Kenzie Arnott (they/them)

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Victoria, BC in Canada. I was raised in Lutz, Florida in the United States of America—a rural community outside of Tampa.

I now live in: Vancouver, BC.

I completed my training/education at:  I started my university journey in the Chemical Engineering program at the University of Manchester in England. I switched to Biochemistry after my first year to earn a BSc. I then went to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for an MSc in Biotechnology. I originally moved to Vancouver, BC to attend the University of British Columbia to pursue a PhD in Botany/Plant Science. After a year, I decided a PhD wasn’t the path I wanted to take, and completed an MSc in Botany.

What I do at work

I run the Science in the City program. This is a science communication media outlet for three different cities: Boston, Seattle, and Vancouver. Science in the City connects researchers and scientists to help them understand each other’s work. This creates new collaborations and fosters a local, close-knit scientific community.

In my work, I curate and create local science news articles to share with the scientific community. I interview researchers about their new publications. I also read articles to pick relevant work to share with others. Then I make social media and website posts to get the word out. I also work with graphic designers to create beautiful images and handouts. I attend local science events and work with local scientific groups to promote and collaborate on new events and projects.

Most of my work depends on my ability to understand scientists’ research and write about it in a way everyone can understand. My background in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) helps me understand what’s important and what’s not. This is important when I’m guiding researchers through interviews about their work. I can help them describe their work in a way that everyone can understand. I also use several different computer programs and work with HTML to create our website and publications.

My goal is to create things people will care about. How do we take the important work that scientists are doing and make other people pay attention? It’s not always easy. Especially when you get into science topics that are very, very specific. The work scientists do can be so important to society and our growing knowledge. But it’s useless if no one can understand what they’re doing, or what they’ve found.

Lastly, I work with a team of science communicators. These people work on global science news, podcasts, and resources for other scientists. While I work independently on Science in the City, I use their opinions and expertise as much as I can to help craft this project into something I’m proud of.

My career path is

In my career journey, I thought I knew what I wanted to do when I started. But I kept surprising myself with what I found I liked. I started studying to become a chemical engineer but hated it. I loved the biology side of things. So, I switched. I took a lab course where I worked with plants. I thought it was the best thing ever! So, I switched my path again. I went from medical science and biochemistry to plant science.

During university, I discovered a love for teaching. I realized I didn’t want to be a researcher forever. So, I pivoted once again. I finished with an MSc instead of a PhD. Then I started lecturing at the University of British Columbia. My areas were Plant Science and Science Communication. It was great working with students. I loved seeing their confidence grow as they progressed in a course. After working with guest lecturers from the journalism department for my science communication course, I decided that this was what I wanted to do full-time. So, I switched again. Now I’m a full-time science communicator.

It can be scary to make so many changes. Diving into unfamiliar territory while leaving safer options behind is scary. I’m glad I did it though. Figuring out what you want to do with your life and what you like can be a challenge. When the answer presents itself, don’t be afraid to follow that path as long as it continues to serve you. Even if it doesn’t work out and you have to switch again and again, those twists and turns teach you something. They will help you land on something you enjoy in the end.

I am motivated by

My job with Science in the City is particularly cool when it comes to science communication. I get to help create a community. I think that community is often overlooked as people get so focused on their own science work. But nothing great exists in a vacuum. Building a community, having complex discussions and working together are the best ways to produce impactful and meaningful science. I love that I get to be a part of that process.

How I affect peoples’ lives

Science is only useful if other people can understand it. Communicating science can be challenging. It’s something that takes a long time to master. So, I’m quite proud that I help create a bridge between science and the general public. This helps everyone understand what’s happening and why it matters.

Outside of work I

I play tennis, read, and watch movies. My favourite thing to do is to go camping! The nature in British Columbia is truly one of a kind! I try to appreciate it as much as I can.

My advice to others

Don’t be afraid to put your writing out there, no matter how insecure you feel about it. Getting feedback can be hard. But it is the only way to improve how you communicate and how people engage with your writing. To this day, I still get nervous at the idea of people reading what I’ve written. Your words matter.