Luis Martinez, like many scientists, did not set out to be a leader in public engagement with science. For him, this aspect of his career arose largely through a research project that attracted the interest of the Los Angeles Times. This attention from a national newspaper led to other interviews, and eventually he was recruited by one of his professional associations, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), to be on their communication committee. Through ASM, he helped with communication training workshops for graduate students, realizing along the way that he had more experience to share than he’d realized.

Linda Sealy, director of the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity at Vanderbilt University, has been selected to receive the 2018 Lifetime Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Five early-career female scientists were honored Thursday evening as this year’s recipients of the L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship awards.