EDUCATION

University of Georgia - Athens, GA                                                                                                              M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication, Concentration in Health & Medical Journalism, May 2018

University of Tennessee - Knoxville, TN                                                                                                         B.S. in Biological Sciences with Honors, Minor in English Literature, May 2014                                                     · Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Chancellor’s Honors Program Member

HONORS AND AWARDS

·      ORISE/ORAU EAS Award - December 2015
·      ORISE/ORAU On the Spot Award for Excellent Feature Writing, Exceptional Safety Measures, and Newsletter Production - October 2014, February 2015 and October 2015                  ·      J. Paul Blakely Undergraduate Science Writing Award of Merit from the East Tennessee Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (ETC-STC) - April 2014
·      University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Honors Citation for Extraordinary Community Service - April 2014
·      University of Tennessee BRIDGE Research Grant & Undergraduate Research Award - May 2012 

COMMUNICATIONS AND WRITING EXPERIENCE

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)/ORAU-Oak Ridge, TN Communications & Social Media Specialist - January 2015 – Present
·       Serve as the project lead for creation of a strategic plan to increase expansion of Science Education Programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Gov Career Paths social media accounts
·       Produce original, creative content about programs and participants for all social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
·       Write, copy-edit and design Science Education Programs at ORNL weekly newsletters, program documents, website updates, and government reports
·       Photograph research program participants and various Science Education Programs at ORNL events
·       Promote Science Education Programs at ORNL events through targeted internal and external media planning
·       Lead targeted online recruiting efforts for open research positions at federal facilities

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)/ORAU-Oak Ridge, TN
Science Writing Intern - June 2014 – December 2014
·       Wrote and edited features detailing scientific research of participants in ORISE-administered federal workforce development programs
·       Conducted and coordinated internal ORISE communications efforts, including designing and composing newsletters, updating social media and brainstorming new initiatives

University of Tennessee - Knoxville, TN
The Daily Beacon Columnist - August 2013 – May 2014
·      Wrote an original weekly opinion column, Knight Errant, for the student newspaper                                                      

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

University of Tennessee, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology - Knoxville, TN
Research & Laboratory Assistant with Dr. Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes - August 2010 – May 2014
·       Conducted molecular biology research on insect resistance to transgenic crops
·       Maintained multiple insect colonies and plants for graduate student experiments

University of Georgia, Department of Entomology - Athens, GA       
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) 
Research Assistant with Dr. Michael R. Strand - May 2013 - July 2013                          
·       Conducted research on the gut microbiome of the yellow fever mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, and its response to changing environments

SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES

·       Communications – Social media management and strategy, newsletter and document design in Microsoft Publisher and MailChimp publishing, photography, marketing, event planning, and online recruiting
·       Writing – Scientific writing and journalism, press releases, interviewing and reporting, copy-editing, AP style, and technical writing
·       Scientific Research – Nucleic acid isolation and analysis, dsRNA in vitro transcription, SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, in-gel enzyme assays, flow cytometry and insect bioassays  

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

60th Meeting of the Entomological Society of America - Knoxville, TN    
Poster Title: Is nuclease activity limiting successful RNAi gene silencing in Heliothis virescens larvae? - November 2012

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Jakka, S. R., Knight, V. R., & Jurat-Fuentes, J. L. (2014). Fitness costs associated with field-evolved resistance to Bt maize in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J Econ Entomol, 107(1), 342-351.

Jakka, S. R., Knight, V. R., & Jurat-Fuentes, J. L. (2014). Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) with field-evolved resistance to Bt maize are susceptible to Bt pesticides. J Invertebr Pathol, 122, 52-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2014.08.009.

Knight, Victoria R. “Power, Self-Transformation, and Looks: Capturing the Gaze in Jane Austen” (2014) University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects. 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Young Professionals of Knoxville - Knoxville, TN                         
Member - October 2015

LEADERSHIP & SERVICE

Emerald Youth Foundation - Knoxville, TN
Youth Soccer Coach - September 2013 – present

University of Tennessee, Center for Leadership & Service - Trelawney, Jamaica
Alternative International Spring Break Trip Leader - May 2013 - March 2014                                                                          

Girls on the Run of the Greater Knoxville Area - Knoxville, TN                            
Assistant Coach - February 2013 – May 2013

University of Tennessee, Center for Leadership & Service - Winston-Salem, NC
Alternative Fall Break Trip Leader - May 2012 – October 2012