Nicole Fay: Post-BASIS Science Outreach
January 2017
We spotlight former BASIS volunteer & science outreach enthusiast Nicole Fay. Read about her science outreach through different life stages.
Meet Nicole Fay, a scientist at Applied Molecular Transport (AMT) in South San Francisco. Nicole does it all. She has two Bachelor of Science degrees from Georgia Tech, a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley, is a mom, a working scientist, and reaches out to the community to share her love of science with the next generation. Nicole’s unique heart for science outreach makes her stand out as an exceptional woman in STEM.
When Nicole began graduate school at UC Berkeley (UCB), she was impressed by the student body’s activism in promoting science. She joined the interdisciplinary and highly collaborative Groves Lab (Chemistry Dept.) where she studied immune cell signaling. The great comradery she developed with her fellow scientists underscored the influence of mentors and peers in encouraging science enthusiasm.
In addition to pursuing a research career, it was important for Nicole to share with the community all the benefits that science cultivates – curiosity, critical thinking, and the joy of discovery. At UCB, she established tours of campus research labs for 6th-12th grade students. She mobilized the UCB student population for volunteering at off-campus events, including science fairs and community clean-ups. She was elected Chair of the Outreach Committee of the Graduate Assembly. However, Nicole was eager to integrate the hands-on, wet lab type of science she loved with the standard classroom curriculum.
Nicole quickly connected to Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS)—an organization she admired for both their mission and impressively coordinated volunteer base. BASIS enabled her to show young students how exciting, surprising, and fun science can be. With BASIS, she taught a 3rd Grade lesson called “States of Matter: from sublime suds to ice cream science!” Her team used liquid nitrogen and dry ice, standard biochemical lab reagents but otherwise difficult to obtain items, for demonstrations both shattering and edible. With this BASIS team, Nicole found a way to combine her two passions for science and outreach.
One of Nicole’s favorite aspects of outreach is generating hypotheses with students and having very refreshing, original discussions. She views knowledge as a social construct —results need to be shared in order for society to gain any benefit. Scientists who share their work to young students become better communicators, which enhances the impact of their work. Furthermore, a new generation is equipped with critical thinking skills, empowering them for any life endeavor. Nicole asserts that volunteering with BASIS taught her an invaluable lesson – how to clearly and concisely communicate complex ideas. Nicole, as a Research Scientist at a small biotechnology start-up, regularly uses her BASIS skills when presenting to diverse audiences.
At AMT, Nicole is researching the next generation of drug delivery. This is done by coupling a biologic therapeutic, which currently has to be administered via IV or subcutaneous injection, to a novel transporter molecule capable of surviving the harsh gastrointestinal (GI) system. This pill-based drug delivery method is uniquely posed to aid difficult to treat diseases – such as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer – by taking advantage of the GI’s natural physiology. She notes that while working at AMT, she is strongly motivated by the tremendous potential for direct, positive impact on human lives. Nicole also believes that by sharing her science via outreach, she is encouraging young minds to revel in the discovery process and pursue their innate curiosity, instilling the traits for a successful scientist. Science enthusiasm, both in the short and long-term, makes the world a healthier, happier place.
Nicole loves the “special bond between outreach volunteers” and considers many of the volunteers she’s met during outreach events to be some of the most enthusiastic, hard-working individuals she knows. This network can extend past the college circle as the latest scientist hire at AMT was another former BASIS volunteer from UCB. She attributes the persistence of outreach connections to the dedication and attention to detail that volunteers must demonstrate.
Currently, Nicole is working on connecting young students to the biotechnology start-up world. We are so inspired by Nicole’s continued passion for empowering the next generation of scientists!