Biography

This Neuroscientist – also known as ‘Science Sam’ – is Making Science More Familiar, Accessible, and Inclusive

Dr. Samantha Yammine earned her PhD from the University of Toronto researching how stem cells build the mammalian brain before birth and maintain it throughout adulthood. In addition to her doctoral research, Samantha co-authored a crowd-funded research study exploring the effects that #ScientistsWhoSelfie on Instagram can have on public perceptions of scientists. She’s also published in Nature and Science on communicating science online.

Samantha is passionate about empowering people to explore science by making it more familiar, accessible, and inclusive. She does this in part by sharing interactive science commentary and research updates on Instagram as @science.sam through short videos, emoji-filled captions, and engaging pictures. She’s created space for continued, multi-way dialogue about science that transcends geographical borders and the traditional gate-keeping of academia. A leader in digitizing science on social media, Samantha founded Science Sam Media in 2019 to continue to grow the reach and impact of her science communication initiatives.

She’s produced, scripted, and hosted educational videos, and regularly appears as a guest expert in the popular media including appearances on TVO Kids, Leafs Nation Network, Netflix, CBC GEM, and engaging audio with LBC Radio UK, AsapSCIENCE’s Sidenote podcast, and CBC Radio. Samantha is a member of the Editorial Committee for the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers and the Program Committee for the Royal Canadian Institute for Science. She was the Founder and a Co-Producer of the first ever #ScienceIsADrag event, which she continues to run in Toronto in partnership with RCIScience, Geith Maal-Bared, and Shawn Hercules.

For more information, please visit: https://www.samanthayammine.com

Photo Credit:  Al Quintero