Instagram Tips with @ thinklikeapostdoc

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Today we are featuring Mallory Ladd, @thinklikeapostdoc on Instagram, a graduate research fellow at the University of Tennessee working with NGEE-Arctic scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Mallory contributed an image set for our experimental stimulus materials. Below, we've asked her to share a bit more about her science Instagram practices.

 

Mallory Ladd on Instagram.

Q: What motivated you to start a (science) Instagram?

Mallory: I first started a blog when I came to grad school, to find my voice, help other students navigate graduate school in the sciences, and practice communicating my science. Making my Instagram account public recently and tailoring posts for a broader audience has kind of been a natural extension of that. Photos are sometimes easier to connect to [than text] and are more eye-catching than a 500-word blog post, so I’m excited to see where this experience takes me!

 

Mallory Ladd in the field.

Q: What do you do, both in your career and for fun?

Mallory: Currently, I’m a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Tennessee doing research out at Oak Ridge National Lab, where I look at how the chemistry of dirt in the #Arctic is changing with warming temperatures, and how that chemical signature could be used to predict biological activity in the permafrost. When I graduate I’d like to work at the interface of science and public policy, helping to develop #sciencediplomacy relationships between the Arctic nations. For fun, I love to #getoutside for a run or hike, go #kayaking, or go for a quick swim. I also love visiting my family, catching a movie with friends, or curling up with a good book with our two dogs and cat.

 

Mallory Ladd

Q: what kind of things do you post to IG? What is Instagram worthy to you?

Mallory: I like posting photos from 1) the lab or various field sites in Alaska, 2) recent international travels, or 3) adventures with friends and family. The lab photos include pictures of our analytical instrumentation and a chemical experiment I’m running, and some information about how that experiment feeds back to the overall goal of my graduate research. The field photos sometimes include the local wildlife. The rest of my posts are mainly to connect with family, friends and anyone else who enjoys traveling internationally and making connections with a new culture.  

 

Mallory Ladd in the lab.

Q: What do you enjoy most about Instagramming science?

Mallory: My favorite thing about Instagram is the community. I love getting a chance to see what other people who are interested in traveling or science (especially the #womeninSTEM community) do on daily basis and what they find important.

Q: what would be your top piece of advice for other scientists looking to grow their Instagram presence?

Mallory: I’m still new to it myself, but I'd suggest to give it a shot! We definitely need more scientists engaging with the public and the only way we’ll effectively do that is if we embrace the commonly used platforms for communication. Start looking around your lab for content to share, make an account, and then start sharing! 

Q: What are the benefits of Instagramming science in your perspective? What are the drawbacks?

I think one of the main benefits of Instagramming my science is that I get immediate feedback on which parts of my science people like hearing about more. It also helps me figure out which concepts I can explain clearly, and which I still need to work on.

 

Mallory Ladd in the field.

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