From Basic Research to Community-Building and Entrepreneurship with Elena Itskovich, Ph.D.

Early Academic Journey

• Elena’s journey from studying physics and computer science to discovering her passion for life sciences and medicine.
• Overcoming challenges in academic pursuits and finding her calling in translational research.

Translating Complex Science for Wider Audiences

• Practical techniques for effective science communication, emphasizing the importance of practice and feedback loops.
• Building community through volunteering and honing skills in event organization and speaker recruitment.

The Multilingual Advantage

• Elena’s experience as a trilingual communicator (Hebrew, English, Russian) and the benefits of immersing oneself in a language for effective communication.
• Overcoming initial translation challenges by thinking and generating content directly in the target language.

mAcademia Podcast: Bridging Industry and Academia

• Exploring the journey from basic research to practical applications, and understanding career trajectories for scientists.
• Insights into the collaborative nature of academia and the importance of interdisciplinary ventures.

Pursuing a PhD in genetics to becoming a passionate advocate for science communication and entrepreneurship.

• Emphasizing the importance of building communities and seeking out opportunities, especially for foreign students and scientists.
• Discussing her role as a board member of Science Abroad, a nonprofit organization that supports Israeli scientists living abroad.
• Highlighting the impact of community-building and mutual support in overcoming the challenges faced by international students.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Nest Catalyst, an entrepreneurship program she co-founded to empower Israeli scientists in building companies based on research and science.

mAcademia, a podcast exploring the bridge between the industry and academia to understand how basic scientific findings take shape into products and strategies and following the career paths of researchers who are in academia or outside of it

ScienceAbroad, an Israel-based nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of senior Israeli scientists living abroad. Through its wide-reaching professional and social network