Billy Hudson embraced the opportunities afforded him to direct his path toward success. He knew the path the rural children were headed down. Read about Hudson’s initiative to bring STEM education to rural school children and the pay off it’s having. Perhaps making a difference in the lives of so many children is his greatest success.

Whether you think synthetic biology is simply a more sophisticated form of genetic engineering might be beside the point. Synthetic biology is moving beyond proof-of-principle methodology and is looking toward providing benefits in the clinic. Applied genetic engineering is growing and is ready for its close-up.

Emily Crawford, a graduate student at the University of California at San Francisco, blazes the review writing trail for novices. Not able to find an instructive article to guide her, she lays out her experiences here for us, so that you might avoid pitfalls and save time when you’re called upon to write your first review article.

Science outreach is critical to the mission of ASBMB’s success. The society partnered with the Rockville Science Center to answer questions from those concerned about the safety of vaccines. Free flu shots were also made available. It is through outreach programs such as this that we can better explain the relevance of what scientists do to the everyday lives of nonscientists.

Communication comprises speaking and listening. To make it effective, clarity is key. At the University of Missouri, graduate students are given the opportunity to explain research (outside of their area of expertise) and its importance to the public. The “Science & Me” course prepares students to think how to convey their work in the most effective manner, not only to the public but to other scientists.

Roza Selimyan revisits genomics’ beginnings, evaluates what we’ve learned since the sequencing of the human genome, and discusses the clinical importance of genomic science to medicine.