Improv for scientists

Katie is a science educator, improv performer and teacher, and podcaster. For her day job, Katie is a college professor in the Department of Biology at John Abbott College in Quebec, Canada, where she has been sharing her passion for science and learning with bright young scientists since 2018. In 2012, Katie took an improv comedy class as a way of exploring her creative side, and fell in love with the artform. Over the next 11 years, Katie was a proud member of several improv troupes, and has had the opportunity to perform and teach improv classes throughout North America and Europe. One thing Katie did not anticipate while learning improv was how it would positively impact her work. She was surprised how theguiding principles of improv could be applied to being a better scientist and science communicator. This inspired Katie to start teaching Improv for Scientists workshops at universities and conferences throughout Quebec and Ontario. In 2019, Katie was the co-founder of Improv for Professionals (improvforpros.com), a corporate improv agency offering tailor-made workshops for professionals in several disciplines. In 2021, Katie became the co-host of Learn Real Good, a weekly science/comedy podcast, where she and her co-host interview grad students in STEM about their research and their lives as grad students in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.