About This Journal
Science and technology have an enormous impact on society. The communication of science to the general membership of a democracy allows for informed decisions in national debates involving science and technology. Thus, science journalists shoulder the distinct responsibility of bridging the gap between scientists and the general public. This is achieved by transmitting accurate, comprehensible, and timely information. A talented group of Clemson University undergraduate students has embraced this journalistic responsibility through Tigra scientifica. This is a journal of exemplary writings produced by undergraduate students enrolled in Clemson University’s Creative Inquiry (CI) course, Popular Science Journalism. In CI courses, small teams of students take on problems that spring from their own curiosity or from a professor's challenge. In particular, the students on this team monitor the current scientific literature and transmit exciting new findings in ways that are understandable to the general public. In addition to this journal, their writings appear as a weekly science column (Tigra scientifica) in Clemson’s student body newspaper, The Tiger. The inaugural issue of the magazine was published in spring of 2011 under the leadership of Dr. Holly Tuten. While a graduate student at Clemson, Holly regularly contributed science articles to The Tiger. Shortly before graduating, Holly launched the CI course in Popular Science Journalism as an effort to pass her trade on to undergraduate students. The course is open to undergraduate students of all majors, ranks, and levels of ability. Students majoring in Communication Studies, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Environmental and Natural Resources, Genetics, and Psychology have been contributors.