several vignettes—including examples of when it worked and did not. Notably, Sofia shared how they connected with Tam O'Shaughnessy, the long-time partner of astronaut Sally Ride, during an interview and were able to have one of the first candid conversations with O’Shaughnessy about the challenges of keeping her and Ride’s relationship largely private until Ride's death in 2012.
Sofia’s lecture served as the keynote address for the Penn State Eberly College of Science second annual Science Equity and Diversity (SeED) Conference, co-hosted by the college’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the College of Engineering. The conference was centered around “Voices That Shape STEM,” featuring sessions throughout the week on difficult conversations, professional empowerment, and science communication. In addition to their lecture, Sofia led a workshop on “Fostering Trust and Connection Through Science,” where they discussed science communication strategies.
To learn more about science communication collaboration and professional development opportunities in the Eberly College of Science, visit the college's Office of Communications website or email sci-comm@psu.edu.
About the Johnson Lectureship
The A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lectureship in Scientific Communication supports an annual lecture in scientific communication in the Eberly College of Science. The lecture was established in 2005 in memory of A. Dixon Johnson, a former University director of Public Information. Johnson worked as a Penn State science writer and public information director for many years.
