Welcome
Vaccination Conversations with Scientists (VaCS) is an outreach initiative promoting vaccine uptake by connecting scientists (including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, faculty, and motivated undergraduate students) with community members to have conversations about the science behind vaccines, with a special focus on the COVID-19 vaccines. We are based in Ithaca, NY and have many volunteer scientists from Cornell University and other local colleges.
Improving the COVID-19 vaccination rate is a critical step in keeping our community healthy. VaCS seeks to improve uptake and access to vaccines by having conversations with community members about the vaccines, new variants of the disease, and evolving guidelines on up-to-date vaccines and eligible age groups. We also collaborate closely with local county departments of health and organizations like Tompkins County Whole Health and the Rural Equity Workgroup to disseminate information about upcoming vaccine clinics.
VaCS facilitates these conversations through a few methods: phone-banking and tabling at community events. In light of the complex vaccination landscape and emotional nature of health decisions, VaCS prioritizes one-on-one and small group conversations that help us to directly address people’s individual concerns.
If you are interested in organizing a Q&A session on behalf of a local group, please email vacs@cornell.edu
If you are a scientist or student scientist-in-training and would like to join us, go to our Volunteer Page for more information.
Vaccination Conversations with Scientists is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
We partner with Cornell University registered student organizations, including affiliations with our undergraduate student club, Vaccination Conversations with Scientists–Cornell Student Chapter, and Advancing Science and Policy, a graduate student club.
If you would like to contribute to our mission, use the button below to make a donation.