Reflections on The Aggie Transcript’s 10th Anniversary
By Shaina Eagle, Editor-In-Chief '23–24
Ten years ago, Professor Sean Burgess assembled 8 students from her MCB 121 class to form the first editorial board of The Aggie Transcript. These students wrote a mission statement that we still abide by today:
The Aggie Transcript is a forum for students to discuss and exchange their perspectives on science and its role in society. We provide a publishing venue for students to display their expertise and to share what they have learned in their classes. Our journal represents an inclusive and accessible form of expression for students to submit pieces of original writing, news, and art related to the life sciences.
Ten years later, the journal has grown considerably. It has published over 400 articles. It has united over 80 undergraduate students across several departments as editors and designers. Each publication displays students’ achievements from classes and research labs, fulfilling the mission statement and providing a platform for young scientists to share their work with a broader audience.
Writing and publishing are foundational to science and the formation of knowledge. Articles published in any of the thousands of professional scientific journals worldwide detail researchers' protocols and data, their analysis of other scientists’ findings, and their responses to trends within their fields. Publishing is important to scientists not just to share findings, but to also advance their careers in a field where publications confer degrees and visibility, and therefore grants, jobs, and academic positions. The Aggie Transcript provides an opportunity for undergraduates to experience the editing and publication process before they enter the professional world, an opportunity students at many institutions don’t have. This exposure is an important, yet often overlooked, part of scientific training, as students get a preview of the rigorous standards of academic publishing and a deeper appreciation for scholarly discourse. We hope that the experience of publishing their work with The Aggie Transcript not only helps our undergraduate peers take pride in their learning, but proves to themselves and to others that they can make important contributions to scientific dialogue. We strive to continue to be advocates for the increase in formal instruction of and opportunities for young scientists to practice science writing.
The Aggie Transcript has also left a significant impact on the development of those of us who served on its board. Our past board members have gone on to graduate programs, medical school, and to careers in the public sector and education. The technical skills they gained in writing, editing, research, illustration, and design proved widely applicable across multiple disciplines. They found the skill of translating specialized information into accessible forms for a variety of audiences to be invaluable in both familiar and new settings. Working on the board also provided them ample opportunity to hone soft skills like organization and collaboration. Above all, their time with The Aggie Transcript nurtured a deep passion for science that continues to inspire their post-college journeys.
Our belief in the importance of written exchange not only to science as an institution and discipline, but also to the training of young scientists is what has fueled this journal through the past decade. It is the passion of every year’s editorial board and design team, as well as the eagerness of our peers to publish their work, that energized us through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, and inspired us to take on new responsibilities like the creation of a sister journal (The Aggie Transcript: Psychology), teaching a First-Year Seminar, and our contributions to the National Undergraduate Consortium of Science Journals’ annual conference.
As The Aggie Transcript enters the next decade, it does so with the biggest board and a record number of article submissions. There is a momentum for growth built throughout the past ten years and the same passion for science communication that inspired our founding members. There is no telling what The Aggie Transcript will look like ten years from now. But one thing I know to be true is that this organization will leave a lifelong impact on all who participate.
10 Years of Design at The Aggie Transcript
By Jordan Chen, Head of Design '21–24
As we mark the 10th anniversary of The Aggie Transcript, it's remarkable to reflect on our journey from a website-only publication to an organization distributing annual print editions, a transformation that symbolizes the hard work from every editor and designer who had a hand in our journal. Holding a printed journal with your name and article in it is an unmatched feeling. It's one that the Design Team has luckily been able to provide to many UC Davis students.
The print edition stands now as the journal’s crown jewel. The Design Team’s evolution has been integral to this position. We were initially composed of editors who took on dual roles as designers—an arrangement that although functional, was ripe for improvement. In 2020, at the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aditi Goyal was both Managing Editor of the board and head of the designers. It was then, with the 2021 issue shaping up to be a visually demanding COVID-19 special edition, that I became the first person brought on specifically for design, the first seed to an independent Design Team.
What began for me as a small team of 5—Neha Madugala, Reshma Kolala, Tammie Tam, Aditi Goyal, and myself—has since doubled in size to a growing team of 11. Designers now fill 1 of 3 distinct roles, as Print Designers, Scientific Illustrators, or Brand Designers, each always elevating the visual identity of the journal to new heights.
As we look ahead with starry eyes to the next decade of The Aggie Transcript, I can say with no restraint that we in the Design Team will remain committed to collaboration, the furthering of science communication, and the support of the mission of The Aggie Transcript.
Cover Illustration by Sophia Huang