Sam Li, a second-year student in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications program at the University of Toronto, was recognized with a Vesalius Trust Research Grant.
The Vesalius Trust awarded a 2024 Research Grant to Samantha Li, a second-year student in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications program at the University of Toronto. She is one of five biomedical communications students to be recognized.
Sam received the grant to support her master's research project Storytelling with data: Teaching data-driven storytelling to undergraduate life science students. The multimedia interactive learning resource will teach students how to craft a visual narrative to communicate their original research to their supervisors and peers. Research supervisors and instructors will be able to incorporate the resource into their existing science communication training workflow.
Sam Li is creating The SciStory Laboratory, a scrollytelling web site that introduces students to a work flow for generating research posters that incorporate good visual design and revolve around a central narrative.
A part of an undergraduate science student's training is to create posters to convey the results of their original research. The posters summarize the work that a student has conducted to investigate a topic. However, packaging this new knowledge into a clear and compelling narrative is challenging without training.
Until now, training has included referring students to examples of excellence but this does not teach students how to build their own visual stories.
Working with content advisors Gaël McGill, professor at Harvard Medical School, Susan Keen, professor at the University of California, Davis, biomedical communications faculty advisors Jodie Jenkinson and Nicholas Woolridge, and research associate Ke Er Amy Zhang, Sam is creating The SciStory Laboratory.
The SciStory Laboratory is a scrollytelling web site that introduces students to a work flow for generating research posters that incorporate good visual design and revolve around a central narrative.
Sam is embedding didactic yet playful 2D animation as a simple but effective tool to engage users. She is incorporating interactive elements such as sliders to allow users to compare and see how certain design considerations afford better understanding. She is including case studies to serve as models for students to get a sense of how to tell their own research story.
The SciStory Laboratory will be available for testing by University of Toronto undergraduate life science students by summer 2024.
The following MScBMC students also received 2024 Vesalius Trust awards:
Beatrice Nai-Jung Chen, MScBMC '24–Research Grant for her project A road map of health care transition to adult care for adolescents with paediatric heart disease
Jayne Leggatt, MScBMC '24–the Joyce McGill Scholarship for her project Sonoanatomy Atlas: An Interactive Educational Resource for Sonoanatomy and Ultrasound Protocol
Natalie Lucas, MScBMC '24–Research Grant for her project Speaking from the heart: An audience-informed animation for navigating palliative care and advanced heart failure
Juno Shemano, MScBMC '24–Research Grant for her project Wound watch: An interactive education platform on pressure injury prevention for unpaid caregivers
Vesalius Trust awards are made annually to recognize student research projects of merit.
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Web sites referenced
Sam Li’s online portfolio https://www.samlivisuals.com
Beatrice Chen's Vesalius Trust Research Grant announcement https://uoft.me/vt2024-beatrice-chen
Jayne Leggat’s Joyce McGill Scholarship announcement https://uoft.me/vt2024-jayne-leggatt
Natalie Lucas’ Vesalius Trust Research Grant announcement https://uoft.me/vt-2024-natalie-lucas
Juno Shemano’s Vesalius Trust Research Grant announcement https://uoft.me/vt2024-juno-shemano