Romane Monnet joined the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute鈥檚 communications team in August 2022 and has since made a lasting impact on our community through her passion for science and effective communication.
鈥淢y interest in science communications began soon after I started my graduate studies in the lab of Prof. Jos茅e Dostie at the GCI, as it quickly became clear to me how important it is for researchers to be able to explain their scientific findings to the broader community.鈥�
Romane's journey as a science communications officer at the GCI was nothing short of inspiring. She embraced her role with enthusiasm and dedication. Her responsibilities included creating engaging content in the form of Q&A's and articles, amplifying our presence across various social media platforms, managing our website, and curating and disseminating our monthly newsletter GCI Insider.
鈥淢y favourite aspect was the content creation. It was always very exciting to reach out to new people to offer to highlight their achievements! A place where we lift each other up is a fantastic environment to work and study in, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the GCI鈥檚 culture of empowerment and encouragement.鈥�
Throughout her time at GCI, Romane was involved in several notable projects. She played a pivotal role in organizing the first World Cancer Day event in February 2023, gaining valuable experience in event planning. She also initiated two impactful monthly series: "Donors Make a Difference" and "Alumni Stories."
Romane's experience as a science communications officer has transformed her perspective on science and its communication to the public. 鈥淚鈥檝e realized that people, especially our non-scientific audience, love learning about the fantastic research that we do here at the GCI through the lens of the researchers making the discoveries. Showing what a scientist鈥檚 day looks like or sharing the ups and downs of the research process makes our audience so much more eager to learn about the cancer discoveries that we are making!鈥� She dedicated much of her time learning how to manage a social media platform with a fairly large audience, including planning a communications strategy, seeing what engages the audience, and using these observations to adjust communications strategy.
As Romane embarks on a new chapter in her life, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her outstanding contributions. Her dedication to crafting compelling narratives, managing social media platforms, and fostering connections within our community has left an indelible mark. Her work has not only strengthened GCI鈥檚 presence but has also inspired all of us to continue sharing the remarkable work being done at GCI.
Romane leaves behind valuable advice for aspiring science communicators. 鈥淒o not hesitate to get involved! It is by going to workshops and conferences that I met awesome science communicators who suggested project collaborations and who ultimately made it possible for me to have this role and pursue my interest in science communications. There are a lot of great opportunities out there, I would give a special mention the FSCI 500 鈥淪cience Communications and Outreach鈥� class at McGill, the provincial and national , some , as well as many workshops offered spontaneously at McGill throughout the year.鈥�
Romane expresses her gratitude to the people who have made her time as the science communications officer at the GCI unforgettable. She thanks Anamaria, Trina, Yu, Daniel, Kristen, Louis, Philippe, and the entire GCI family, past and present, for their unwavering support, guidance, and kindness. Her legacy of outstanding science communication and community empowerment will continue to inspire us all. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and hope that her path leads her to even greater heights.
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Thank you, Romane, for everything you've done for GCI. You will be dearly missed!