Public engagement and science communication studentship

Part of the Biochemical Society's Summer Vacation Studentship scheme, this studentship will give students experience of working in the public engagement and science communication field.

Students will have a dedicated project working with the Biochemical Society's Education and Communities Team, gaining experience in a range of education and engagement activities.

Public engagement and science communication studentship

What will the studentship involve?

Students will have a dedicated project working with the Biochemical Society's Education, Public Engagement and Training Manager and the Content and Communities Manager, gaining experience in a range of education and engagement activities.

The studentship will focus on developing online resources which are suitable for a wide variety of audiences. This may include educational resources for students, practical resources for teachers, outreach activities which for the general public and/or social media content for Biology Week. The development of resources will require you to not only be able to understand and communicate topics within biochemistry in an easy to understand manner, but also present the information in a creative and engaging way. You will be involved in the designing and final production of the resource.

As part of the project, the student will have the opportunity to contribute to The Biochemist magazine, supporting content development and exploring innovative ways to engage readers. This may include commissioning articles to be featured in the upcoming issues.

Additionally, the studentship will explore the marketing of the resources and featured articles within the Biochemist. Gaining skills within marketing, promotion and digital engagement through working with the Marketing and Communication team.

As the Society is a remote working organisation, the majority of the studentship will take place remotely, with the exception of attending any associated in-person events.

Studentship funding

Students will be awarded a stipend of £427.35 per week for 6 weeks, to support the students’ living costs for the duration of the placement. The stipend is based on a 35 hour week at £12.21/hour (National Living Wage).

The student will receive the grant at the beginning of the studentship.

Students will also be awarded a one-year undergraduate membership of the Biochemical Society. Read more about the benefits of Society membership here, including discounted registration fees for training courses and events.

The application process

Students will apply for the the public engagement and science communication studentship online.

Students will need to explain why they are applying for this studentship specifically and will have the opportunity to highlight any particular areas of public engagement or science communication they are interested in.

Outcome of applications

Following the review process, the student will be informed of the outcome of their application.

During the studentship

Students will be supervised by members of the Education and Community Engagement Team throughout the project. Students may also be assisted by other members of staff with particular roles in the Society, and will interact with the Society as a whole throughout the project.

As the Society is a remote working organisation, the majority of the studentship will take place remotely, with the exception of attending any associated in-person events. The Society will cover associated travel expenses relating to this.

Students are encouraged to keep track of any skills they have developed over the course of the placement, both technical and transferable, and any impact the project has had on their potential future career.

They are also encouraged to develop their own blogs about their studentship, and to update the Society on their placement using social media by tagging us on Instagram @officialbiochemsoc, on Bluesky @biochemsoc.bsky.social and on LinkedIn or on X @BiochemSoc.

End of studentship report

It is a condition of the award that the student subsequently submits a report of their studentship, which can be uploaded onto our website.

Additionally, any related output from the project should be written up for use by the Society.

The deadline to complete and send your report is 1 October 2025.

Criteria and eligibility

The studentships are for undergraduate students in biochemistry, molecular bioscience and related subjects.
The studentship should typically be carried out during the penultimate summer of an undergraduate degree e.g., the summer before the final year. Whilst consideration can be given to those taking up the studentship earlier (e.g., in the middle summer(s) of their degree), unfortunately final year students are not eligible.
The public engagement and science communication studentship is open to students who will be based in the UK over the summer of 2025.
Students do not need to be members of the Biochemical Society to apply.
Students can only apply for one Biochemical Society studentship.

Contact us

For further information, please get in touch with the Grants department.

Related grants

Please find other related funding opportunities below.

Two students in a lab using a microscope and computer

Resource

A guide to studying biochemistry at undergraduate level

A guide to the typical course content of a Biochemistry degree, as well as the skills and attributes you will develop during your undergraduate studies.

Resource

Biochemistry: the career guide

An in-depth guide to the different types of degrees in biochemistry, the qualifications you will need, and the career options a biochemistry degree will give you.

Programming skills studentship

Details on the programming skills summer vacation studentship, available for undergraduate students in molecular bioscience and related subjects.

Science Communication Prize

Each year, we celebrate outstanding science communicators with an annual Science Communication Prize. Find out about the prize and our previous winners.

Resource

How to become a science writer

A guide to becoming a science writer from the Association of British Science Writers.

Public engagement and science communication studentship

Application deadline