What if asking better questions changed everything, from the classroom to your career?
Today on the Science with Impact Podcast, Dr. César Nufio is a Multimedia Content Developer and Program Officer II at BioInteractive. In this episode, he shares how his journey, from a high school student unsure about science to a creative leader in science communication, shaped the way he approaches teaching, leadership, and learning.
César talks about what it means to build environments where students lead with curiosity, not just content. He reflects on his immigrant background, his transition out of academia, and how he's learned to value collaboration over credentials. Through storytelling, design, and a commitment to inclusive education, César shows how we can make science more human, and more meaningful.
🤔 Who is this for?
- Educators and scientists building learning environments that prioritize curiosity, not just content
- Researchers rethinking success beyond tenure, prestige, and traditional academic metrics
- STEM professionals using storytelling, collaboration, and inclusive practices to broaden their impact
📋 What is it about?
This episode explores how curiosity can reshape science education, leadership, and professional growth. César shares his path from art to science, critiques the limitations of academic metrics, and offers ideas for building inclusive, collaborative spaces where students lead their own learning. He also reflects on what it means to leave behind outdated definitions of success—and how embracing discomfort can open the door to more meaningful work.
🔑 Key Takeaway: When we center curiosity and collaboration, we create space for deeper learning, more inclusive science, and more authentic definitions of success.
⌚️ Time Stamps
00:00 Introduction: Helping Others Develop
00:28 The Role of Curiosity in Science
03:17 Personal Journey: From Art to Science
05:56 Teaching Philosophy and Student Engagement
09:00 The Intersection of Art and Science
12:58 Navigating Academic and Research Challenges
16:17 Effective Science Communication and Storytelling
20:27 Reflecting on Academic Metrics and Success
39:39 The Struggles of Collaborating Institutions
40:41 The Pressure to Publish Single Author Papers
41:20 Valuing Collaborations in Academia
42:33 Redesigning the Academic Tenure System
44:44 The Importance of Diverse Faculty Roles
46:18 Challenges and Opportunities in Academia
49:54 The Role of Tenure in Academic Institutions
01:04:06 Embracing Discomfort and Uncertainty
01:15:05 Engaging Students with Phenomena-Based Learning
01:19:07 Unlearning Academic Values for Personal Fulfillment
📣 Guest:
Dr. César Nufio | Multimedia Content Developer and Program Officer II, BioInteractive, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
🎙️ Host
Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D., is the founder of Science with Impact, where we partner with research organizations to translate STEM advancements into measurable societal benefits beyond academia.
🙌🏽 Want to collaborate?
If you know of a research organization seeking support in:
- Measuring (program evaluation, statistics/data analysis, and reporting) or
- Communicating (illustration/animation, data visualization, and presentations)
the impact of their STEM research, click the button below to connect them with Dr. Rosa.
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Thank you for all you do to broaden the societal impacts of STEM research.
Sincerely,
The Team at Science with Impact
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