Yale Scientific provides a forum for both science and non-science majors to run all aspects of a publication. We publish twice a semester and have opportunities in writing, photography, art, and business for Yale undergraduates of any experience level.
If you are interested in being involved with YSM, please subscribe to our email updates. We look forward to working with you!
Writing
Our mission is to distill complex scientific research into a form that is accessible to a wide audience. Our print articles are divided into three sections: news, full-lengths, and features. We also feature online exclusives on the YSM website and the Scope, the YSM’s blog. Sign up for our panlist to get notifications about article sign-ups.
Our section editors pitch articles with both scientific novelty and societal relevance. Articles span a wide range of scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, environmental science, chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics, and technology. We also cover science in the mass media, as well as highlight the notable research and achievements of undergraduates and alumni. This is an opportunity for you to learn about exciting research and interview experts in the field.
You may sign up for your top article choices. Or, if you have an idea for a topic that we should be covering, you may pitch your own article idea. After article sign-ups, your editor will reach out with additional resources for your piece and schedule a preliminary meeting to get started. Guidelines for writing can be found in our Writers’ Handbook. Every piece goes through at least two rounds of editing, which is a back-and-forth discussion between the editor and the writer. You will have about three weeks to complete your article, from the Writers’ Meeting to the final draft.
Art
When it comes to communicating scientific research, visualizations are as equally important as written words. Especially with the advent of new technology like iPads and the Adobe Creative Suite, ideas can be easily conveyed through graphic art. The YSM seeks to share novel scientific discoveries with a greater population, turning technical journal articles into digestible pieces for people with any background to understand and enjoy and question. Art is more fun when you’re in good company, so we host group sessions for every edition. Sign up for our panlist to contribute art to future issues.
Sign-ups are over, but you still want to contribute illustrations to YSM? You’re in luck because Stock Illustrations are accepted year-round. They are not article-specific but may be article-inspired, so please feel free to check out the article topics in past issues for ideas. Check out our art website for guidelines, tutorials, and more.
Photography
Sign up for our panlist to contribute photos to future issues! Training will be provided. Cameras can be rented from Bass Library.
Layout
Visual communication is crucial to information accessibility, and the layout team is responsible for tying together all of the pieces at the very end. Layout artists work with writers, artists, and photographers to develop a vision for the magazine, then bring this vision to life with Adobe InDesign.
You can sign up for your top three article choices and can lay out as many articles as you feel comfortable doing. No prior InDesign experience is needed, as layout workshops will be hosted prior to Production Weekend. During Production Weekend, which happens twice a semester, the Production Manager and Layout Editor will be present in the Morse/Stiles computer cluster Friday-Sunday from 6-10 PM to offer guidance and to answer any questions. A style guide will also be provided. More experienced layout artists have the option of working from home.
Business
The YSM has more than two thousand subscribers across the nation and around the world. Help us expand the reach of the Yale Scientific by labeling and distributing magazines. You may subscribe to our panlist to get notifications about distribution meetings.
You can sign up to help out with distributions for our quarterly issues to each of the Yale departments and dining halls, along with labeling parties to help label each of the magazines. Also feel free to join the business team’s brainstorming sessions to help contribute to our growing number of subscribers or give us suggestions for new companies to advertise with us!
Synapse
Seeing other students get excited about science can remind you about why you’re excited about it too! You can volunteer at our Science on Saturdays events (two or three times a semester for a very rewarding two hours) to lead interactive demonstrations, ranging from strawberry DNA extraction to creating dry ice bubbles, for local elementary and middle school students. We believe that STEM is inherently interesting and want to remove accessibility barriers starting at an early age. Sign-ups for demonstrations will be sent out to the YSM panlist. If you have any questions or want to get involved, feel free to contact us at yalesynapse@gmail.com.
We also host Resonance every December, a science conference for approximately one hundred local high school students featuring Yale student-led classes, panels, and workshops to explore different pathways to be involved with science in college and beyond. Look out for Resonance applications in September.
Masthead
Leadership applications will be released in mid-November for terms extending from January to December. To make your application as strong as possible, we recommend involvement in at least three of the branches of the magazine.