Leila Okahata

A student assistant gestures while talking to Leila Okahata, who is wearing an extended reality headset, smiling and holding her hands up.

This was a joy to write, not only because of the tech and people involved, but because it's a glimpse into my next chapter. It's official — I'm pursuing a master's in Immersive Media Communication at @uosojc.bsky.social! I plan to explore how AR/VR can be used to bring public engagement in science 🦆

Students chart Otter Rock Marine Reserve in augmented reality UO joins with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to connect technology with conservation

Instead of flippers and a snorkel, my first dive into Oregon's rocky reefs and kelp forests started with a pair of smart glasses.

The virtual experience became the heart of my latest story on grad students who turned the coastline into an augmented reality tour 🦦: news.uoregon.edu/students-cha...

My last story with the CVI is about time and the people who carry its weight in the lab.

Adam Prince manages the inventory of our blood samples, some collected as far back as the 1980s. Each vial holds immune cells from a patient, teaching us how to make better cancer vaccines, even decades later:

Working closely with @ellenpeters.bsky.social has changed how I think and talk about numbers. Do I say “40%” or “4 in 10” (or even "2 in 5"!)? That small choice can shape how people understand numeric information and decide what to do with it.

As always, thanks for a lovely chat, Ellen!

S1E11: Making hazelnuts more climate resilient This is Oregon · Episode

I'm back on the mic! 🎙️ I just hosted my first podcast episode in a long while, and in this one I explore something very Oregonian: hazelnuts. I spoke with plant ecologist Lauren Hallett, who's helping design hazelnut orchards to be more climate resilient.

open.spotify.com/episode/1Axj...

Academy names three UO researchers as ‘emerging inventors’ Two chemists and a microbiologist are new members of the National Academy of Inventors

“I am somebody that wouldn’t like science to just stay in the lab...and I think ultimately that requires you to be kind of an inventor, not just a scientist.”

Honored to meet the UO scientists whose inventions are shaping medicine, energy, and technology: news.uoregon.edu/academy-name...

“People feel emotions when engaging with the news, so why not harness them for good?”

New stories can leave audiences feeling hopeless when pressing issues aren't presented with a way forward. But a new study found solutions journalism can move people to act: news.uoregon.edu/solutions-jo...

Thank you for your kind words and support, Rachel! 💗

Our very own Dr. Nora Disis was the inaugural Wayne Kuni Award for Cancer Innovation by the Kuni Foundation. In honor of its founder, Wayne Kuni, the $1 million award recognizes transformative, disruptive contributions to the field of cancer research.

Read more: www.uwcvi.org/post/dr-nora...

Researcher Heather Dawson brings a truffle to her nose while her dog Rye looks up at her with a panting smile.

Of all the stories I've written, this might be the cutest. 🍄 🐶 Follow two sibling scientists and their good boy Rye as they uncover Oregon’s hidden truffle diversity.

Thanks to their pet's special nose, researchers are tracking truffles for science and conservation: news.uoregon.edu/sibling-scie...

The Last Gifts of the Universe book cover

❤️💬 "It's strange what hindsight does. Takes all the layers of emotions and flattens them, turns them either good or bad. It can take time to see the shadows as something beautiful." – The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August 🌌

I'm so happy this story has set sail after six months in the making! From a humble tent outpost to now a flourishing research campus, the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology has come a long way in 100 years. See how it evolved since 1924 in my latest story 🦀: news.uoregon.edu/century-bene...

Side by side graphics of the N A S W journalism award and institutional writing award logos.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The National Association of Science Writers once again welcome entries for its journalism awards and its institutional writing awards. Submit #SciWriAwards nominations on behalf of yourself, peers, colleagues, or mentees by February 1, 2025: www.nasw.org/article... 💚🧪📝

The Best American Science and Nature Writing | Jaime Green Submission and nomination guidelines for The Best American Science and Nature Writing.

Periodic reminder: You can submit your own work for consideration for The Best American Science and Nature Writing. (Editors, ofc, you can, too.) Info and submission form is all here, please share: jaimegreen.net/basn
#scicomm #sciwri #sciencewriters #sciencewriting #naturewriters #naturewriting

The Xylom - Open Collective We grow science with words. The only Asian American-serving science newsroom: independent, nonprofit, run by Gen-Z!

This #GivingTuesday, consider supporting the only Asian American-serving news outlet dedicated to science, climate, and environmental coverage!

We aim to raise $1,500 by the end of the day; all donations are triple-matched up to $1,000!

