Since 2013, the BE Communication Lab has been innovating to help biological engineers write, speak, and design visuals more effectively.
Our team of trained grad student and postdoc Communication Fellows provides one-on-one coaching and interactive workshops for the BE community. We support tasks and projects ranging from lab reports and oral presentations, to PhD dissertations and job applications. Our approach is to help biological engineers learn both universal best practices for communication, and strategies for success within biological engineering specifically.
The Communication Lab’s peer-coaching model was developed in winter 2012-13 by Jaime Goldstein, Professor Eric Alm, and Dr. Agi Stachowiak. In March 2013, the Lab launched under its original name, the BE Writing Lab, with financial support from the MIT D’Arbeloff Fund. Since its success within BE, the Communication Lab model has been replicated and adapted by several other departments and programs at MIT.
The BE Communication Lab continues to innovate and respond to the department’s needs. If you have suggestions or would like to collaborate with the BE Communication Lab, please contact us at be-commlab@mit.edu.
The Lab provides coaching and mentorship for numerous partner programs and events…
BE BATS: graduate student seminar series
BE Graduate Student Board
BE Postdoctoral Association
BE Retreat
Amgen Scholars
Diversity Initiatives & MIT Summer Research Program
Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems Research Experience for Undergraduates (EBICS REU)
Laureates & Leaders
Undergrad Fellowships Office
…and BE undergraduate and graduate courses.
20.109*: Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering
20.110: Thermodynamics
20.201: Fundamentals of Drug Development
20.207: Biotechnologies in Infectious Disease
20.309: Instrumentation and Measurement for Biological Systems
20.310: Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Biomechanics
20.361: Molecular and Engineering Aspects of Biotechnology
20.380*: Biological Engineering Design
20.416: Biophysics Seminar
*Course meets the Undergrad Communication Requirement, and features in-class workshops and support by the BE Communication Lab’s instructors.
Interested in being a Communication Fellow?
MIT BE-affiliated PhD students and postdocs† are eligible. We recruit new Communication Fellows once per year, with applications typically opening around January/February. Fill out this interest form if you’d like to be contacted when applications open.
†postdoctoral associates and postdoctoral fellows may be eligible (speak to your sponsoring department about eligibility)