Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech

05/29/2026

A book about the discovery of DNA changed the course of Zohreh Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi’s life, and ultimately led her from Northern Iran to , working across the forefronts of stem cell and organoid research. 🧬🧠

She is next in our series spotlighting COMPASS Center researchers, with this story by .tech student Eli Speechley: “Zohreh Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi: Furthering induced pluripotent stem cell research."

Leveraging past technologies to tackle today’s problems, Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi works with specially reprogrammed human cells that can be used to grow organ-like structures called organoids. Organoids mimic parts of the brain, liver, and other organs.

Through collaborations across the COMPASS Center and , these organoids help researchers study how viruses interact with human tissue — work that could improve disease modeling, drug discovery, and future pandemic preparedness while also reducing reliance on animal testing.

✨Learn more about Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi’s journey and how her research is shaping the future of medicine in this spotlight story.

Part of a collaboration with the .english department. 🔗 Link in bio.

05/27/2026

Imagine a world where artificial intelligence could help scientists predict the next pandemic before it begins. 🌎⏳

Next in our series spotlighting COMPASS Center researchers is: “Vasu Gatne: Using AI to predict viral spillover,” by Virginia Tech student Maggie Sheridan.

Gatne, a computer science researcher, was inspired to use her knowledge to help people. She is part of a team developing machine learning tools that identify viral mutations with the potential to jump from animals to humans (zoonotic diseases).

This work combines artificial intelligence, virology, and bioinformatics to help scientists better detect high-risk zoonotic viruses before outbreaks occur.

✨Learn more about how this work could protect our future in this spotlight story. Part of a collaboration with the .english department. 🔗 Link in bio.
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📷 feature Gatne at the 2025 .tech Science Festival. By Lauren Tucker

05/26/2026

From bat guano to jet fuel, fruit flies to fungi, our presenters at the .tech took on the challenge of explaining big ideas in just 90 seconds…and delivered!🥜

Part of the Theatre STEM program, this year’s undergrads brought together bold research, creative storytelling, and a big audience ready to engage.

Between sessions, attendees connected directly with presenters, asking questions, diving deeper into the research, and continuing the conversations started on stage.

We’ll be sharing a spotlight soon on this year’s two award winners, along with a look at the Undergraduate Nutshell Games’ favorite mascot 🐿️

Huge congratulations to all our presenters for making their work clear, compelling, and unforgettable. You showed exactly what the future of research communication looks like, and it is bright!💡💫

Swipe through to relive some of our favorite moments →

Part of the Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship Conference at Virginia Tech.

05/21/2026

What if scientists could grow miniature human organs to study viruses that won’t cooperate in a lab?

As part of our series spotlighting COMPASS Center researchers and their stories, next up is: “Hannah Brown: How artificial organs are combating a virus,” by Virginia Tech student Maddox Torres.

Brown, a virologist with the Compass Center, explores how organoids — artificially grown 3D liver and brain models — are helping researchers better understand the hepatitis E virus.

Working with researchers across , .tech, and , Brown’s work could help scientists better predict, prevent, and treat zoonotic diseases that move between animals and humans.

Part of a collaboration with .english department. 🔗 Read the full story at the link in bio.

📷 of brain organoids courtesy of Colin Bishop, PhD, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
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05/19/2026

What happens when medical evidence creates more questions than answers?

In this research story, “Marissa Buccilli: Translating Medical Uncertainty and Risk,” by Virginia Tech student Abbie Smith, Buccilli explains how rhetoric influences the way clinical studies are written and interpreted.

From the fallout of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative hormone therapy study to today’s conversations around pandemic prediction and prevention, Buccilli's research explores how scientific evidence is translated into real-world care and how rhetoric shapes trust between patients and providers.

“Rhetoric isn’t something on the periphery of science and medicine. It’s an integral part of it.” — Buccilli

Now working with the COMPASS Center, Buccilli is applying her research on risk communication to pandemic science and public health dialogue.

Part of a collaboration with .english department. 🔗Read the full story at the link in bio.
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05/13/2026

This year, 19 faculty made their work resonate with audiences, reflecting the power of research when it’s shared with clarity. And we’re excited to finally celebrate this year’s Audience Choice and Respondents’ Choice award winners!

Congratulations to these three for receiving special honors among a group of phenomenal Faculty Nutshell Talks! 🎉:

🏆 Audience Choice Award (voted live):

🐕 Sally Dickinson, “The dogs who find us: Preparing partners, not tools” School of Animal Sciences

🏆 Respondents’ Choice Awards (selected live by our panel of campus + community judges):

🌲 Stella Z. Schons, “Paying for forest conservation” Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

😨 Steve Matuszak, “The #1 fear” Department of Marketing

Thank you for following along and here’s to the storytellers, the questions, and the conversations that carry this work forward! That’s a wrap on the 2026 Faculty Nutshell Talks!✨

05/04/2026

From hidden light to restoring streams—and from early cancer detection to life in the moss 🌊🔬🌿✨

The stories from this year’s Faculty Nutshell Talks .tech keep unfolding, each one offering a new way of seeing—and shaping—the world around us.

From the built environment to stream restoration and the forest floor, these researchers are tackling questions that connect people, health, and ecosystems in powerful ways.

Up next:

💡 Jonathan Bluey, Building Contruction “I see the light.”

🌊 Tess Thompson
“Engineering with nature to restore stream ecosystems”

🧬 Nasim Akhtar
“Finding cancer early — when we still have choices”

🌿 Kevin Hamed
“Life in the moss: Can conserving salamanders help people?”

Continue celebrating these courageous faculty and look for more inspiring research stories coming soon as we continue the series 👀

04/30/2026

Some talks don’t just land in the moment, they keep traveling!

As part of the .tech 2026 Faculty Nutshell Talks, we’re excited to recognize this year’s:

🏆 Most-Watched Video Award
Awarded to the talk with the highest views on our YouTube page in the month following the event:

🤖🌍 Rockwell F. Clancy, “AI is culturally ignorant — That’s a problem!”
Department of Engineering Education

Congratulations, Rocky, on this well-deserved recognition! 🎉

From the stage to screens around the world, this talk sparked continued curiosity and conversation.

🎥 Watch this talk, and all the 2026 Faculty Nutshell videos, at the link in our bio.

The live, in-person winners’ talks will be showcased next week- stay tuned!💯

04/14/2026

04/14/2026