Let's grow science with words:

✨ A starter pack of science writers 🧪✍️, including medical writers 🩺, technical writers 🚀, and freelance writers👩🏻‍💻

#research #science #academia #SciComm #SciWri #SciSky #MedSky #AcademicSky #AcademicBlueSky #AcademicChatter #Academics #AcademicWriting #ScienceWriting #ScienceWriters #PhD #Freelancers

❤️💬: "Most of her customers were pleased enough to have her focus on their own lives … nobody looked at a mirror to understand the history of its make." (34)

The Teller of Small Fortunes book cover

#LatestRead: The Teller of Small Fortunes by @julieleong.bsky.social

Oh how much I loved reading a mixed identity narrative in a cozy fantasy novel as fourth gen Asian American ✨️ Wonderfully escapist and reflective

On the Cancer Research Frontier: Madeline Dennis, Postdoctoral Fellow On the Cancer Research Frontier is a series spotlighting the scientists, doctors, nurses, patients, and philanthropists at the CVI...

“After seeing my mom go through chemotherapy, I want to see us make cancer vaccines a reality.”

Meet Madeline Dennis, a CVI researcher who's developing a breast cancer vaccine — a deeply personal commitment inspired by her mother's BRCA journey.

Read via #MeetTheTeam: www.uwcvi.org/post/on-the-...

We have a new look! ✨ At the CVI at @uwmedicine.bsky.social, we are unveiling a polished rebrand that represents our ongoing commitment to creating a world where cancer is managed, treated, and ultimately prevented by vaccines.

Explore our new site: www.uwcvi.org

A graphic that reads "SOJC's Butler Profiles Olympic Rower in 'Women's Health'"

A graphic that reads "Media Expert Whitney Phillips Weights in on 'Weird' Era"

A graphic that reads "When talking about climate change, numbers matter"

A faculty interview with a 41-year-old Olympic rower, an exploration of the shift in conservative rhetoric, researchers discuss new infographics for wildfire smoke risks, and more. Read all the stories you missed this week in the SOJC Newsfeed! Click here: journalism.uoregon.edu/about/news

Got to go on my first field trip for a story! Researchers from
@uoregon.bsky.social are developing a way to make hazelnut orchards more climate resilient. A promising approach: a mix of native wildflowers and volcanic rock dust.

Read the latest from me: news.uoregon.edu/uo-ecologist...

Scientist Svetlana Maslakova scuba dives in a clear, turquoise ocean, passing by coral and carrying an orange bucket and red net. Her blonde hair is in a braid and she wears orange goggles.

Light pink coiled worm

Light pink coiled worm

The head of a red worm with two triangular patches

“What we don’t know could cure a disease or could kill us,” said Svetlana Maslakova who discovered 11 new species of beach-dwelling worms just an hour's drive from San Francisco. These dozen are a testament to the ocean’s incredible and underexplored biodiversity: news.uoregon.edu/new-ocean-wo...

I had the honor of meeting and shaking hands with NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan! 🤝 It was a small moment but on a huge day for the University of Oregon. It was a privilege to witness this historic visit firsthand.

Catch all the highlights of the day here: news.uoregon.edu/uo-hosts-nat...

UO research shows how climate anxiety can catalyze activism Worry about the fate of the planet can spur environmental action, but only up to a point

“If you feel anxious about the environment, your feelings are validated. They are not coming from the wrong place because your concern means that you care. So don’t let your anxiety get in the way of your ability to take action."

Transforming anxiety into action: around.uoregon.edu/content/uo-r...

After 3 years of recurring, fiery eruptions in Iceland, scientists predict the country has entered a new volcanic era that may last decades, possibly centuries.

Witness the lava flows and meticulous efforts to study this powerful event via @uoregon.bsky.social: around.uoregon.edu/icelands-vol...

As an early-career communications professional, I find this research a great reminder to consistently ask "Who's the audience?" and check thoroughness with approachability.

But what intrigued me the most about this paper's findings was how journalists and writers sway the opposite: they tend to prefer complex headlines. This suggests that "those who write the news read it differently from those who merely consume it."

Reading dies in complexity: Online news consumers prefer simple writing News readers engage more with simple writing, suggesting that journalists should write simply to attract attention online.

In case you need to hear this: keep your headlines short!

I frequently find myself at a tug-of-war between being comprehensive versus concise in my news headlines. But new research shows that general audiences are drawn to simple headlines more than complex ones: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Digital games may be an overlooked ally in mental health Brain-training games don’t improve cognitive health but can help aid in mood regulation

“When it comes to cognitive and mental health, the one thing we can do is be open to learning new and meaningful things. And I think what games do well is provide you with a framework on how to learn and challenge yourself in ways that you can enjoy.”

around.uoregon.edu/content/digi...