Good communication positively impacts career development, funding opportunities, government policy, and overall perception of science. The initial CTS initiative began in 2012 after students, legislators, donors, university leaders, news media, friends, family and even professional colleagues told me that they couldn't understand what research scientists were saying. I immersed myself in learning and teaching the art of communicating science in hopes of increasing the ability of scientists to talk to all types of audiences. I quickly discovered that the desire to improve speaking skills existed broadly in the scientific community, but barriers often prevented integration of sci comm training programs into already busy careers. So, in 2019, CTS was reconfigured to serve as a resource to make it easier for organizations to establish, increase and strengthen communication training programs for scientists at all career levels. I work with a skilled team of scientists, adult educators, artists, & even standup comics to produce high quality educational programs.

I’ve been involved in biomedical research, science administration and teaching for over 40 years. I received a PhD in medical microbiology from West Virginia University and postdoctoral training in cellular immunology at the University of Michigan.  After serving on the faculty of the University of Rochester Medical School for five years, I moved to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda MD where I coordinated funding for infectious disease research and served as a senior advisor for over 16 years before retiring from civil service in 2011.  I also served as an Associate Dean for Research at the University of Southern California for three years.  I worked with college and high school science teachers to integrate science communication into STEM curricula, and occasionally wrote opinion articles about science for the local newspaper.  I was honored to be a guest editor for the JMBE special issue on Science Communication and to be recognized as a AAAS Fellow.  

I live with my wife in the North Bay area of San Francisco. Hobbies include searching for my lost golf balls, hiking, public speaking and being trained by dogs.

I am a member of the following organizations: 

• American Society for Microbiology

• American Association for the Advancement of Science 

• Association of Science Communicators

• PCST - Global Network for Science Communication

• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

• International/American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research 

• Research!America

• SciCommers: a science communication collective

• Science Communication Trainers Network

• Society for Science and the Public 

• Storytellers Association of California 

• Union of Concerned Scientists

• Wine Country Speakers

For more information about Dennis, please visit LinkedIn