ABRCMS Alumni Spotlight: Robyn Javier, Ph.D.

Robyn Javier, Ph.D.
Vice President of Science Communication
M Booth Health (ABRCMS 2004 Student Oral Presentation Awardee)

Dr. Robyn Javier is a scientific storyteller, writer, illustrator and educator. Currently, she leads the science specialty practice at a health communications agency, supporting clients like Genentech, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and World Health Organization (WHO0. Prior to this, she was a lecturer and head of the Science & Engineering Communication program at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). As a freelance science communication specialist, she has also worked with organizations and institutions such as Yale, Brown University and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.

What was one of the low points or challenges in your scientific journey, and what helped you? What advice do you have for others?

One of the biggest challenges I faced was when I was about halfway through grad school and realized that the ”standard” career path of scientific research wasn’t a good fit for me personally. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what direction I was going. Fortunately, my school offered great career exploration workshops that helped me identify promising options and connect with people in those careers – informational interviewing is my #1 recommendation to everyone!

What is something about science or your current work that you find fascinating or motivating?

I love the challenge of taking complex scientific information and translating it into compelling stories that different audiences can understand and appreciate. Science is increasingly embedded in our everyday lives, so this is a career area that’s growing and can have a significant impact on the world.