Let me begin with a brief introduction of myself. I’m a BBA graduate with a major in Finance. For the longest time, I saw myself working in a financial institution, analyzing annual reports and diving deep into balance sheets. But life, as it often does, had other plans. I was selected as a Junior Executive Assistant at the Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF), a place far away from the world of finance. What began as a purely executive role soon sparked a growing curiosity in science communication — and with that, an unexpected new chapter unfolded. The girl from finance who once immersed herself in reading financial statements was now spending her days reading scientific research papers.
As a Junior Executive Assistant, I supported the “Building Scientists for Bangladesh (BSB)” team, an initiative by CHRF that trains aspiring scientists through hands-on lab experience. One of my main roles was handling queries, and looking back, that might have been the inspiration that led me to take my first step into science communication. While I couldn't explain the lab techniques in detail, the incredible BSB team provided me with just enough knowledge to help participants and their parents feel confident in joining our programs.
As an artist with an eye for aesthetics, I was tagged with CHRF’s science communication team to help create graphics for posts and brochures. While working on the CHRF brochure, I learned about CHRF’s impactful work in infectious diseases and public health. One graph showed how the introduction of the Hib vaccine in 2009 now saves over 3,100 children under one year old each year in Bangladesh - made possible through CHRF’s data and advocacy. We all know that vaccines save lives, but that arrow in the graph, illustrating the sharp drop in Hib cases, made me realize the immense effort behind such breakthroughs: the data collection, analysis, and research required to bring a vaccine into the national immunization program.This realization sparked as the inspiration for me to become more involved in science communication.
Casual conversations with colleagues helped me understand the very basics: what sequencing is, the predator-prey relationship between bacteria and bacteriophages, and how certain bacteria release tailocins as a stress response to kill other bacteria.The more I learned about the impact of research and CHRF’s work, the more excited I became to share them, especially with my friends, most of whom are engineers. I won't lie, there is something oddly satisfying watching my engineer friends being curious about bacteria. This became a source of inspiration, giving me confidence that I might not be that bad at communicating science. I slowly began contributing to CHRF’s blogs and newsletters and soon found myself Googling simple things like whether Salmonella Typhi should be italicized.
I still felt like an imposter in the scientific world. But then someone said something that stayed with me, “Atiya, communication is also needed for the non-experts. As you come from a different background, you can be the mediator, filtering information and communicating it effectively.”
Suddenly, what I had considered my biggest weakness didn’t feel like a weakness anymore. It became my purpose to turn that perceived gap into a strength. I want to learn more and communicate with people like me those who don’t need the technical details, but a clear, simple understanding of the impact.
While I’m still learning and growing in the field of science communication, I’ve already made some progress. I recently contributed to a grant proposal. Something that felt unimaginable just a few months ago. I’m still exploring, still learning and taking inspiration from my amazing colleagues! I hope to make a real impact and grow further as part of our science communication team.
I know I’ve used the word inspiration many times in this piece - so here’s one last use, I promise. My five-year-old nephew is just beginning his journey, full of curiosity and without the weight of choosing a path just yet. And while he may grow up to pursue any field, the deepest inspiration I feel comes from knowing that I’ll be able to guide him if he ever chooses the world of life sciences.
Atiya Binta Hossain
Executive Officer
Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF)