In Spring 2018, 500 Women Scientists organized our Science Salons for Puerto Rico Campaign to both celebrate Women’s History Month and raise money to support our partners at CienciaPR, as they worked to transform science education in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and María. Pods across the United States hosted Science Salons — or public talks — in coffee shops, bars, and living rooms. The campaign allowed pod members to share their scientific expertise with their communities, while building their communication skills.
Over March and April 2018, 15 pods participated, hosting events that turned out over 1,000 guests across our communities. We raised $7,500 through these events for CienciaPR. The campaign has had lasting impact across our organization, which were detailed in this blog post for the POSTDOCket. Members of the CienciaPR network and Spanish-speaking allies have since agreed to help translate our resources to broaden their reach and widen its impact beyond English-speaking audiences. Pods also partnered with organizations like Taste of Science, Graduate Women in Science, and NerdNite, as well as with local establishments that hosted the events, allowing them to host regular events in the year since their first Science Salon.