Bridging science and language: Writer Shelby Conn earns a master’s in English

For many, going back to school—whether to pursue an undergraduate, graduate, or certificate program—may feel like an impossible feat. However, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) makes this achievement more attainable through the Employee Tuition Assistance Program (ETAP).

It wasn’t until getting hired at LLNL in 2021 and finding out about the ETAP that Shelby Conn, a scientific writer and editor for the Physical and Life Sciences (PLS) organization, thought about pursuing an advanced degree. She began researching different online master’s programs at Arizona State University (ASU), where she previously received her bachelor’s in communication and a minor in art history.  

Two years after starting her master’s journey, Conn has earned a Master of Arts (MA) in English with distinction—finishing with a 4.0 cumulative GPA. When the idea of a master’s first arose, Conn figured she would stick with communications but after some thought decided an MA in English would better align with her career goals and passions. She said, “I always wanted to pursue a degree in English. Growing up, I had a knack for writing but at the same time I felt intimidated by the idea of it—wondering ‘would I be good enough?’”

“The education assistance program gave me the inspiration and fuel I needed to not only reignite my passion for English but also the opportunity to explore new areas of interest within the field.”  For example, after taking an environmental humanities course as a part of her studies, Conn was in awe of the many ways science, language, and community activism are deeply intertwined.

“Environmental humanities was by far one of my favorite courses. As a science writer, everything I studied hit me very close to home—especially since climate science is one of my favorite topics to write about,” noted Conn.

Other courses that she deeply enjoyed included Teaching Literacy for Action and Change, and Language Testing and Assessment. “Throughout these two educator-focused courses, I uncovered a lot of existing research about the science–language connection, that is, how the intentional and meaningful use of language can be used to teach science more effectively, helping learners better understand complex topics and make real-world connections to the concepts being taught.”

Courses such as these really opened Conn’s eyes to a lot of the educational disparities that minorities and second language learners face, which directly contribute to the lack of diversity in the scientific workforce. This is something LLNL is constantly working to address through recruiting efforts at historically black colleges and universities, the implementation of internships for students at minority serving institutions (MSI), and other related initiatives.

“I love that I get to be a part of the Laboratory’s inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability efforts through my writing—whether it is writing an article on an MSI intern, helping with a recruiting flyer, or just putting together resources to help create a more inclusive environment at LLNL—every day, I find new connections between my English studies and my work, and it makes me so excited for the future of my career here,”  said Conn.