Science Communication: Changes in the Relationship between Science and Society

Julia Schaletzky joined UC Berkeley's Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases in fall 2017 and is currently the center’s Executive Director. Originally from Germany, Julia trained as a Biochemist at Bayreuth University and completed her studies in the laboratory of Prof. Francis Barr at the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany. She then went abroad to obtain her PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Tom Rapoport at Harvard Medical School/HHMI. While the main focus was on translocation of proteins across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, she also volunteered as a mentor for the HHMI EXROP program, training and mentoring students from underrepresented communities over the summer. After completing her PhD, Julia joined Cytokinetics, a biotechnology company in South San Francisco. During her 11 years at Cytokinetics, Julia and her team focused on discovering and developing novel, first-in-class medicines against heart failure and neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS, which are currently in Phase III clinical trials. In addition, she took on several pro-bono projects stemming from academic collaborations, working after hours on successful screens against Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Malaria and Toxoplasmosis. Julia is passionate about treating neglected and emerging diseases, establishing effective collaboration between academia and industry and about translating basic science into new companies and ultimately cures. In her free time, Julia enjoys learning new skills, socializing with family and friends, and practicing the Arts.

Randy Schekman is a Nobel Prize-winning cell biologist who studies the molecular processes by which cells assemble and regulate the passage of vesicles — small, sac-like structures that transport molecules within and between cells. He has shown the similarity between the secretory pathways of yeast and human cells, and is presently working to apply his research to studies on the genetic diseases of protein transport. Randy is also a strong proponent of academic journal publishing reform and the open access movement. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the open access, biomedical and life sciences journal eLife. He has also served as the Editor-in-Chief of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Randy’s work has attracted many accolades, including election as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1992, the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 2002 and, most notably, the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, which he shared with James Rothman and Thomas Südhof.

Brandon R. Brown is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of San Francisco, where he has also served as department chair and associate dean for sciences. He pursued doctoral training in superconductivity and low-temperature physics, with postdoctoral work in science communication. Once at the University of San Francisco, he shifted his research focus to sensory biophysics. He and his collaborators and students explored the electric and magnetic sensory abilities of a variety of creatures. Brandon served as associate dean for sciences, during which time the university completed planning stages for the Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation, for which he helped fundraising efforts. He currently writes about science for broader audiences, including various columns, essays, and two books: Planck (2015, Oxford University Press), and The Apollo Chronicles (2019, Oxford University Press).