Speaking Science 2025

Conference Details

Speaking Science happens in person at Coffman Memorial Union on Thursday, March 20. Tseganesh Selameab and Ben Trappey will give this year’s keynote presentation: The Power of Storytelling in Health Advocacy. The keynote will be followed by breakout sessions on topics including: collaborations across art and science, interacting with media, digital accessibility in science communication, community-based participatory research, communicating about science on social media, and more!

Keynote Presentation: The Power of Storytelling in Health Advocacy

In their keynote presentation, The Power of Storytelling in Health Advocacy, two faculty from the University of Minnesota’s Center for the Art of Medicine explore the scientific basis of storytelling in advocacy and share examples from Art + Medicine, a television series created in partnership with Twin Cities Public Television.

Dr. Tseganesh Selameab (she/her) is a wife, mother of three girls, and dedicated physician committed to serving refugee, immigrant, and urban underserved communities. She earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Boston Medical Center. A passionate advocate for health equity, she integrates clinical care with community-based advocacy. She is also deeply engaged in narrative medicine, sharing her storytelling at medical school ceremonies, regional conferences, and local story slams.

Dr. Ben Trappey (he/him) is a Med-Peds hospitalist at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. He serves as the Co-Director for the Center for the Art of Medicine in the University of Minnesota Medical school. In this role, he is able to pursue his passion for understanding and appreciating the stories that lie at the heart of the practice of medicine and helping medical trainees and professionals become more effective storytellers and artists of all types.