Note: Mario Pulido and Lisa Yan currently participate in the SC CTSI TL1 trainee program.

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) congratulates USC's Mario Pulido and Lisa Yan as well as 11 senior-level graduate students and six early-career postdoctoral scientists on their successful completion of the 2014 Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute, held March 20-23 at ASM headquarters in Washington, DC.

Now in its fifth year, the institute was developed by the ASM Committee on Graduate and Postdoctoral Education to “address one of the most important aspects of science, which is the art and craft of written communication,” says Steven R. Blanke, an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and chair of the institute. “Effective scientific writing is not only important for individual careers but also critical for our entire profession; it moves forward the exciting science in our field, helps direct policy and lawmakers, and perhaps most importantly, inspires the next generation of scientists.”

Intense mentoring is key to the institute’s success. From specific details of style to manuscript publication to practices of peer review, the insitute covers all the facets of publishing that beginning scientists need to master. Sessions in 2014 included practice in (i) writing manuscripts, including abstracts and titles; (ii) selecting appropriate journals for submission; (iii) strategically suggesting editors and reviewers; (iv) responding to reviewer comments; (v) being a good reviewer; and (vi) addressing ethical issues concerning scientific research and publishing. 

The next institute will be held in March 2015 (the application deadline is December 1, 2014). Learn more

Read the full press release