Increasing Berkeley Science Review Outreach in a COVID-19 World

UC Berkeley produces great science every year, but 2020 has highlighted how hard it is to understand it—look at all the scientific rumors and misunderstandings about mask-wearing, social distancing, and vaccines. Clearly, we need better science communication. Enter the Berkeley Science Review (BSR). We are a science magazine and blog run by graduate students whose aim is to report the research being done at Berkeley in a way that’s readily accessible to the public by minimizing jargon and simplifying abstract ideas. We publish easy-to-read articles ranging a wide array of topics—from quantum physics to fly genetics to public health.  

Blog editor in chief Maiko holding our last four issues of the BSR magazine

We need your help to ensure that the BSR still reaches the broadest audience during COVID-19–please make a gift today! Your gift will help us connect digitally to our readers and help us maintain safe distribution despite changes due to COVID-19.  

Behind the scenes, the BSR provides an invaluable experience to the writers, editors, and designers who work on the magazine—they gain experience in science communication skills, which are critical for building connections among scientists and the world at large. Our editors learn to keep a pulse on the latest findings in science. Our writers hone their craft as they pen exciting discoveries onto paper. Our designers’ creativity is challenged as they create a stunning magazine layout every issue. Our team’s efforts culminate into a professional quality magazine every semester.

Issue 40 BSR magazine editorial team meeting over Zoom to discuss pieces for our magazine that will be released in May 2021!

 

We constantly strive to improve our distribution strategy to reach the broader community. Last year, we successfully distributed 2000 magazines per issue throughout the Bay Area through magazine distribution bins, Bay Area coffee shops, and campus. However, following COVID-19, no students remained on campus and coffee shops were closed. For our past two issues, we distributed fewer than 1000 magazines per issue.

The current crisis has taught us new ways we must broaden our distribution. We are now asking for funds to help us expand our BSR distribution.

Any donations will 100% go towards the following causes:

1) A new website!

Sample page for our new potential website sent to us by a web designer

 

Our current website (berkeleysciencereview.com) is outdated, not mobile-friendly, and very hard to navigate for both the user and the BSR leadership who keep our content updated. A clear digital, online presence is more important than ever due to COVID-19, and this is now the primary way we can distribute our content. We found a web developer to help us launch a new website that can better highlight our magazine and blog content, but we need funds to pay the developer and annual website hosting. Help us revamp our website by donating today!

 2) More distribution boxes!

2018 BSR staff posing around one of our on-campus distribution boxes

 

Our successful 2018 crowdfunding campaign taught us how useful boxes are for distributing magazines.  We now want to add more bins around the Bay Area, which will also lessen our reliance on coffee shops and other businesses for distribution.  

Thank you so much for your support! With your help, we can ensure that the BSR keeps educating the broader public about science and equipping students to effectively communicate science!

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Follow the BSR on Twitter or Instagram @BerkeleySciRev! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at sciencereview [at] gmail.com!